tomorrow won’t come for those without ██████
I don’t typically write reviews, but I genuinely loved playing this game. This is just based off of my experience but I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys:
-
Connecting dots and working a little to figure out the plot. The game doesn’t just come out with an exposition bomb, which I appreciate though I can understand that isn’t for everyone.
-
Psychological thriller/horror elements. Creepy vibe? Check. A dash of body horror and existential/cosmic dread? Check.
-
Puzzles. There are a few puzzles that stumped me for a bit, but it never felt entirely unfair. (Plus, if you really need help, there is a guide written by luna-terra that will help you through the game and get the alternate ending without spoiling the experience)
– Real player with 4.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Atmospheric Philosophical Games.
tomorrow won’t come for those without ██████ gives you the same feeling after playing as all of etherane’s other work. your mind gets foggy, your hands feel numb, and you want to cry but you don’t know how. you lay down in bed, turn the lights down to low, and just ponder.
etherane’s newest game comes with a new story just as surreal and mind-boggling as hello charlotte, seeped deep in low-humming religious trauma and blocked memories. the art is beautiful, and the slow-brewing horrors and states of melancholy make it even more so. i do appreciate the ability to turn flashing images off [which, to those curious, only comes up in one ending, and there are flashes when going between some rooms].
– Real player with 3.6 hrs in game
Expand
Disclaimer: A review key was provided by the studio.
ESPRESSO REVIEW
Not a meditative, relaxing game as I assumed, but more a good reflex dodge em up with great rotational labyrinths to escape from. The remaining impression of rotating, expanding and collapsing levels will stick with you after you are done.
PROS
Intricate mazes to figure out
Monochromatic layout is a gorgeous modern art experience
Not as easy as you would expect
Music is a very nice low key electronic soundtrack that is well composed
– Real player with 11.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Atmospheric Soundtrack Games.
Follow me, says the game with a chime.
A week ago, I received an email from Expand developer Chris Johnson inviting me to play the game ahead of release. Since it was a game I was already interested in, I jumped at the opportunity.
Chris describes the game as a “meditative exploration through shifting circular labyrinths”. It is a game that I find hard to frame my thoughts on - Chris' words are certainly accurate, but the game has another quality to it that’s a little more difficult to define.
– Real player with 9.3 hrs in game
Fomalhaut Flowers
Written for 1561’s Thoughts - Honest reviews, for busy people.
Fomalhaut Flowers :: noir, luck, and an unresponsive jump button :: side scrolling puzzle (?) platformer that comes off as frustrating due to the awkward physics and unavoidable deaths. 4.5/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfPvDid2yE
– Real player with 0.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Atmospheric Surreal Games.
ParticuLights
Everything I expected, and I expected to like it!
Game themed ambiance while I work! I think this is one step closer to making real life as video-game-esque as possible, so I fully support this effort.
– Real player with 0.1 hrs in game
Mastho is Together
Precision platform is always difficult, right, no surprises. But here the level is really insane. You will suffer, but the minimalist music is well fitted and will bring you some calm. But make no mistake, you will suffer here. I recommend it for those who are experts in precision platforms at the hell level.
– Real player with 4.6 hrs in game
A really fun and hard game! Not so hard so as to make the game only beatable by experts, but surely enough to make you want to master its mechanics and think of the best way of passing through the levels. And not only do the levels ask you to be fast and precise, but often also require you to think and come up with a good strategy for beating a more delicate point.
And one of the best parts of the game: even if you keep dying and dying at the same point in a level, you will never get angry because the music is so soothing and relaxing - the perfect match for a game like this!
– Real player with 2.2 hrs in game
Whispers of Ancient Stone
This short puzzle game gradually reveals the story of a crumbling ruin through block placement and letter substitution stages. Rebuild the structure to decipher the whispers of ancient stone!
B-Side
-
Navigate maze-like levels and solve 100+ puzzles with your ability to flip the world.
-
Lean on and utilize the unique abilities of 4 different characters.
-
Conquer various hazards and obstacles that test your skills and understanding.
-
Uncover a mysterious and gripping story of identity and personal growth.
-
Reconcile with who you are, or what you’ve become, on your journey to find your B-Side!
You play as Tae, a being who is currently undergoing The Forming. Tae is on a quest to find their B-Side, just like all other beings in their cycle, but it’s not going as smoothly as expected. Now they must lean on the other beings around them and their unique abilities, including their ability to flip the world, to conquer obstacles and hazards of The Forming. But avoiding the Strayed and the Wither is no easy task and they must find their own strength while reconciling with who they are - or what they’ve become.
Day Repeat Day
The match-3 aspect is standard, but the story-telling and choices affecting endings is pretty cool. The overall feel of the game is brilliant and I love stuff like this. Perhaps a bit steep at full price buut it’s a great experience - give it a shot on sale.
– Real player with 18.2 hrs in game
WTF did I just play? Just when I thought I’d seen it all, someone mixes a match-3 game with a visual novel and some kind of dystopian/satirical life sim, throws in weird video sequences and lots of social and political commentary, and the result is amazingly good? Like, seriously, it doesn’t only get points for originality, it’s actually really well done. The UI is a bit bare-bones, but the writing is brilliant, the piano music beautiful and atmospheric, and I’m not an expert on match-3 puzzles, but they seemed very good as well - challenging, but not frustrating, and also perfectly integrated in the story.
– Real player with 9.1 hrs in game
The End o,,,o
You are a slow-moving pixel zombie who can shoot fireballs and just wants to get home. This is a very (VERY) old-style, slow, MS-DOSesque platformer(?). Very short, very vague, and very odd. Single life- you screw up, you’re starting over. And that dude moves REALLY slowly. Good luck building up the patience. The music isn’t awful but just kind of drones on slowly.
Gameplay: https://youtu.be/sKpDX2KKuP4
It will likely take you all of 10 seconds to download, so check it out I guess? I say this often- but– give us a ‘Neutral’ option, Steam. I don’t really recommend this, but there’s nothing worthy of a thumbs down. It accomplishes what it’s trying to accomplish.
– Real player with 1.4 hrs in game
O,,,O is the sad story of a fire demon that wants to go home. You control a purple undead by using WASD and SPACE to walk, jump, hit next and throw your fireballs. A tiny retro treat that fullfills its simple ambitions. Interestingly enough, this title was originally developed for the C64, but I’m glad a free PC port made it to Steam because now we can all bask in all the glory of its 3FPS. However, because of this glorious framerate, the controls can feel clunky at time – but nothing serious enough that will get in the way of your journey back home. The soundtrack is a depressing 5 second loop, but the enemy deathcries are so jarring they might as well be jumpscares. In addition, despite being heavily pixelated, O,,,O successfully creates an eerie atmosphere that makes the player feel like if they were walking through a graveyard in the dead of night during a full moon. Moreover, the game ends with
! a bloody question mark, meaning that there might be a sequel depending on the traction of this demo. Let’s hope so!
– Real player with 1.0 hrs in game
BAFF 4
Ачивачки гы
– Real player with 40.0 hrs in game
Nice letters :))
– Real player with 3.1 hrs in game