Selfloss
Selfloss is a story-driven adventure game about a kind old man, set in a fantasy world based on ancient Russian and Icelandic myths. Use the light of your staff to defeat mythical creatures and help those in need. Perform a ceremony called “Selfloss” to heal your own wounded soul.
The old man hears the cry of an unknown animal and is eager to find it and help it. And thus your adventure begins…
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The magical staff is central to the game’s mechanics and story.
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Combat is strategic and dynamic. You control the character and his staff simultaneously and independently: the magic staff levitates around the protagonist, generating spells.
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You can explore the world of Selfloss on foot or by boat, discovering Slavic and Icelandic myths along the way as you help others overcome their hardships and grief.
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A unique sea-worshiping world with whale gods, resembling the landscapes of Iceland.
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The art style was inspired by postimpressionism, and the colors of Selfloss were chosen with reference to color theories, particularly Simultaneous Contrast theory.
Read More: Best Exploration Controller Games.
The Companion
Absolute stunning visual and audio! A perfect game for those who are looking for a chill, relaxing and exploration game.
The controls are great too! I really love the dash ability. Different levels also have very distinct visual. The developer is also very open to feedbacks and continously improve the game overtime, really appreciate it!
– Real player with 19.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Exploration Narration Games.
GRAPHICS: 9.5/10
SOUND QUALITY: 7.5/10
GAMEPLAY: 7.5/10
CHARACTERS: 8.5/10
STORY: 7.5/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10
Experience one family’s harrowing journey through the wild. Summon and follow wisps, witness visions of the past, and interact with the present to change the future.
At first, I was very impressed by The Companion. This visually striking, emotional fantasy adventure hits all the right notes both figuratively and literally (the score is heartbreaking in all the best ways). Then I found out it was also created by a self-taught solo developer in under a year! David Fazzio, the game’s writer, director, and designer, started learning game design in 2015 when the Unreal Engine became available for free. After putting aside his initial multiplayer project, Fazzio shifted his focus in 2020 to the intimate yet epic story that would soon become Studio 46’s debut game, The Companion—and what a debut it is!
– Real player with 14.3 hrs in game
梦乡 The Dreamcatcher
This game is a bit hard to follow in terms of story, BUT - the story that I interpreted was a well-crafted one. If you are looking at this game as a horror game, I suggest you stop looking. This isn’t a game to expect to piss your pants on. The story is fairly linear from what I have gathered, although there was one part of the game that I never got to explore near the end. The graphics are plenty good, and considering this is the only game I even know of that came from this developer, I give it a 7/10
– Real player with 4.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Exploration Horror Games.
I think the game’s a bit monotonous and hard to understand.
– Real player with 4.0 hrs in game
Aery - A Journey Beyond Time
I personally liked main the main character of this game - flying-bird-eagle. It is a really good idea to choose this being like a personage.
Different interesting and sometimes exciting locations.
I get enjoy and pleasant relax playing this game. It’s so calm and pretty.
The controls are quite simple, I learned right away and graphic is pretty good - there is nothing that catches the eye sharply.
Travelling in time, being a flying animal - nice choice. My respect, developers
– Real player with 92.4 hrs in game
If you wanted to get a lot of emotions from the gameplay, then this game is for you!
Fantastic gameplay will not let you get bored.
I played for about 3 hours, but I want more and more!
I did not find any bugs in the game, a nice and understandable menu.
I advised the game to a friend, my friend also liked it)
If you have any doubts whether to buy the game or not? Buy it !! You won’t regret it !!
5/5
– Real player with 3.4 hrs in game
Where Wind Becomes Quiet
pretty fun walking sim in the style of Paradise Lost. a couple hours long. the puzzles can sometimes be tricky because there’s no info or very little hints. half the trouble is figuring out what to do. if you want to see the first bit I have a walkthrough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PSDQhekfTQ&t=13s
– Real player with 10.7 hrs in game
Nice story-based game. It reminds Dear Esther at first but shorter and has some puzzles.
Good one for calm evening.
– Real player with 6.8 hrs in game
Arise: A Simple Story
Super Mario 3D World, if everything weren’t cats, they removed the Wii U gamepad, and wasn’t Super Mario 3D world
Random title cause I felt like it. I’m not sure on whether to give a ‘recommended’ or ‘not recommended’ for this game, cause it’s a 50/50 split between aspects of this game that I liked, and the ones that infuriated me.
Pros:
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The Level Designs are amazing. Most games with a persistent time-switching mechanic only have 2 versions of the same map that show the past and the future, and pressing a button transports you to one or the other, but this game lets you slowly see the polygons shift whilst giving you the feeling of manually seeking and rewinding time like it’s a tape recorder. While most puzzles require you to only go back and forth between 2 points in time and freeze it, some puzzles
! (like the rolling boulder or the falling log in level 3) have you constantaneously scrub time and walk at the same time.
– Real player with 18.3 hrs in game
Arise: A Simple Story
Arise is a simple yet clever puzzle-platformer that pushes the puzzle-platformer genre in the right direction. Arise is a soulful, relaxing game that revolves around a man’s journey of reliving his bittersweet memories with his partner.
It’s sweet, it’s simple and it’s truly emotionally driven. And combined with its beautiful world and enjoyable gameplay, we have an all-rounder on our hands.
*– [Real player with 12.5 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198329404521)*
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## Dear Mom
A short and very sweet journey through a daughter's message to her Mom. This is a walking simulator with a heart and for anyone who has loved and lost their mother, it will strike a deep emotional chord.
Dear Mom takes less than an hour to explore. You wander freely through the environment, clicking objects as you find parts of a letter (audio snippets), memories of Mom, and floating hearts. The Mom memories made me smile, as so many were things that I heard growing up. The game has no save and ends when you reach a final point.
*– [Real player with 2.5 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198200161774)*
The Game, that touched me most this Year. A Game that definetly needs more attention.
Rereviewed for the Autumn Sales Quests.
Also hoping for making more Readers interested in it.
Thanks for reading again.
…
..
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Do you know the Situation?
Sometimes there are Moments where you can't find words, or just don't know how to start, don't know to find the right Words.
That is one Moment for me.
I finished DEAR MOM, Minutes ago and im very thoughtfull.
It feels … somehow …a little bit if this Game showed me a glance ….. into my Mirror.
*– [Real player with 1.5 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198078498143)*
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## Farewell North
#### Restore Color to the World
Explore the islands and uncover memories in order to restore color to the archipelago, unlocking new paths, extinguishing hazards and revealing hidden objects. Explore the hand crafted, atmospheric islands while evading the creatures that would hold you back.
#### Free Wildlife
Discover and activate frozen wildlife to temporarily bring color back to the world, revealing hidden objects and paths, and distracting the monsters who would harm you.
#### Discover Hidden Paths
Solve puzzles based on perspective and coloring to reveal hidden objects and paths in the environment. Find the perfect vantage point to reveal the secrets of the islands.
#### Explore Land and Sea
Journey at your own pace, running through lush grassy fields, hiking steep cliffs, and canoeing the ocean between an open world chain of islands inspired by the Scottish archipelagos of St. Kilda and Orkney. Discover new islands and challenges throughout the world as you work to restore color.
#### Uncover a Unique Story About Saying Farewell
Unravel a unique story about saying farewell as memories reveal a glimpse into the life of the characters. Discover the events in the past which have led the characters to the archipelago, and caused all color to leave the world.
#### Key Features
* Restore color to a vibrant, hand crafted world, inspired by the Scottish highlands and the famous isles of St. Kilda and Orkney
* Play as an energetic border collie helping a young woman recover the memories of her life, and uncover the mystery of a colorless world
* Experience two distinct visual modes, with unique challenges and mechanics in each
* Unravel an original story of overcoming depression, and saying farewell
* Discover monsters, creatures and wildlife inspired by the rich history of Scottish folklore
* Travel by foot and by canoe as you make your way through the atmospheric isles
* For fans of games like _Journey_, _GRIS_ and _Lost Ember_
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## HumanOrigin : Liu Lanzhi
CHEAP and FUNNY tiny game about Chinese culture.
Good value for money.
*– [Real player with 0.8 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198294755402)*
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## Linda & Joan
_Linda & Joan_ is a forthcoming narrative game about a British family. You play as Russell, Linda, and Joan — son, mother, and grandmother — switching between them to help the family cope with a series of traumatic events. Based on a true story.
The main game is scheduled for release in 2022\. It will be part two of the _Linda & Joan_ story. Part one is _[Prologue: “Four Months Earlier”](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1267770/Linda__Joan_Prologue_Four_Months_Earlier/)_ which is available now.
Players experience the events from the perspectives of Russell, Linda, and Joan through exploration, conversation, and tasks designed to give emotional insight into the themes of caregiving, dying, bereavement, and homeland.
What sets _Linda & Joan_ apart from other branching-narrative experiences is that while the player has many choices to make, nothing can change the core events that follow — _there is only one ending_.
However, actions, dialogue choices, and task completion, do affect the characters’ perception of events. By spending time with happier memories, taking care of themselves, and choosing the right things to say to each other, the characters — and therefore the player — will find themselves able to deal with the impossible.
The characters’ emotional states will be graphically represented in the game. The player will have to carefully balance the needs of the characters to progress, sometimes requiring difficult zero-sum tradeoffs.
These mechanisms attempt to mirror the real-life feeling of being powerless in the face of looming trauma, when you realize that no decision can affect the outcome, but you can affect how you and others feel about it.
Even when life’s story feels like it’s on rails, we still have some power over our own realities. There is still room for dignity, compassion, honesty. For fear and for love. There is a time for self-care. There is a time for duty. The choices we make will define the memories we hold for the rest of our lives.
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