The Wild at Heart
The Wild at Heart
A fun and addictive puzzle game with a lot of charming characters and a whimsical atmosphere.
Whilst playing with your friend in the woods, you get separated and find yourself in a magical kingdom. You encounter Grey Coat who tells you about the order of the Green Shields. They are a group of dedicated warriors responsible for protecting the land from a force called The Never.
– Real player with 33.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Story Rich Stylized Games.
Very few games do I reminisce about once our story has ended, but this game is one that I keep thinking “man, maybe I should replay/start a new file/100% The Wild At Heart.”
The art style is an absolute delight to take in. It’s like you’re playing in a watercolour children’s book, and it really does help to immerse you in the fantasy of the world. The character designs are charming, and I still laugh remembering that there’s a character called “Litterbox” who uh… apparently smells /really/ bad.
– Real player with 23.1 hrs in game
Epiphany City
Play the demo for FREE here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1593730/Epiphany_City_Prologue/
Manipulate the World
Lily’s magical picture frame powers evolve as you progress, allowing you to alter the world to your liking.
Reframe Objects
Our unique puzzle mechanic will have you looking at the world in new and imaginative ways. Objects that look like one thing can become something entirely different depending on their surroundings.
Fulfill the Prophecy
Help Lily, as she tries to save the world by fulfilling a Sacred Prophecy… even when it’s not meant for her.
And Find Hope, Even When You Have None Left
This scene doesn’t really help with that… but the ending will!
Features
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Unique puzzle mechanics that emphasize thinking outside the box over the standard “block pushing” or “lock & key” types
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A diverse & expressive cast you’re sure to fall in love with- over 1,000+ uniquely hand-drawn character portraits and sprites
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A silly, whimsical, and yet deeply encouraging story at the same time, Epiphany City rises up against the overwhelming ideals of society, against hopelessness, and feeling like you’ll never be good enough
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Elegant tutorials & simple controls ensure that you waste no time getting to the fun. Perfect for playing with that one family member or significant other that wants to get into games!
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Playful, charming, and astonishing, Epiphany City is an approachable yet mind-blowing adventure full of surprises!
Read More: Best Story Rich Hand-drawn Games.
Ourea
ourea calls itself a cinematic puzzle game and sure enough, cutscenes with cinematic shots happen very often. too often, as a matter of fact, disturbing what little gameplay there is without providing anything substantial for the most part.
– Real player with 2.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best Story Rich Cinematic Games.
This game is a great example for aspiring devs for the type of effort they should be putting into their early work. Too often I find that new devs publishing their first games just dial in broad swaths of their games. These guys clearly put a lot of effort into this game, but they’re just not there yet. I’m glad they got so far as publishing because very few do, and this project shows so much promise for their future projects. For my full thoughts I made a video on this particular game:
– Real player with 1.8 hrs in game
Phantom Path
I’ve recently started trying to make video games. As such, I can say that I get the impression that the developer is trying to convey to the player a condensed version of what it feels like to make the game.
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You have a bunch of sometimes fiendish problems on your hands
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It’s somewhat of a dark storyline
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You spend (or at least I spent) a lot of time running in circles, sometimes in a “grindy” way and other times in a “Jesus Christ wtf do I do?” way
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You go to others for help when you need it (the developer is good about answering questions in the “discussions” section)
– Real player with 11.6 hrs in game
Phantom Path is a neat little puzzle game. Having finished the game in about ten hours, there’s a lot that I liked but also some stuff that took away from a very good experience.
The game is separated into separate levels, each containing one and sometimes two puzzles to open the exit to the next level. Each exit requires yellow or blue fire in particular pillars around the level. In the beginning it is pretty straight forward to find a fire of the required color and bring it to specific pillars. The further you progress it becomes more challenging, especially with the introduction of more puzzle elements. There are teleporters and bridges which also require a source of power that you have to find and provide. Furthermore there are so-called arcane walls that only let you pass if you have transformed into a floaty phantom thingy. Problem is that you can only do that transformation in certain positions of the map and as long as you are transformed you cannot interact with anything or exit the level, so you have to transform back first.
– Real player with 10.3 hrs in game
The Dawning
Sometimes even after leaving a career, the remnants of that vocation maintain a firm grasp on your life. This proves to be hauntingly true for ex-private eye, James Madison. Following a troubled past and an abrupt end to a storied career, Madison finds himself staying with a friend, Ben Noble, and his family on their pig farm. One night, after awakening to a heavy knock on the door, Madison finds everyone on the farm missing. To make matters worse, ominous text messages are being sent from an unknown caller promising a healthy dose of murder before the night is over. While overcoming complex puzzles and staying far away from the hungry wolves that roam the property, help Madison unravel the mystery, find the Nobles, and catch the killer before it is too late.
Valley of Shadow
An autobiographical puzzle game about facing mortality.
Relive a true story wherein you uncover real mementos. Solve puzzles using classic fantasy spells like Light and Fireball. Explore a dark world teeming with secrets.
A True Story
Experience the retelling of a traumatic event in the lives of the developers, two brothers. You’ll find real photos and home videos scattered throughout the world, as you piece together what happened.
Nostalgic Mementos
The Valley of Shadow is littered with nostalgic references to video games from the 1990’s and 2000’s. Some of the most popular games even have their own puzzles designed after them.
Fantasy Spells
Cast Light to not only find your way around dark areas, but also solve mind-bending puzzles revolving around Light & Shadow. Strategically manipulate your environment to control the shadows indirectly.
Force Missiles always find their target, but which target is up to you. Destroy walls, push blocks, and reposition yourself to control the route that your missiles take.
In the icy cold Valley of Shadow, Fireball opens new avenues to explore. Carve through ice to make a path for Force Missile, or melt snow to shine Light on the other side.
A Fold Apart
Interesting puzzle concept. I got stuck in a few but never enough to look up a solution. Some puzzles (especially early ones, but also some later ones) are very easy. Feels like the game is trying to make you feel frustration and release in sympathy with the characters instead of ramping up difficulty just because it’s a game.
Presentation is impressive. Transitions, multi-view shots, and walking over folds are done seamlessly.
Dialogue (text messages) between the characters is generally pretty good. Some a bit too cheesy/sappy but some felt genuine. The puzzle thought text is usually too melodramatic.
– Real player with 4.3 hrs in game
VEREDICT: 8/10.
A Fold Apart is a sweet puzzle game with its mechanics and visuals well tied to its themes. The game could use some quality of life improvements and a smoother learning curve, but it’s worth it.
MECHANICS: Positive. The folding paper puzzles manage to match the allegorical emotional landscapes of a long-distance relationship cleverly. Some of the mechanics didn’t click for me and I think it could use a few extra steps to ease you into new stage gimmicks. At least the game has a solid hint system.
– Real player with 4.1 hrs in game
B-Side
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Navigate maze-like levels and solve 100+ puzzles with your ability to flip the world.
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Lean on and utilize the unique abilities of 4 different characters.
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Conquer various hazards and obstacles that test your skills and understanding.
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Uncover a mysterious and gripping story of identity and personal growth.
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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.
Fira
A lovely and emotional 3rd-person puzzle-based game centered on the story of Kara: a young woman who deals with a painful past experience in her life. Armed with her skill to manipulate the elements, you must help her try to find her way across a mysterious land with many challenges in the form of puzzles and put an end to this pain that lies within her.
Join the discord to get access to play test! https://discord.gg/8tg9ZgJ5eA
Features
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Solve puzzles using Kara’s special elemental skill to maniupale and use the powers of the elements.
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Travel across a mysterious land that presents tricky puzzles to unlock its secrets. You can dive straight into the story or explore and find missing pieces that reveal Kara’s backstory.
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Immerse yourself in the fantasy world of Fira, with its beautiful environments, colors and the captivating sountrack it has to offer.
NecroBoy : Path to Evilship
NecroBoy : Path to Evilship tells the story of a young necromancer aiming to become the greatest Lord of Evil! Using his dark powers, he’s bringing his NecroMinions back to life to do his bidding and solve puzzles to venture forth into the crypt of his infamous hero, NecroMan!
Origin Story of the next Lord of Evil?
Follow NecroBoy and his recently resurrected servant, Lackey! Well, they might disagree on the term servant. Even on the name Lackey. However, it won’t prevent them to learn from one another - the motivations of NecroBoy to take the path of Evil being the catalyst that will tie their fates together.
A Crypt full of Puzzles!
NecroBoy will have to solve a lot of puzzles to progress further into the crypt! Or at least, he’ll make his NecroMinions do it for him.
No violence in this game! NecroBoy is just a kid, godammit.