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Arbus (They/Them) rated The Endless Empty

A downloadable game for Windows.

(Copied over from Steam, since I got it in a bundle here) 

The Endless Empty is a phenomenal game. I've been planning on playing it for a few weeks now, but once I started, I ended up finishing the entire thing in one sitting (it's roughly five hours long, which is pretty long for me to just sit gaming). The artstyle is something I simply haven't seen pulled off anywhere else with nearly the effect it gets here, and the music is similarly excellent (and the two combine together perfectly). The narrative is deeply compelling, and it feels like it says what it wants to say. The characters also really work well (which is often fumbled in games that take place inside of someone's mind), feeling like they appropriately fit with whatever aspect of the mind they represent without being dull. 

Additionally (although I'm barely a horror gamer), it feels like it succeeds very well in being psychological horror. The environments are offputting and bleak, and the things it implies are often also offputting and bleak, but it doesn't make much use of more direct horror elements (like jumpscares). I already mentioned the music earlier, but it really is exactly what I generally want to see in a horror game. Unfortunately, most of the things I'd really like to say here are kind of spoilers, and this is a game that I think you're better off going into pretty unspoiled.

 As for difficulty, I'd call it pretty easy. I beat it without ever using the shop (note that there isn't a reason to do this, I was just going by "what if I need these memories later" logic) and only had difficulty on a couple of fights. Probably not the best thing if you're looking for a challenge RPG or anything, but that it's an RPG shouldn't really be a bother if you're not the best at the genre. 

I noticed it has a sequel, which I'm greatly looking forward to playing (after a break though, I'd rather let this one sink in a bit more first instead of rushing).