Below, Rusted Gods has the soviet-era vibe of an Andrei Tarkovsky film, which enthralled me from the start. I wondered why one of the soldier's tags was scratched off, and hope that the soldier's in the full release have more interaction with the operator - putting themes of science vs religion into the mix. Can't wait for the full release!
Mr_Selfy
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The story heightens the tension with The Church and the mysterious liquid that seems to have been discovered in the mines. When you download this game you also get a PDF booklet that explains more of the lore, and I for one want to experience more of this world.
Congrats on making a true gem of an indie slow-build body horror game. Definitely going to look out for future projects from you!
- I'm sure this will be explained more in the full release, but the main antagonist never really says anything about the fact that his wife and son are not in the house, yet a woman he clearly dislikes is there. Could he try to ask her where his wife and son are?
- I didn't understand the attic scene - why when he gets the flashlight does he suddenly decide to investigate there? Once again, maybe this is a lead-up that was left out for the demo, but it just seems like a strange decision.
- WHY DO WE HATE MARTHA SO MUCH? WHAT DID SHE DO?
- AI voice-overs really pulled me out of the immersion - if you're a single dev I get it, it's simpler to do that, but hey, I'm willing to lend my voice if it makes the experience more believable. Happy to help in the indie game scene.
Overall, I want to know more about the family and I have a cheeky suspicion that the main character may have being naughty things on his 'business trip' - but the best thing about a demo is leaving the player wanting more. I want to find out more about this.
Each episode gets more polished, more intuitive and sets the bar for other indie horror gamers. A great amount of red herrings and baiting (pun intended) in this one - I'm sure I missed a few golden nuggets in some of the areas but will only enjoy the replayability factor.
Great pacing and slow build on this one - especially liked the fact there were board games to interact with!
A few notes:
- It seemed like the old ladies voice was Voice acted but the main narrator was AI - was this the case? I really thought the old lady voice brought a weird creepy aesthetic to the whole thing. Made me think that maybe she was involved with what was going on. this could have been more immersive if we had proper protagonist was also voice acted by a human.
- Derpy cat was derpy. Love that little guy.
- Would have loved to find out more about the character we were playing. Why so many night nights at work, only to come home and then go to sleep? Could have strengthened the storyline to find out our guy was crunching and had no social life...it's obviously insinuated that's the case and a testament to the overall storyline, but dammit I wanted to know more
Looking forward to the next one!
A few notes:
- Some of the ingredients (tomato, lettuce) didn't seem to combine when they were on the pitta bread. Seems maybe like a clipping issue? Led to a bit of confusion starting off.
- I'm assuming putting the Ketchup and mayo condiments on the kebab AFTER it was packaged was a technical issue, rather than a logical one. Think there should be an instruction in the recipe book telling players this, as it was a little confusing. Who pours condiments on a wrapped kebab?
- Some of the text seemed to have an issue 'Iiiiiiiiii ammmmmm verrrrrry exccccccittted' when NPCs were speaking
- The guy killed someone with a bottlecap!?!? Dafuq?
- Think there should be more lore with the customers telling the player that a crazy guy is on the loose, or that he may be in danger.
Apart from that, I look forward to what's next...
A slow build horror, where you'll pay the toll...
For having done this in a week for the Scream Secrets, I have to applaud you - although light on scares, there's a constant feeling of trepidation and what 'might' happen as you make the ferry crossing each time.I have to admit, this reminded me of the early scene in Jaws when Brody and the mayor with the anchor suit are crossing in to Amity...
We've seen a lot of Indie horror games based in convenience stores, laundromats, warehouses and small apartments, but I don't think I've ever played a game primarily based on a ferry-crossing. Unique idea, with an opportunity to escape!
I think this could be elongated, with a 'Papers, please,' style mechanic where you have to turn people away, or 'That's Not My Neighbour' where you have to identify certain suspicious individuals. I'd definitely play a full game like that! Well done on a great concept and game!
There's a psychological aspect too, as you, the worker - are drip-fed fax machine notes at the start and end of every shift. In a way, these notes from 'up top' become your only source of interaction with the outside world, and you'll really start to feel like you're in a real-life Milgram experiment.
For a game that will take about 45-50 mins of your time, you should really check out Descending, as it'll certainly leave a mark long after the credits have rolled. I hope to see more from the developer, and hope this garners the success it deserves. Great twist. Great mechanics. Great game.
Loved the general aesthetic of this one, and although just a prologue it gives a great insight into the world of Super Chillers - I'm hoping this is a series that runs long and strong.
Puzzles didn't seem too taxing and based more on logic - no gluing a moustache to a kitty cat here - lol. Loved the nods and references to films at the time, and reminded me of Friday nights ordering a couple of films for the weekend. We really have been spoilt by technology.
Voice acting was on point - the actors really leaned into the world being built here, and the visuals reminded me of Point Click Killer. Have wish-listed this and looking forward to playing the whole game!
By using 'Ron Jr' (as I called the doll in my playthrough) as a way to relay the message across using the imagination of the child was enthralling, and it felt like as I neared the heart-wrenching conclusion it was like I didn't want to find out the truth. I really didn't want to find out the truth.
Captivating, mesmerising and unique in a way that sets this a bar above most indie horrors.
Very well done - I look forward to episode 2.
I had a blast finding all the 6/6 endings - although I was certain that starving to death was going to be one of them! I would have also made the microwave exploding one of the 'bad' endings! There could be some polishing done to this, but overall a fun and enjoyable indie horror
Only quibbles that I have is that in some areas the game appears very dark! Was quite hard to see the numbers on the pictures for one puzzle. 616 are known for gratuitous violence, gore and poop, and this delivers in the bucket-load (of human viscera)
Of you're in the mood for escape-room shenanigans, in the aesthetic of Saw - look no further.
Unfortunately I was unable to find access to the Harpoon gun, so I received the Dark Ending, but really enjoyed the aesthetic of this game. Definitely felt like there were hidden Easter eggs throughout, so will be attempting this again to attempt to get the 'good' ending, if there even is one!
Loved the concept - hope to see more like this from the dev in the future.
Forget The Rumble in The Jungle
Forget Tyson Vs. Logan
This is the epic showdown you've been waiting for! Poop Killer Vs. Fart Killer!
Another 616 banger - the most ludicrous, over-the-top, toilet humour indie game you'll ever play. Enjoyed the dialogue, quirky characters and random cutaways - however there is a lot of dead space in-between customers coming to Jeff's kiosk. Maybe have the character interact with other things or gather some lore of the Fart Killer during this time?
I definitely think there should be a form of survival mode with the cooking (i.e. one round you have to cook a certain amount of hot dogs and burgers and the next round increases the amount, etc) but there could be the addition of maintenance going on, like the cooker blows up and you have to play a mini-game to fix it, or the fuse goes and everything stops until you get the fuses done, or various phonecalls come through saying that a last minute delivery has been ordered and the Kiosk guy has to prep something alongside other orders. And then of course you can have smokey ghost appearances too...
I was expecting to be housesitting for a demon that had possessed grandmother, but I guess that's in the pipeline ;)
There was some initial confusion when we jumped to the hospital, as I thought 'the player' had put the wife in the hospital, but after a while the pieces started to come together. I think there could be some improvement with the pacing on this one - it seems to jump around a bit and leave the player feeling a little taken aback by all the info funnelling through, think of pregnant beats and pauses like you get in TV shows and films - but overall a nice experience.
The different array of customers (and returning customers) itself should grant a pat on the back for this developer - from cheesy 'pun' guy, to a woman who can also see the spectral shenanigans, you'll be swept up in the unfolding drama (as well as making sure you don't burn your burgers.)
At first I thought the 'smoke ghost' was a little goofy, but on one of the 'appearances' it did actually make me jump. And I consider myself someone that doesn't jump that much. So congrats on that.
The ending was a little abrupt and ambiguous - I generally wanted to experience more of this little kiosk and find the mysteries behind it . Did we ever get to find out what happened to the last guy that worked there? Did he explode?
And remember kids...don't drink and drive.
Technically, the look and feel of the game were okay - mechanic of killing the deer and the wolves was a nice switch from the basic 'pick up groceries, do the washing,' etc - and Kevin the dog was a nice touch. Was this based off a H.P. Lovecraft story?
A few flaws with the dialogue (first the present Daniel is going to give is cheese then turns into honey? Is it their anniversary or Amanda's birthday?) disrupts the flow of things, and a few jarring sound effects (man the van is LOUD! and it seems like Kevin is playing the maracas when he moves) is a little off-putting, but overall a good concept.
Last little note: What happened after Daniel shot the wolf? Why did he wake up in the barn with the cows? I'm assuming that Kevin was infected and bit Amanda, turning her into one of the abominations, but this was guesswork...was Daniel immune?
Look forward to seeing (and playing) more in the future!
Although short and succinct, the game leaves a few questions at the end for the player...looking forward to the next Creepy FM!
It was interesting to see the lore with Paimon, and how this will incorporate (hopefully) within the next game, but it also felt a little jumbled, with a forest scattered haphazardly with torsos, limbs, appendages and baby heads. Perhaps if there was some more build-up to Amman's descent into the forest, it could have resonated with the player a little more. At the moment it seems like the player is confronted with all the gore and blood splatter straight away, which loses a little tension.
It would have also been interesting to see Amman's state of mind deteriorating after picking up each stone, causing him to question whether what he was seeing was real or the demon's machinations. As a second project however, I can see definite improvements from the first game including better grammar and dialogue, as well as execution with cutscenes.
Also, did the father kill his daughter? I thought the whole point was to find his daughter, but when he's talking to Paimon he has her body? Not sure whether this was a plot reveal, but felt a little ambiguous...
Looking forward to guarding gam-gam in the next one ;)
This was such a hoot to play - with multiple endings, wry humour throughout and driving mechanics thrown in (albeit with spongy brakes), this indie game deserves all the recognition it deserves. I especially liked the way that there was a story for the main character but it was left a little ambiguous as to what happened.
The atmosphere was on-point and several moments posed real 'oooh, crap,' moments. Especially liked that no ending gave a satisfactory GOOD GAME S+ for the player. Very well done and looking forward to the next one...
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VIBRANT MAN? Hopefully he got the bus in the end...
Would have had the player conduct other tasks rather than just picking mushrooms and laying traps, but overall enjoyed this one. Looking forward to the next one.
TIGER DANCE.
The game-within-a-game mechanic whilst fixing the code of the prototypes is fun and interesting, the developer has clearly listened to feedback and constructive criticism from the earlier game in the series. The dialogue and grammar is cleaner this time around, the meta nods throughout are humorous and you empathise with some of the characters (love Mike. Poor Mike.)
With these types of games, when the main character has to take medication to help with hallucinations and whether what they're seeing is 'real' the payoff can sometimes be a little anticlimactic, but Bugs Fixer handles this scenario with just the right balance of suspicion and paranoia.
With an expanded storyline this time around, there's a slow build of tension and with an alternative endings on display, really looking forward to what comes next in the Creepy Waves FM series.
Few critiques this time around:
- Walking pace could be sped up (just by a notch)
- The section going to the laundry shop felt like padding. Although there were some interesting characters to talk to, this may have been a great opportunity to learn more about the main character and interactions with friends, or why he decided to leave the indie studio. The section just felt a little off-kilter from everything else in the game.
- The Manager could have been given a name!
1) Never accept opened soda cans (even if it comes from someone in authority)
2) Don't talk to strangers on a train. Most of the time they'll give you their life story. Other times they'll just come off as creepy.
3) If you find yourself with a block of the Bolivian marching powder - stick it down your pants and sell that stuff ASAP. You'll be rich and have stories to tell the grandkids...
Overall, Train Depart puts the player in familiar territory to the Fears To Fathom game series - a 16 year old travelling solo for the first time finds himself in a pickle when he discovers a strange bag in the train's toilet...
There was an engaging story here, complete with texts from parents and friends, a nice mechanic with a game-within-a-game (even if it was an idle clicker) and some shady characters to boot. Caused an uneasiness throughout and made you realise that sometimes the most innocuous places can cause fear and dread. A few grammatical errors throughout kept this from the lofty highs of games of similar ilk.
Okay, so I thought I was generally good at anagrams, ditloids and hangman puzzles...until I played 'Disorder.' Maybe it's the heat. The mugginess in the UK at the moment is affecting my brain capacity. Sure, that's it. Sure. I'll use that as an excuse...
With a fiendish plot at play (your family have been kidnapped and you have to save them by playing word games) Disorder has that highly sought after and coveted 'just one more time, I'll save them this time!' replayability factor - it's also dripping with tension and atmosphere. Who is the mysterious Ghoul man with arm sleeve tattoos and shotgun? Have we been targeted because the player is an internet troll?
Not sure, because I never actually managed to save my poor, tortured family. (Sorry Pops! Sorry Ma!)
Taking a fairly simple premise and twisting it into a dark, macabre game of life and death (a-la BuckShot Roulette, Egg's Tale etc) this is one of those stand-out games that you'll keep on coming back to. Well done on this, and I hope to see more in the future!
Note: Just had a thought - what about a multiplayer version where each family member is pitted against each other and the first one to solve the word puzzle is 'safe' for that round (i.e. you don't want to be the last one to get the anagram, etc?) A lot of future potential with this one...
There is a glaring grammar/translation issue that made things a little more comical than terrifying, but that can be easily fixed with an update. Congrats on the first game, one of many I hope!
The ending was a little abrupt, but would like to explore other areas of the town and rummage through more dumpsters to find ridiculous clothing to fool rent-a-cop jobsworths. Although most of the dialogue led to the same place, I would love to see more from you, as I think there's a definite career in game development for you, squire.
The other games in this developer's catalogue have a rich, vibrant narrative, and 'Indistinguishable' is no different. With complex themes at play, such as AI and the subjective form of art, as well as the things we would do for love, the dialogue/text between Anna and Echo seems real, as a couple that have been going through it and just want things to run smoothly in their lives. It begs the question whether attempting to patch up areas of our relationships leads to further turmoil down the line, but by the end of this you'll have a lot to ponder...
This one had ne guessing - I thought that with the talk of AI our scientist friend Echo had made a cyborg version of himself! Glad that I was wrong in this sentiment, but also when you think of the continual loop of what is really going on, it made me question everything...
The only critique of 'Indistinguishable' is that on several occasions I found myself walking around aimlessly, not quite sure what the next objective was. I've cut these pieces out on my playthrough as it wouldn't serve much in the way of content, however having played a plethora of indie horror games, usually going to have a shower or going to bed seems to propel the player into the next scene, although having to stand in a particular spot for the next line of dialogue to continue or reading a book seemed a little too niche. Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that this game doesn't hold your hand, but if there was an option just to speak to Anna I think this would lessen the walking around.
Also, I think there could be a sprint mechanic or option to walk just a 'little' bit faster than the prescribed walking speed.
I really think a lot of other indie games could learn from whilegameisfale's slow-burn, dreaded horror that escalates as the game progresses.
AND I NEED THE INTRO/OUTRO SOUNDTRACK IN MY LIFE. WHERE CAN I FIND THIS???
This is a great prototype - loved the concept of having to go into the mind of the person sitting next to you, but needs a lot of work for it to become something that rises above the rest.
A few notes:
The radio announcer should have subtitles, as the voice is pretty low compared to everything else. Walking through the woods started to feel a little forced, as there didn't appear to be a clear direction of where to go. Perhaps this part could be filtered with thoughts from Richie's mind, why he did what he did - we are in his subconscious after all, aren't we?
The second sequence could have more puzzle-type elements involved in it, rather than carrying out a few chores, but overall would like to see this expanded upon and have a cohesive storyline behind it, I think this could go far...
I enjoyed the mechanics at play here - taking a mundane task such as laundry washing but emphasising the realistic nature of adding detergent, the quarters and the dryer, etc. I didn't think the scares were that impactful, and after having played through to the end thought the slow-build could have escalated into a full-blown murder mystery, where the protagonist has to find clues scattered around the laundry in order to get the key to the dumpster.
More information about the manager could be on the noticeboard, eluding to his creepy nature, but the protagonist has to break into the back room and maybe find a password or play a mini-game in order to access the manager's files?
Thoroughly enjoyed the escapades of the Park Ranger, utilising some ingenious methods to help rescue two girls from a deranged convict. Got the vibes of the Meryl Streep Thriller 'The River Wild' in this playthrough, and wasn't expecting to actually use the surroundings to be terribly sneaky...
Each instalment from Dace Games gets better - hoping to see Point Click Killer 3 sometime soon...
This is quite a particularly gory one from 616 games, and I love me some giblets. As you can tell from the YouTube thumbnail, my first thought was that Trash Night encapsulated the 80's zaniness of Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2, with some twists that I genuinely didn't see coming until the last moment.
Nice changes of perspective throughout - one thing I would note is that the rubbish collection at the start did seem to stretch on for a little longer than maybe required - perhaps the protagonist could be complaining about his job during this time and commenting on how much he wants to be a photographer?
Creepy vibes - looking forward to the next one!
From the outset, the player is thrown into an ethereal world set in an apocalyptic wasteland. After having played the game, I was left wondering what would be occurring on the 'topside' world level, and what other fascinating characters could be implemented in a potential sequel. I found the weird characters highly entertaining - where most would see the Witch as a tyrannical overlord I found her the player's salvation...but that could just be my twisted look on the situation!
The mechanic of having to dissect the bodies and consume the flesh was bordering on a repetitive streak after a few goes, and although the Kafka-esque 'bug collecting' was a welcoming break from that, I think to truly set this game a bar above other games of this ilk would ideally have the player interact with other mechanics too. Maybe after the first inoculation of the prisoner and 'yum yum brain juice' has been collected, the player could have other tasks to perform in the underground facility?
A highly entertaining game, and looking forward to seeing more like this in the future. Keep it weird. Keep it creepy.
Acerola should definitely show up in future games - that cat's got a bright future ahead! Really enjoyed the role of the bus driver, and the gadgets and gizmos that the bus offered. There's a certain hypnotic satisfaction with picking up passengers and letting them off at the right stops...
Some notes:
For me personally, the scares were a little diluted. Could have created more lore with the passengers giving the driver some exposition about the cursed bus/route or the ONE THAT CANNOT BE NAMED. Overall though, a fun game with some interesting ideas.
The first part of 'The Torture House' sets up the scene quite nicely and subverts your expectations of the 'gotcha' moments seen throughout these types of games. When the masked killer appears it genuinely startled me. I thought the puzzle mechanics on show were quite well thought out and had me guessing where someone was about to pop out.
Only notes I could suggest for Chapter Two: make the save points check points instead, as this dilutes the growing dread.
Great game - can't wait for the next instalment!
Really enjoyed the premise of this, and eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the series. Will we find out about the spooky house that we saw from the cliff-face? Is James hiding something from the rest of the group? Will we see the racoon again!?!? Too many questions to contemplate.
There's an eerie build-up straight from the beginning when the teenagers set up camp. Sound design and ambient soundtrack immerse the player and set them on edge. Was under a constant feeling of being watched...
Dialogue between the characters seems real and authentic - does James have the hots for Melissa and is he hiding something? He wanted to sleep in the car and was missing when everything seemed to be going wrong...
Cute racoon is cute - is it possible to feed the hotdogs to him? I realised after my playthrough that I didn't equip the hot dogs in my 'hands' so to speak, so was wondering...
Hopefully future episodes will have more puzzle solving and we learn more about the mysterious house from the cliff-side. Enjoyed this one immensely!
A few notes on my playthrough:
- I think the dialogue options are little superfluous; when the diner owner asks about payment does it really matter if you have the cash or not? Could have more replayability if choices matter throughout the gameplay...
- Enjoyed the text messages from the father - think there should have been more conversation between the son and father to heighten tension.
- Was the pizza guy someone who worked at the diner?
- Where does Aiden work? How long does it take for him to get to and back from work each day?!?
Enjoyed the game - looking forward to the next one!
I particularly liked the whole aesthetic, with the gameshow aspect - reminds me of the upcoming horror film 'Late Night With The Devil.' The mini-games were a welcome touch, as was the palpable sense of unease as each round began. I thought I was a goner after my 'moralistic' choice was made and Sarah wasn't my best friend anymore...
I didn't have much time to go through other scenarios, and having read some of the other comments I doubt I would have got all the endings! In any case, I definitely think there could be scope more more rounds, other contestants and endings. Loved the trivia section.
Best of luck with the gamejam - definitely a worthy contender!
I thoroughly enjoyed the concept and execution of Abyssal Reflections - in a small underwater research facility three men with questionable backgrounds are gathering samples (presumably) from the ocean floor. You play as a service droid that cleans up after the men over the course of several weeks. Each man has their own attitude to the robot (who I called Bob in my playthrough) and things start to take a drastic turn for the worse when they collect a sample called NL-X...
Some notes:
I would have loved to spend more time interacting with the three men - to create more empathy and connections with them. I think this has a great concept and could be expanded on with some time to get to know each men - why does Thomas have such a grudge against the robot? Richard is wary of everyone but he could come out of his shell a bit later on...I think another couple of 'scenes' may have been required - when things start to go off the deep end it escalates quite quickly.
There was a door that didn't seem to open - are there multiple endings to the game dependant on certain choices made?
I soft-locked in the 'robot charging station' and had to restart that particular week. May need to see if this can be fixed if other people are experiencing the same encounter.
Spoiler: Why did the robot attack one of the men? I was left with some questions regarding that.
Overall - a great concept that harkens back to some of the great sci-fi films of the 80's, mixed with a thoughtful and poignant ending...