itch.io

One philosophy I've always held is that the medium of games will forever be unique in its ability to let players step into the shoes of any type of person imaginable. There have been games that have flirted with letting their main characters be evil, but I have yet to see one take as deep a plunge into the depths of depravity as Shawn Gerighs, who truly is vile.

Every time you crack a passcode, the dopamine rush is quickly overshadowed by the mounting dread of clickable files, containing god knows what. The morbid curiosity you gain in your quest to find out the truth about who Shawn Gerighs really is almost forces you to mirror the obsessive vested interest he has in Candy Corpse.

Halfway through playing the game, I was struck with the realization that there was no way this wasn't in some way affected by current events surrounding censorship. My suspicions were correct. 

I think this goes without saying, but there is a HUGE difference between a game like "Vile" and a game like "No Mercy." One is seeking to explore the psyche of a person who although is clearly capable of caring about other beings like his pet cats, views women as nothing more than cattle made to be slaughtered for his amusement. The other was probably made by the exact type of person that Shawn Gerighs would be in real life, and was made for the enjoyment of other such people.

I seriously don't get how these websites could possibly think to enforce a punishment meant for games about glorifying rape and incest on a work of art that was clearly made with the opposite intention. This sets a very dangerous precedent when it comes to tackling heavy topics, a precedent that I never thought would be set for indie games.

They're actively trying to sterilize art. 

Very promising demo. The game feels like if Robert Eggers directed Mouthwashing. I especially like the false setting that's going on with the narrative, and I'm excited to see a lot of the why behind the motives of Father explained in the full release. 

Unfortunately, yeah, sometimes you're born into it. 

The father didn't accept the help offered to him by the wellness group, and, just like the gameplay, it's a slow spiral into depression and numbness. However, just because you're born into it, doesn't mean you have to let it define you. You can channel your struggles into art—whether that be visual art, music, or even game design. Let that passion carry you into more colorful times. Sometimes, you have to make your own light at the end of the tunnel. 

A really great fusion of the standard "Gas Station Sim" setting mixed with the recent uptick in doppelganger detection games. I think a highlight of this game is definitely the dialogue interactions, and how tailored they are to each particular character. It seems to be a struggle in this genre to actually make the people you interrogate feel human and responsive, and I definitely think this game succeeds in that aspect. I look forward to seeing a full release, and am so intrigued to see what this game looks like when the stakes are raised.

I thought the game had some really great mechanics and ideas. 

Having the player name all of the characters before knowledge of the gameplay loop is a great way of building attachment. It's the reason why you don't let your children name the chickens or pigs you're eventually going to slaughter and eat. 

The artstyle is very grungy and coarse, and combined with some of the writing, I could definitely smell certain characters from across the screen. I feel like the dialogue options were sometimes a little one-note—especially with 7, 12, and 13—but sometimes it really hooks you into the characters, like with tenants 2, 3, 6, and 9. 

[SPOILERS FOR ENDINGS]

I got all the endings in a relatively short amount of time off of one save file. I thought they were all decently compelling. The vaporization one has good art, the shelter ending is pretty satisfying, and naming what it means to be human is a great fulfillment of the naming motif established throughout the course of gameplay. If there was one critique I would have about the endings, it's that the near-hour of gameplay beforehand ultimately meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. I get that there's a grading scheme at the end, and that the message is sort of supposed to be nihilistic, and that if the doppelgangers are generated at random then making character-dependant endings for all combinations of possible survivors would be a herculean task—but it still would've been a bit more rewarding to see my good choices impact the story beyond a scoring difference. 

Overall though, great game, and I hope to see more in the future.

You got me.

This is a really great game, one built solely on the prospect of exploration, and one driven purely by fascination. The artstyle is cutesy yet very malleable, the writing is humorous yet grounded, and the gameplay is short yet just long enough for what it needs to be. 

I think creatives and observers alike can resonate with the overall message. We're all little anemos exploring the shape of other's worlds. 

Deliciously grungy aesthetic that makes me want to take a shower after playing. A couple of the routes are better than the others, and I largely agree with R. Egbert on his criticisms of "Green Hell," but overall very great environmental storytelling/game design. The only time I was really stumped as to what to do was getting "The Key To Your Heart," but even then I was able to figure it simply by throwing shit at the wall until something worked.

Impeccable vibes, cheesy in the best way possible.

What a great way to establish dialogue between the author and the reader. At some point I forgot that I wasn't communicating with the author in realtime. Really great experience.

Very good gameplay loop, solid early Windows aesthetic.

I really like the way in which the narrative progresses, especially since there are hidden messages that reveal what happens in between levels if you scroll up. Everything about the UI and general navigation is expertly done in this game. I'm really looking forward to the full release.

Really wonderful experience. Excellent Alice-In-Wonderlandesque worldbuilding with a heavy emphasis on the exploration of neuroticism and the inner psyche. I particularly loved the way in which the game weaves in insecurity, both physical and mental, into its thematics and characters. Sometimes, it really does seem easier to help others than to help yourself, and what I learned from this game was that at some point, you need to take your own advice. Truly a great story.

It's not often that actual companies simply test out their top-of-the-line software on itch, so I can't wait to test this out!

Mark my words, this game will end up in someone's video essay someday down the line. Wonderful presentation of story, audio, and thematics within such a low-fidelity environment. A great example of "show, don't tell." The deafening silence of the overworld juxtaposed with the occasional blips from the echoes and then the melodious tunes of the bodies makes for a wonderfully eerie experience that really values the space that the player inhabits and the atmosphere that envelopes it. Really great job.

Got the "Pro Gamer" award, I feel very honored.