I have a list of games.

It is a list of games that I have not played. There is no guarantee that I will ever play these games. There is no guarantee any of these games are good. But maybe someone else will play them. Maybe someone else will discover they are good.

In this episode, 15 more games are added to the Crashbook.

104/ God s’ Margarita: The Lonely Reniat Noc

Βecome the latest hope of humanity! Embody the psyche of Reniat Noc and explore the post-apocalyptic lands of AI Legave. Customize your character with futuristic gadgets, solve real-life puzzles, discover the history that led to your present, and bring life into the future.

Crash notes: I know nothing about except that the graphics are lush and is some sort of adventure or “walking simulator”. And it has some fucked-up punctuation in the name, an SEO wet dream.

Windows, Mac | Steam Link | Releasing Aug 2022

105/ Trolley Problem, Inc.

Trolley Problem, Inc. is a darkly comedic narrative game based on real-world philosophical papers, in which you are asked to make a series of impossible choices from two awful answers. Wrestle with your moral compass, decide the fate of millions – and compare your choices with the rest of the world.

Crash notes: I’m reminded of Pippin Barr’s Trolley Problem but this one has plenty more philosophical dilemmas plus a sarcastic narrator. Is it too sarcastic?

Windows | Steam Link | Released Apr 2022

106/ Sokobos

Sokoban meets Greek tragedy! Sokobos is a minimalistic & challenging puzzle game that expands on the classic block-pushing formula.

Crash notes: Unsure if there’s anything to this other than pure Sokoban, but I’m kinda intrigued to find out.

Windows, Mac | Steam Link | Released Apr 2022

107/ Call of the Sea

Call of the Sea is an otherworldly tale of mystery and love set in the 1930s South Pacific. Explore a lush island paradise, solve puzzles and unlock secrets in the hunt for your husband’s missing expedition.

Crash notes: This looks lovely. It’s a first-person game!

Windows | Steam Link | Released Dec 2020

108/ THE ENIGMA MACHINE

ENIGMA TECHNOLOGIES invites you to delve into the mind of an AI. Seamlessly blending first-person exploration with point-and-click mechanics, THE ENIGMA MACHINE’s completely unique presentation offers an increasingly unnerving atmosphere.

Crash notes: Some interesting FX in the trailer and the whole thing appears to be overlaid with a VHS filter?

Windows, Mac | Steam Link | Released Nov 2018

109/ Weaving Tides

Dive into a magical woven world on the back of your own carpet dragon! Explore the textile landscape, solve puzzles, challenge quirky creatures and unravel the great mysteries of a long forgotten past in Weaving Tides!

Crash notes: The woven style of the graphics is impressive but, observing the trailer, I’m wary about the dragon riding game feel which seems to make up most of the game.

Windows, Mac | Steam Link | May 2021

110/ The Sojourn

The Sojourn is a first-person puzzle game set in an immersive colour-drenched world of light and darkness. Think your way through dozens of puzzles as you traverse parallel worlds, awaken mysterious artifacts and overcome challenging obstacles on an unforgettable journey.

Crash notes: Went straight on the list after Zara said “Sojourn is like a Talos Principle lite, lots of puzzles based on line of sight”.

Windows | Steam Link | Sep 2020

111/ SenS

In the Beginning was the Nothingness… Enter the Unknown, explore the Infinite, find your own SenS.

Crash notes: Limasse Five’s long-awaited followup to NaissanceE. From what I understand there isn’t much content in Early Access at the moment, but if you want to support the cause, you can buy into SenS right now. The hype is strong: “This early access version of SenS is the foundation step toward something unique, something that should go way beyond what you usually expect from a video game…” But also: “This game is not recommended for people with epilepsy.”

Windows | Steam Link | Early Access

112/ Antartica NWYD

Antarctica,1988. Russian Vostok Base last radio communication: 2 weeks ago. Crew status: Unknown. Possibly starving. Possibly dangerous. Objective: Investigate camp. Be carefull. Over.

Crash notes: Horror game with great pixel graphics. I hear the atmosphere is great, but no idea when this will be finished. First released in December.

Windows, Mac, Linux | Itch Link | Early Access

113/ Alpha One

Alpha One is a turn based strategy game with real time encounters. Each action level is a turn in a strategic conflict as you race to collect resources, acquire upgrades, expand territory, grow economy and build defenses. All to find a way home!

Crash notes: Have to admit it was the rough pixel look that caught my eye. Don’t know much more than that!

Windows | Steam Link | Unreleased

114/ Rytmos

A relaxing puzzle game where you create music by solving mazes.

Crash notes: Not sure if I’m attracted to the puzzle solving, but the aesthetics are really nice.

Windows, Mac | Steam Link | Unreleased

115/ subROV: Underwater Discoveries

Pilot a remotely operated submarine and explore the oceans! Take on contracts to chart unknown regions, sample hydrothermal vents and study new species – all while defying the darkness and crushing pressure of the deeps.

Crash notes: I got a press release explaining subROV is “partially funded by the National Science Foundation and has support from the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and the Schmidt Ocean Institute. These institutions are providing scientific advice and will have several of their research dives recreated in the game.” Alright, I’m in.

Windows | Steam Link | Unreleased

116/ Nightmare Frames

Nightmare Frames is a supernatural thriller where you’ll step into the shoes of Alan Goldberg, in the search for the scariest horror film of all time. An enthralling journey through the streets of the Hollywood of the 80s, a small haunted town, and even Hell itself.

Crash notes: I sense much cheese, but the kind of cheese I want to play.

Windows | Steam Link | Released June 2022

117/ Tchia

A Tropical Open-World adventure. Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago in this physics-driven sandbox. Use Tchia’s special ability to take control of any animal or object you can find, and Jam on your fully playable Ukulele. A game inspired by New Caledonia.

Crash notes: Seems to be a beautfiul open-world type adventure but only time will tell if it’s COLLECT 5 COCONUTS or JUST ENJOY YOURSELF.

Windows, PS4, PS5 | Steam Link | Unreleased

118/ Animal Well

Explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter beautiful and unsettling creatures, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.

Crash notes: Heads up, this looks really interesting. I got some Full Bore and La Mulana vibes.

Windows, PlayStation | Steam Link | Unreleased

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6 thoughts on “Crashbook #8

  1. Call of the Sea: i played this… last year, i think? it was… fine. puzzles were a mishmash of genre standards, and the story wasn’t remarkable. ok for casual enjoyment, but nothing to sink your teeth into.

    Sojourn: i saw that tweet and didnt click on it right away, then promptly forgot all about it. invoking the talos principle will always perk my ears up, so i will take a look. also useful to know that if i ever want to guarantee Joel’s interest in a recommendation, just write it as a rhyming couplet 😉

  2. p.s.

    Animal Well: people comparing this to Rain World got my attention, but i watched the trailer and couldnt stand the aesthetic. oh well.

  3. Thanks for the marginalia, Andy. I didn’t even notice the rhyme in Zara’s tweet!

    I was in two minds on Animal Well. I wasn’t completely won over by the visuals but it kept my curiosity.

  4. Initial report on Rytmos demo: running so sluggishly on my computer that I am unable to evaluate it. Will report back when my computer is in a better mood.

  5. Not anymore!

    Maybe it’s my computer, I just got a “hard drive almost full” message, but my verdict is: A game like this, that focuses so much on aesthetics, should have controls that are so smooth that they are a delight to interact with, or at least you don’t notice them. This one does not. Ratio of (dragging around to try to get the line where I want it to go + clicking frantically to try to navigate the level select)/(puzzling) is at least three to one. And then there are some parts where blocks appear and disappear and you have to drag to them at the right time, and no.

    Also it desperately needs an “escape key opens a menu from which you can quit” feature. I had to do command-Q to exit the app?

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