An obscure piece of software. An intricate artistic endeavour lost for more than a decade, which went into a revival by enthusiasts of its unique aesthetics and rarity alone.

And yet, it was better than what any cult following hype could have described.

It’s amazing how immersed I was by this game. After just some minutes playing it, I was already sucked in by every one of its features, characters, atmosphere, events and themes.

Garage has just as well became one of my (if not my most) favourite point-and-click adventure games to date. It was amazing how, by repetition and exploration (and, boy, what a delightful world to explore), that bizarre horror-like, oppressive environment turned less and less unsettling as your time living in it progresses. Each character suddenly becomes more and more “human” (in a lack of a better term): their troubles, fears and desires gradually become more relatable, to the point everything finally feels at home to the player. You feel as a proper part of it, devoid of any prior weirdness.
And that has got to be one of the best immersion offered by any game I have yet played through.

Not only a masterfully crafted story filled with unexpected turns and a constant feeling of mystery and discovery, Garage also excels at the PC Adventure formula by implementing RPG-like elements such as an upgradable character, currency, a robust - also quite fun, honestly - fishing mechanic, collectibles and a sort of “HP” system that constantly depletes as you move through the world, making you more mindful of your actions and surroundings.
All of these make Garage feel not simply as a clickable story, but as a fully fledged, extremely enjoyable gaming experience.

One can say I may be a bit biased by my own preferences in videogames as I express these impressions since, yes, the game can admittedly be confusing and intimidating at first, even quite challenging. But, after getting used to its many aspects and playing through the game’s entirety without a single use of guides (albeit asking some minor tips in two occasions from a friend whom played the game before me), I can safely say that just a tiiiny bit of persistence paid off really, really well, and as soon as I could notice, I was already completely mesmerised by Garage’s story and world, filled with the themes of duality, gender dynamics, environment, psychology and choice, led by its amazingly unique and deep cast of denizens, which are an integral part of the experience.

I am only just enough acquainted with the original 1999 release of the game and, despite recognising its own merits and features, I am very glad to have picked the recently released remastered version for mobile devices for its retouched visuals, lighting, in-game map and added context in form of new dialogues, sub-quests and overall expanded storyline. I am also more keen of this official localisation for its accuracy (which is, of course, not in demerit of the previous fan translation for the PC version, just a simple matter of personal preference),
Beware, though: playing it on smartphones may butcher your experience, even if just a little, since a larger screen makes more justice to the beautiful pre-rendered environments and scenes present in the game. I believe that playing it on iPad and Android tablets is the way to go (and, if you have an Apple Pencil, S Pen or any other sort of stylus, that may as well be an unexpected little “plus” to your experience, believe me).

My only caveat with this particular version of the game was how the developers handed the new final chapter progression, which is why it loses half a star in my final rating.
It felt overly confusing and repetitive (thus, a bit tiresome), a bit too formulaic as well, which didn’t really fit well with the rest of the game, full of wonder and uniqueness.
Even so, I still recognise how it was how the developers tried to integrate their original visions and the original game’s post-game content into the main story, which makes me appreciate this decision a bit more.
Most importantly: it didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the game and neither did it ruin the entire thing. The new, expanded ending is still filled with mindful themes, moments and dialogues, still making it feel like a neatly packaged experience.

So, to all of you who enjoy weird looks, dark ambiences and sound design, obscure Japanese thingies, good PC-style adventure games and, most importantly, a superb storytelling, I beg you: dive into Garage.
Give a chance to an amazing videogame experience previously lost to obscurity, now as accessible as the tip of your finger can reach.