I finished this back in 2014 and loved it. Just bought it on Steam (it had been in my wishlist for years and never went on sale) am currently replaying it - it's a little slower and more finnicky than I remember, but the atmosphere, exploration, and perspective puzzles are all as excellent as they were when it came out. It's worth playing if you like slower adventure games with some light platforming and light puzzling. Enough to tease your brain, but you shouldn't have to pull up a walkthrough more than a couple times. Aside from maybe Monument Valley and a couple other perspective-focused puzzle games, it's wild to me that there isn't a successor to this game's core mechanic - although it's thoroughly explored over the course of this game, it's really special and unique.

A short and sweet narrative walking sim with a really unique premise. The writing, for me, was hit-or-miss, but the performances hit much more often than they missed, and i think the high points easily outweigh the low. A lot of the quiet moments feel alternately tense and calm, and it's hard for me to place the overall vibe here, but it's very evocative. I cried during one scene, and another had me on the edge of my seat. Steam tells me I finished in in 78 minutes. I'll be looking forward to what Doc and the team do next!

Edit: I just noticed the achievements list (don't look until after you beat it), and it pleases me to know that if I wanted to revisit this game in a couple years, I can do some things differently. The game really masks that in a way that feels natural. I didn't think there was any wiggle room. I don't feel compelled to immediately hop back in, but that gives me a reason to replay it after some time away to ruminate.

i finally finished this game (true pacifist, of course) and i'm really glad i circled back around to it nearly a decade after putting it down halfway through. there's not a single aspect of this game that doesn't feel deeply considered and lovingly realized. every single impulse you have to interact with everything thoroughly and repeatedly is rewarded, and both the writing and music have humor and emotion in abundance. it's easy to see the fervor surrounding this game and its insane fan culture and come to the conclusion that it's overrated, but i really do think it's something of a masterpiece, or at the very least an incredible achievement.

I've got about 10 hours in so far, which feels like I'm just scratching the surface. I can see through the building menu that I have a long way to go, and I haven't managed to beat the first act (that boss sure is beefy).

I see kind of a mix of reviews and impressions online and among my coworkers who have all picked it up as well. Some are saying it's highly addictive (true) and you're constantly debating which gear to swap, or where to place an enemy (I do okay with surface-level whims). Others are saying it's just an idle game, no depth, it's boring, etc. Both extremes are totally valid perspectives.

Here's why it gets a 4.0 from me so far. For me, it's this great blend of active thinking and passive chilling. This has become my "plow through a podcast backlog or listen to a whole album you've been putting off" sort of game. It's exactly the amount of engagement to keep my hands and eyes busy while letting my brain focus on listening to something else.

It's been really enjoyable for me so far. The progression is a little slow, but I've cleared out so much more of my podcast backlog than if I was trying to listen while, say, scrolling Twitter or catching up on the Backloggd Discord.

Different games are good for different moods and situations, and this is sort of the ADD curative that my dumb brain needs. Plus, it's very chill. This is the chillest roguelite that I can think of. But if you're looking to be fully engaged and challenged with deep systems and mechanics, this isn't the game you're looking for. This isn't an Isaac or a Maj'Eyal or anything like that. I like it for what it is to me.