The Slant team built an AI & it’s awesome

Find the best product instantly

4.7 star rating

GamingPlaystationPS4Playstation Games

What are the best short, story-driven indie games on PS4?

11

Options
Considered

24

User
Recs.

Jul 9, 2022

Last
Updated

11 Games Considered

Best short, story-driven indie games on PS4	Price	Genre	Release Date
-- The Wolf Among Us	$24.99	-	-
-- Transistor	$19.99	-	-
-- Life is Strange	$19.05	Adventure, Narrative	Jan 29 2015
-- Bastion	$14.99	Action RPG	-
-- What Remains Of Edith Finch	$19.99	Narrative, Adventure	-

The Wolf Among Us

Top Pro

A really enjoyable interactive story

The Wolf Among Us is a murder mystery story that has great characters, action-packed moments, and really interesting twists. What's even better is that you can affect how the story plays out with dialogue options, investigation choices, and even actions during a fights or chase sequences. Your actions as a player have consequences in this story, which feels really nice. See More

Top Con

Quite violent and depressing

Your job as the sheriff is to keep the others in line, so more than once you'll have to dirty your hands. There will be bruises, blood, broken bones, and even severed limbs. Each time you enforce order, an ugly reality will rear its head – you're just making everyone's miserable lives worse. If you're looking for positive vibes in this story, you won't find them. See More

Top Pro

Unusual setting

The story takes place in a fictional part of Manhattan called Fabletown, which is inhabited by humans and creatures from fairy tales and folklore. It's really interesting seeing how everyone makes ends meet in an unfamiliar world. From working as a janitor or a receptionist to running a shady night club and abusing magic for extra profits. It's the type of setting that appeals to both the kid and the adult within you. See More

Top Pro

Great in-game encyclopedia to fill you in

While most players will recognize fairy tale characters like Snow White or the Big Bad Wolf, there are many obscure characters such as Ichabod Crane or Bluebeard. Luckily enough, the game has an in-game encyclopedia that will update as you encounter new characters. Their encyclopedia entry will contain background info and the fairy tale they first appeared in while also providing insights on their current situation. The encyclopedia not only fills you in but also is a very enjoyable and interesting read. See More

Transistor

Top Pro

Excellent narration

Transistor uses narration to move its story along with the help of a talking sword. While it may seem strange at first, it really gives substance to an otherwise empty feeling world. The soft voice of the sword is also pleasing to listen to. If you ever feel like the sword is too talkative, you can disable the narration. See More

Top Con

Very simple story

The story focuses too much on the revenge plot and too little on the characters themselves. Even the ending wasn't a particularly satisfying, leaving way too many unanswered questions. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful soundtrack

The soundtrack is mostly a type of electronic music called "trip hop", which is heavily influenced by jazz, punk and soul. Most of the songs are very mellow and have a melancholic feel to them, giving Transistor's cyberpunk world a very distinct and memorable feel. See More

Top Pro

Awesome hack and slash action with an interesting twist

Transistor is primarily an action RPG, but it has turn-based combat elements. You can use the ability ()Turn to pause time, which allows you to plan out your moves. This adds strategic depth to the combat, giving you ways to quickly take out all enemies or to get out of a tight situation. It's very fun to use and feels really unique. See More

Top Pro

Deep customization that rewards imagination and strategy

In Transistor you'll get abilities called Functions(). They have three primary effects: the active effect, the upgrade effect, and the passive effect. These effects can be combined to produce really fun to use skills. For example, the Get() active effect pulls an enemy close to you. If you add the Bounce() upgrade effect, it will jump to more enemies, pulling them all to you. If you add the Crash() upgrade effect, the enemies pulled will also fall asleep. The game can be beat with simple combos that don't require much setup or strategy, but thinking up great combinations feels rewarding. See More

Life is Strange

Top Pro

A well-polished experience

Excellent voice acting, great story, smooth lighting, detailed object/level design, extensive number of people and objects to interact with, and even amazing music. Everything about the game makes it very enjoyable to play. See More

Top Con

Choices feel a little lacking

While there are many choices in Life is Strange, most of them have no long term impact on the story. The only noticeable changes are the dialogue lines and what scenes you get. While this adds some nuances to your journey, the destination is ultimately the same. See More

Specs

Genre:Adventure, Narrative

Top Pro

Great story

Life is Strange expertly portrays a teenagers life during high school, capturing all the good and bad emotions, while also adding a supernatural twist. The main character and her issues are relatable, side characters are interesting, and the plot twists are very unexpected. The story as a whole is very enjoyable, keeping you on the edge of your seat most of the time. See More

Top Con

Some audio sync issues

In addition to poorly done lip syncing, character voice lines sometimes overlap as well. You might not understand what's being said unless you turn on the subtitles. It can be really annoying at times, even with subtitles. See More

Top Pro

Choice based gameplay with a twist

Your character can rewind time, so you can undo any recent choice or action, allowing you to try out different ones. This feels really awesome since in most games you'd have to reload your save or replay through entire sections just to view the other choices. See More

Bastion

Top Pro

Fun varied gameplay

Bastion is a game about exploring floating islands while destroying monsters along the way. The combat is simple, fast, and it's a lot of fun to destroy monsters with a variety of weapons. This includes a machete, pistols, a pike, a carabine, and even grenades. You can also equip two weapons at the same time, allowing you to use cool combinations like hammer and a machete or a cannon and a mortar. Each weapon also has upgrades and unlockable skills, giving you new methods for destroying monsters. All of this makes Bastion stay exciting for a long time. See More

Top Con

Combat can feel repetitive

Like most hack and slash titles, Bastion's combat is very simple, having you mash buttons in every monster encounter. This probably won't bother you as much during short play sessions, but the longer you play in one sitting, the more tiresome it becomes, especially if you already have all the upgrades and don't have anything else to do between levels. See More

Specs

Genre:Action RPG

Top Pro

A unique way of storytelling

While the central plot is pretty simple, Bastion has a narrator that comments on everything that you do. This includes things like falling of a ledge, obtaining a weapon, or even destroying a massive monster. Because of this, it feels as if you're playing through a story book, where your journey and actions is the central story. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful art style

Bastion uses a hand-painted art style for its characters, monsters, environments, and even backgrounds. There's so much color, detail, and variation in everything, it feels like you're skimming through a picture book. It's always exciting to see what this game will show you next. See More

Top Pro

Incredible soundtrack

Bastion's soundtrack expertly sets the atmosphere with its soundtrack. From somber blues songs during touching story moments to exciting trip-pop mixes during combat. It's just so nice to listen to, making the experience of playing Bastion better as a whole. See More

What Remains Of Edith Finch

Top Pro

Instills a sense of wonder

From the opening scene to its final moments, What Remains of Edith Finch, seeks to instill a sense of wonder through it's detailed game world. The house itself is a mix of various unconventional architectural styles and flavors. From it's towering bedroom spires to it's dark, claustrophobic basement, each area of the house is different and varied with different decor and textures. Moving from room to room is sometimes done with interesting travel mechanics such as secret passages that act as a seamless transistion between two vastly different rooms. This makes each area feel fresh, new, and exciting. The player is never quite certain what they're going find beyond the next door, which instills a deep sense of wonder of what other secrets the house holds. See More

Top Con

No interactive puzzles

There are no puzzles to solve in this game, which can be a dull experience for some. The narrative is told as the player goes room by room without any puzzles or roadblocks for the player to overcome. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:Narrative, Adventure

Top Pro

Mysterious story

This award-winning story takes us step-by-step through the tragic and mysterious history of the Finch family. We learn of all the family members, the stories of their lives, and how they met an unfortunate and untimely end. By it's thrilling conclusion, the player has been led on a strange journey filled with all sorts of reveals, surprises, and plot twists. At the end, the game closes by answering the titular question: What exactly does remain of Edith Finch? At the beginning of the game, the player is informed that teenager Edith is the last living member of her family. She speculates and half-jokes that her family suffers from some kind of curse. Throughout the family's history, all of the members have met unfortunate and bizarre deaths. The origins and nuances of the alleged curse are a mystery to Edith and the player alike. The overarching storyline for the game expands deeply on this mystery and features two major themes as it progresses. The first theme is Edith's journey through the sprawling house as she tells of her childhood growing up there. Through Edith, we get to hear family stories and learn of the struggles the family has endured over generations. She comments about the family members as she goes from room to room telling us pieces and parts of her past. As the game progresses, much is revealed about Edith and her family through her tales and observations. The second theme revolves around the various family members and how they met their untimely demises. During the course of the game, the player relives memories of the various family members. These memories are always tragic events that result in an untimely or strange death for those involved. By seeing the story not just through Edith's eyes, but the eyes of the deceased as well, we get a complete, deeper and more intimate look into the lives of the family. See More

Top Con

Short playtime

The game doesn't take very long to complete and can be comfortably completed within a few hours. This may be a turn off for some players who are hoping for a longer experience. See More

Top Pro

Amazing attention to detail

Every room in the Finch house is unique in decor and style, and plays its part in telling the story. No two rooms in the game are alike and each is filled with it's own charm and personality. While exploring the hallways and rooms of the sprawling home, the player will find various notes, photos, trinkets, and old momentos. While not all can be interacted with by Edith, the player is still free to zoom the camera in for a deeper look. Old photos and post-it notes often contain untold stories for the player to ponder. When Edith is narrating, the words she is speaking appear within the gameworld and then dissappear with a variety of different effects. They melt, burst, and fade away depending on her emotions. When Edith mentions a specific object, the words will take shape around that object. This is much more involved than the simple subtitles that most games opt to do. See More

Top Pro

Expert pacing

The game sets an excellent pace by never giving players a chance to become bored. While detailed and varied, each room only has a handful of objects that can be interacted with. This limited interaction ensures the player will never linger in a single room too long and acts as a gentle nudge to keep moving onward. This encourages a comfortable pacing that allows the player to explore at their own pace, yet doesn't allow for much downtime between important story elements. See More

Top Pro

Every story features a new gameplay mechanic

As Edith travels throughout the house and surrounding areas, she will encounter objects that tell the history of the various family members and how they met their demise. Upon inspecting the objects, an interactive story will be triggered and the player will take on the role of the family member portrayed in the story. Each one of these stories has its own gameplay mechanic, making for a new gaming experience each time a piece of the family history is discovered. For example, when exploring the room of a young, imaginative child named Molly, the player will come across a handwritten story hastily scribbled in crayon. By examing this note, the player assumes control of Molly for the duration of the tale. This particular story involves taking on the form of different animals and hunting various prey. By the time the story ends, the player not only learns about Molly and her imagination, but they also learn of how Molly met her end. Throughout the game, you will experience the memories and last moments of each family member in unique and interactive ways. See More

Thomas Was Alone

Top Pro

Polished ethereal soundtrack

Haunting guitar strums mixed with beautiful piano chords and bits of chiptune creates a very fitting soundtrack that allows for an experience of polish not often found. See More

Top Con

Some puzzles can be difficult

Here an there are a few really tough puzzles in the game which can be frustrating, luckily they are few and far between as the gameplay does not tend to repeat itself too often. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Puzzle, Platformer

Top Pro

Great story

For what is a pretty simplistic looking game, Thomas Was Alone offers a truly great story that actually gets the player to care about what are basically squares and rectangles. See More

Top Con

Short

The gameplay only lasts about 3 or 4 hours. See More

Top Pro

Enjoyable professional narration

What really drives the well crafted story home is the wonderful narration done by British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television, Danny Wallace. Not many indie small budget games receive the polish this game has in their voice acting, which really adds to the experience when playing the game. See More

A Way Out

Top Pro

Every purchase comes with a free friend pass

After buying the game, you can send your friend a free game pass so they can play with you online without having to purchase the game themself. See More

Top Con

A particular portion of the game can be disappointing

There's a section in the latter part of the game that devolves into a drawn-out action shooter devoid of story or much plot development. It doesn't have the fun cooperative gameplay puzzles that the rest of the game has, so it can feel like a weak point in otherwise enjoyable adventure. See More

Specs

Genre:Action-Adventure, Co-Op

Co-Op:2 Player Online / 2 Player Local

Top Pro

Encourages making decisions together as a couch co-op team

Many parts of the game will require you to make a story decision as a team, which results in some really engaging co-op choices. The two main characters, Vincent and Leo, will oftentimes have very different ideas about how to accomplish certain tasks. For instance, when sneaking past a police blockade, Vincent wants to plow through the patrol with brute force, while Leo prefers to sneak under the bridge. Since Vincent and Leo have to stick together for gameplay reasons, it will most likely spark a lively discussion with your friend as how to best proceed. These kind of choices are prevalent throughout the whole game, which results in some seriously fun chats with your friend as you weigh the pros of cons of each decision. See More

Top Con

Split screen dialogue overlaps

If your friend is having a dialogue in his section of the split screen while you're having a conversation in yours, the dialogue will overlap resulting in a confusing vocal mess. See More

Top Pro

Extremely immersive by focusing solely on the two main characters

Jumping into the roles of Vincent and Leo with a friend, and forming a bond with these characters is an easy and painless experience. The game goes out of it's way to make sure almost everything is focused on Vincent and Leo, the dynamics of their relationship, and how their story plays out. The growth and development of the duo is always center stage. There's no unnecessary side plots or needless filler characters. The entire adventure takes place as one seamless journey with no detours. Since you and your friend have full control over each and every decision made by the duo, and will be working together at all times, it can truly feel like stepping into a role. See More

Top Con

Some boring QTEs

While the game does have a wide variety of different quicktime events with varying mechanics, a few are nothing more than mashing a single button as fast as you can. During activities such as arm wrestling, there's nothing too exciting about smashing the same button over and over. See More

Top Pro

The team based action gameplay is just plain fun

Everything in the game is structured to be one big cooperative experience that will have you and friend relying on one another to get things done. Since the game relies on mostly simple mechanics, there's very little frustration involved, and that leaves a whole lot of room for fun. Sitting next to each other on the couch as you plan and coordinate each and every move between the two playable characters can be a really enjoyable gaming session. In one section, you'll be climbing up an elevator shaft together by coordinating quicktime button presses. In another, one player will be driving while the other is shooting from the back of the vehicle. Some sections will involve one player watching for guards while the other carries out objectives like unscrewing wall panels or sneaking around. You can boost each other up ledges and even row a boat together down a raging river. In all of this, there is a huge emphasis on simple teamwork and simply "talking it out" as opposed to bloated or tricky mechanics. Most of the actions in the game involve only a few quick button presses, but the level of teamwork and communication involved in playing out each and every scenario is where this co-op experience truly shines. See More

Top Pro

Has side fun if you want to + good story

This game has some fun on the side which doesn't contribute to the story but is fun anyways, its optional to do. The story about these two characters is very well planned and is kick in the balls over and over kind of game because when one shocker comes another hits even harder. See More

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Top Pro

Improved writing over the first game

The original Life is Strange suffered from some instances of awkward lines that sounded like a middle-aged adult trying to emulate how teenagers speak; thankfully, Before the Storm has a much clearer, down-to-earth script that helps the characters sound more authentic and real. Rachel's use of "hella" is more amusing this time around, as it gives context as to why Chloe picked up on it and used it frequently in the first game. Overall, each of the characters in the game are more well-rounded across the three episodes thanks to the smooth writing. See More

Top Con

Third episode falls flat in some areas

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an all-around stand-out title, with the first and second episodes building up to an impactful third installment that feels lacking in certain aspects. Without getting into spoilers, there are a few plot holes that aren't wrapped up by the end, and much of the tension in the episode falls flat because of these glaring holes that none of the characters bother to address. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Adventure, Narrative

Top Pro

Great soundtrack

Daughter, the indie folk band from England, worked on the tracks for Before the Storm, pulling together many of the game's great moments with thoughtful acoustic tunes and moody piano tracks. The more upbeat, hopeful tracks fit in incredibly well with Chloe's adventurous scenes with Rachel, giving a sense of wonder as the two explore Arcadia Bay together. One song in particular, 'All I Wanted', is a memorable, catchy folk track that captures the feeling of Chloe and Rachel supporting one another through their struggles, which is what Life is Strange: Before the Storm is all about. See More

Top Con

Limited exploration

With much of the focus on the storytelling, it's still unfortunate that Chloe can't leave the designated story areas without turning around and repeating the same line about how she's supposed to focus on her objective. The limited areas to walk around in are understandable, yet disappointing, with missed opportunities for Chloe to walk down the street from her home and see what her neighbors are up to, or for her and Rachel to hang out in more places around Arcadia Bay together. See More

Top Pro

Chloe is more likable this time

In the first Life is Strange, many players complained that Chloe was insufferable and selfish as Max's best friend, complaining in order to have more of her time when she might not have deserved it. This time around, watching the events of Before the Storm unfold from Chloe's eyes is enjoyable, largely thanks to how easygoing she is with Rachel--for the most part--and how far she's willing to go to sacrifice for her throughout the plot. Chloe makes dorky jokes that don't always land and back-talks school staff at Blackwell Academy with harmless ease, making her a much warmer, sillier character compared to her prickly, temperamental self in Max's adventure. See More

Top Pro

Choices have consequences

Much like in the first game, Before the Storm features several choices throughout the game that have an impact on future plot points across the three episodes. How these choices end up impacting the ending are debatable, but there are still a myriad of choices that change the outcome of a single playthrough, such as Chloe's decision to handle certain sums of money, or whether or not she's willing to accept her mother's unlikable new boyfriend. Chloe and Rachel's interactions can also be limited to friendship or expanded into a romantic relationship through player choice. See More

Night in the Woods

Top Pro

The simplistic gameplay is surprisingly fun

Running around the side-scrolling town as Mae day in and day out is more enjoyable than it sounds at first. It's mundane, but there's a lot of meaning to find around the town if you're willing to look for it. You go wherever you want, finding out stories about the townspeople and the town itself, or hanging out with friends for scripted story moments. Poking around all over town to find out the history is pretty cool, like the underground diner that Mae used to steal from back in the day, or the old shopping mall that barely gets any customers anymore. When you're not talking to people or going somewhere, you can play around with the rhythm mini-game as you practice with Mae's bass either in her room or in her old band with her group of friends. You can fall into a nice habit of checking in with the NPCs and locations you care about most, almost like in real life where you prioritize the people and places you spend the most time around. See More

Top Con

Some pacing issues with the story

The story slogs through the premise of Mae's anxieties and disillusionment for a long time until it suddenly switches somewhere in the middle. There are a few hints here and there about how and why the plot becomes a murder mystery, but these things seem inconsequential and not as important as Mae's personal issues. It ends up feeling strange to change things up partway through to something unrelated to the original premise. While the murder mystery isn't necessarily bad, it would have been nice to see a more focused insight and resolution to Mae's young adult troubles. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:Adventure, Narrative

Top Pro

Great coming-of-age story

The coming-of-age story in Night in the Woods is unconventional for a video game, making it more unique and intriguing. After dropping out of college, the main character, Mae, struggles with her own disillusionment in life and refusal to grow up, all the while her old friends find success and move on without her. You join in on that struggle as you live as Mae: aimlessly going around town talking to everyone and listening to their worries, browsing your laptop when you're supposed to be doing other important things, and even pressing a button to wake up in bed every morning as a reminder of how mundane life can be. You see all the ways she doesn't necessarily want to grow up, wishing she could stay a kid forever, but then she talks to an old acquaintance who thinks she's washed up now, making her feel anxious about her failings as a young adult. This type of story is familiar for anyone who has also had a hard time with similar problems, and eye-opening for anyone who hasn't. See More

Top Con

The main character is insufferable at first

It's hard to like Mae from the start for a few reasons. She's extremely self-centered, she likes to steal for the thrills, and she has no interest whatsoever in fixing her shortcomings. Her life seems to be one awkward moment after another where you can't help but cringe in embarrassment, like in one early scene where she gets drunk at a party and blabs away about her personal problems after spending hours telling herself she wouldn't. As you get to know her, Mae might grow on you, but if you're the type to lose your patience with people who are immature, then you probably won't like her all that much. See More

Top Pro

Tragic, realistic setting and NPCs

Night in the Woods is set in Possum Springs, once a booming mine town but now a forgotten speck on the map, rife with poverty and decay. Its history is based on several real Adirondack towns, and its portrayal of rural decline is painfully accurate. The townspeople you talk to lament about having to close down their businesses, or wonder out loud how they'll make ends meet. Everyone's economic hardships feel real and relevant to anyone who's gone through the same thing or knows someone else who has. See More

Top Pro

Well-written side characters

Every character feels like they have a history and realistic personal motivations, even when they're left unexplained. Mae's friends are all different yet interesting in their own ways, like Gregg who's always happy to see her and helps Mae feel like someone truly cares, and Bea with her biting sarcasm and apathy that seem to cover up her more complex issues. The residents of the town also talk about things in ways that are true-to-life, like how they gossip about their neighbors as you listen in, or just flat-out tell you sometimes to leave them alone. Every character in the game feels like a real person, whether they're central to the story or just one of the NPCs you see sitting on their porch all the time. See More

Detention

Top Pro

Balanced and intuitive puzzles

The puzzles are pretty straightforward and intuitive. Most items will serve practical purpose, rather than relying on the absurd logic that some other adventure games suffer from. For example, wire cutters are used to cut gates, paint thinner is used to dissolve paint, etc. Most puzzle items are used in the general area of where you pick them up, so there's not a whole lot of running around. While most of the early puzzles are fairly easy, some of the later puzzles can be quite tricky. However, they are still perfectly solvable with a little brain power. All in all, from an adventure gaming standpoint, it's certainly balanced. See More

Top Con

No auto saving can result in frustration

Saving can only be done at specified save points. Forgetting to manually save is quite common when you're wrapped up in the creepy atmosphere and story. When you die, it's rather frustrating to have to replay large sections of content. See More

Specs

Genre:Survival Horror, Adventure

Top Pro

Creepy horror atmosphere

Jump scares are few and far between. Detention focuses more on atmospheric horror through it's rather oppressive and bleak environment. To emphasize the dread, most of the game's artwork consists only of dark shades and washed out textures. Almost everything is depressing and bleak - the story, artwork, and sound design - resulting in a real horrific atmosphere. Roaming through the dark halls of a deserted school and its flooded grounds while being hunted by disturbing looking ghosts results in some downright terrifying moments. See More

Top Con

Some minor pixel hunting

Some items are hard to find, resulting in a bit of pixel hunting from time to time. While this is the norm for seasoned adventure gamers, some may be frustrated by having to repeatedly backtrack and search areas for missed items. See More

Top Pro

Dread-inducing sound design

The soundtrack isn't a typical soundtrack. Rather, it is purely environmental ambience and effects. There are no gentle melodies or soothing tracks at all. Rather, the audio itself involves a lot of screaming, scratching, moaning, humming, and strange otherwordly tones. Forgoing music for strange ambience was an interesting design choice, but it definitely pays off here as it makes you feel entirely uncomfortable, and the sense of dread is captured incredibly well. See More

Top Con

Very short

The whole game can be played in about 3-5 hours. See More

Top Pro

Horror elements incorporate Taiwan's real life history to disturbing effect

Detention takes place in 1960s, a time period in which Taiwan was under martial law. The story focuses heavily on the social struggles of the time. Much of the game's horror elements are heavily inspired by the atrocities committed during this time. The creepy and disturbing factor is amplified due to the fact many of the notes and items scattered throughout the game are based on real historical events. The hopelessness and despair is felt throughout, especially when experienced through the eyes of the young and innocent protagonist, Wei. See More

Top Pro

Tense gameplay

There is no combat or weapons in this game, making an encounter with the many ghosts a tense and frightening experience. Since you have no way of fighting directly or defending yourself, your only survival options are to use stealth and trickery. In order to sneak past a ghost, you will have to hold your breath and slowly creep by. You can't be detected when holding your breath, but managing your air supply while sneaking can be pretty suspenseful when a ghost is right next to you and starts to give chase. If you absolutely can't get past despite your best sneaking efforts, you can lure a ghost away from it's spot with a food offering placed on the ground. But, even in this case, you'll have to be very careful you're not seen when the ghost comes looking for the treat. See More

Top Pro

An altogether tense horror experience

Detention does a great job of ensuring a tense horror experience from start to finish. The entire atmosphere is just downright creepy, often washed in dark with very few light sources. The ghosts look absolutely horrific. Having to sneak by them can create some of the most tense moments in the game. The story intertwines pieces of Taiwan's tragic real life history with the in-game narrative which gives it a historically accurate, but disturbing feel. On top of all this, the screaming and otherworldly sound effects which play in the background give you a constant sense of unease. See More

Q.U.B.E. 2

Top Pro

Enticing, mysterious narrative

You play as Amelia, and you've woken up alone with amnesia on a strange alien world. Soon, your earpiece crackles to life and you are informed by a woman named Emma you were on some sort of space mission. Guided only by the voice of Emma in your headset, you'll take shelter in a large structure and move from room to room using a mysterious suit to manipulate cubes and solve puzzles. The game is peppered with dialogue between Amelia and Emma that reveals pieces of the story, a little bit of a time. It gives you just enough to keep the mystery alive, and actually develops into a plot with some thriller elements. You'll be wondering what in the world you're doing on this strange planet, what Emma's real motives are, and how you're going to escape. The story doesn't feel tacked on, and it serves as a great way to keep you invested during the puzzles. See More

Top Con

Mistakes are overly punishing

Some puzzles can require manipulating over a dozen cubes, and if you mess up at any point, you have to start the puzzle over from scratch. See More

Specs

Genre:First-Person Puzzle, Adventure

Top Pro

Minimal UI that allows the puzzle solving to take center stage

The UI is very minimal, only showing the color cube you currently have selected in the lower right corner. This allows the game world itself to fill up the entire screen and makes puzzle solving the main focus. Looking around and exploring while solving the various puzzles within the alien world is clutter-free with no distractions. See More

Top Con

Puzzles get repetitive

While the puzzles do gradually get more complex and add some new mechanics from time to time, the same 3 cube mechanics are in play for most of the game. See More

Top Pro

Great graphics

This game uses the Unreal 4 engine and looks gorgeous. Everything is shiny and glistening in a pristine, almost surgically clean environment. The lighting effects as it reflects and shines off smooth metal surfaces is a treat to look at. See More

Top Pro

Unique and immersive atmosphere

There's a distinct sense of feeling alone and isolated immediately as you wake up on the surface of a dusty planet with no memory of how you got there. The landscape is empty and alien, but before you lays a giant cube fortress. Once inside, the pristine cleanliness, seemingly endless chambers, and strange technology can be a bit unsettling and adds to the overall mystery. The feel and polish of this unique, almost surgical environment will have you believing you're actually in some strange alien fortress manipulating odd cube technology. See More

Top Pro

Simple, but entertaining cube puzzle mechanic

The game throws some curveballs from time to time like switches that have to be pressed, oily floors that can move cubes, or pressure plates that require a cube to depress, but overall it's the simplicity of the easy to grasp base mechanics that makes the puzzles shine. There are blank spaces on walls and floors where you can place 3 different colored cubes, with each having a different effect. For example, orange cubes can be pulled out to form a ledge, and blue cubes act as a jump pad. As you move from chamber to chamber, it's up to you to figure out how to best use the cubes in each room to reach the exit. It's fun to experiment creating ledges and jump pads, and trying various color combinations as you figure out how to best navigate the room. See More

Built By the Slant team

Find the best product instantly.

4.7 star rating

Try it now - it's free

Vetted.ai illustration