sok-stories made by sok-pop collective is a neat little tool for creating your very own mini point and click adventures. It’s crafty style perfectly matches who it’s made for: everyone. Anyone can make a little game in a matter of minutes, and you might think that would dilute the experience, but it really doesn’t. Every sok-story I’ve played feels sincere and personal, I highly recommend playing some yourself, or even better, making some of your own. For only $3.00 you really don’t have an excuse.
While you need to buy the creator to make your own, anyone can play published stories, so I’ve made a little selection to get you started.
How to Be a Tree is the definitive self-help guide for trees, ever find yourself slipping to degenerate, un-tree-like habits? Bad habits such as: launching yourself into the stratosphere, spending time with dodgy fractals, waging war against humanity and/or befriending worms? Well, this interactive edutainment piece will solve all your problems!
If you like the weird and the wonderful mixed with a healthy dose of subversive story-telling, How to Be a Tree and it’s 16 different endings will keep you guessing with its bizarre mixture philosophical themes and dumb humour. These different endings branch out from one another, knowledge and abilities learned from some paths open up other levels, in the strangest Metroidvania I’ve played.
As you get to discover the back story of the mysterious eye or live out your days as a broom, the attention to detail is gleeful. The whimsical endings convinced me that I needed to see everything and it makes me happy that games like this can exist, small experiences that are completely full of heart and personality.
These are just a few games that stood out to me, but if you want to see a full list of games that really grabbed my attention in January, take a look at this month’s itchy goose collection.
Simplistic, mysterious and engaging, this little puzzler Foxhunt only took me 45 minutes to complete, but I will remember it for longer than games I’ve played for tens of hours. With a playful swish of a bushy tail, this elusive critter leaves the first of many clues as little written cue cards.
With handwriting better than mine, this fella is certainly good at controlling a marker pen with two paws.
These cards are used in a multitude of clever ways, some of which I’ve never seen in other games before. Spoiling it would be a shame so I’m going to shut myself up, hop on over to itch.io and give it a try!
Some games can only be born from the internet, a strange concoction of pop-culture references combined from incompatible eras, smothered in nostalgia, both alien and comforting.
If this GIF doesn’t convince you to try it, I don’t know what will.
Critters for Sale distinctly reminds me of the Vaporwave Movement, although a direct comparison surely doesn’t do it justice. Real-world threshold images are blended with sprites, to make a distinctly unyielding aesthetic. This is the first of a few episodes too, certainly one to keep an eye on.
Sometimes you just need a game for a coffee break, a perfect mixture of relaxation and concentration. Numgeon is a great little game to play for 10 or 15 minutes, the objective is simple, click the grid of numbered tiles in ascending order to destroy the enemy, while clicking on red tiles will restore your mana.
Game modes, colour palettes and different classes are unlocked along the way to keep everything nice and fresh.
The short sessions and clicker gameplay is really well suited for mobile platforms, I hope this becomes a possibility in the future.
Ever wanted to play as an ethereal being, manipulating a pack of spinning teeth? Well, I had no idea until I was bitten by this game, the ASCII style drew me in, and the satisfying controls kept my hand glued to my mouse. Guide a whirling swarm of teeth in this surprisingly heartfelt game. You start off small, hunting your foes by tracking their footprints, frantically striking until they are limping and helpless.
Become what they fear.
I really didn’t know what to expect with this game, but it really surprised me, it’s wonderfully weird and very memorable.
