Suddenly, you’ve run out of games to play. You’ve exhausted the expanse of options on Roblox, you have reached AR60 in Genshin Impact, and your friends don’t wanna play Fortnite with you anymore. If you’re someone who likes games, maybe it’s time to find something else. Maybe it’s time to find a new genre of videogames. I have a few recommendations to pass the time. All of them will be found on various platforms like itch.io, gog.com, and Steam, a popular game platform similar to Nintendo or Xbox. If you have ever heard of it, you will know that you can download it on your computer whether it is a laptop, PC, or a Mac. Similarly to any fiction book you have read, Genshin Impact, and that one ‘Break In’ game on Roblox, all of these games inhabit stories. When you play them they feel like a visual novel, like you’ve fallen into a comic book mixed with one of those ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books. They show pictures of your characters narrating their life, or falling down the stairs, and the best part is that you can choose what your character says or does. Just be wary that you will have to make choices that will make you scratch your head and test your morals. Yet that’s what makes life fun, isn’t it? So, game on!
#1 Emily is Away <3
Emily is Away <3 by Kyle Seeley bombards you with a good mix of 2000s teenage romance, drama, and awkwardness. Brendan Caldwell who reviewed the original game back in 2015 summed up my whole experience, claiming that, “it still had me shouting at my computer screen like it was a real MSN cyber drama from my teens.” I’d stare at three dots below the message box, watch it appear, and then disappear a few times before anything is actually sent. Sometimes, you become the person reiterating the message. You will watch yourself unable to find the middle ground between sounding cool and expressing your true feelings within the limiting expanse of the white box. If you ever play this game, it costs about ten dollars on Steam and on average will take around five hours total, one hour per chapter depending on your pacing. Buying this would also mean supporting a creator who is from Boston, too! I’d recommend this to those who want a little taste of teenage drama.
#2 a new life.
Be a part of a beautiful development of romance between two girls, eventually growing old together and facing the inevitable motions of life. a new life. by Angela He, also known as zephyo, features these two characters, May and August, who also appear in the game ‘missed messages.’ I would challenge you to try to get all the achievements, since it’s relatively easy to get all of them. In addition, it only costs three dollars on Steam, and it takes around forty to ninety minutes to complete on average. However, these two games should be your reminder to check content warnings because, although they inhabit a soft, comforting vibe at first, they also incorporate serious topics related to death, grief, and even suicide. Angela He has made other games, some of which also feature LGBTQ+ themes, that can be found mostly on itch.io. The developer said in an interview from 2018 by Naja Beck that, “my style is dark and sad with a splash of occasional cute.” I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who’s looking for something charming and simple, yet deep.
#3 Florence
Have you ever fallen in love? If not, have you ever wondered what it felt like? Florence will show you, immersing you into the shoes of Florence Yeoh. You’ll find out she’s a young accountant who suddenly splits through the monotony of life, opening up into the world of romance. Feel the moment when the vibrant yellow hues appear and the music crescendos as he comes into view! This game, primarily based on telling a story, is also a puzzle. Each section is straightforward, intentional, and clever but easy to solve once you get it. The ending sends a nice message that can apply to anyone who has experienced a relationship before (or anyone who’s interested in that). It costs around six dollars on Steam and takes one hour to finish, so if you just need something to stimulate your brain, this game by Annapurna might be the one for you!
#4 Until Then
Until Then takes place in Metro Manila where the main character, Mark, begins to investigate his bouts of “deja vu” with his friends. This is the kind of game where you’ll end up having to sit there for a moment. Maybe you’ll end up saying “d****.” Similar to Emily is Away <3, there is a typing mechanic whenever you open up your phone in the game, allowing you to immerse yourself into Mark’s life and his chronic loneliness. Minigames will pop up every now and then in between cinematics, challenging you to practice your hand-eye coordination. Do not be intimidated. If you fail, it will not jeopardize your life. These things and everything else make the game witty and nicely paced. It has a good balance of comedic relief alongside the heavy topics which should be heeded in the content warnings. The demo is a great introduction to the game, and I recommend everyone try playing it before buying. If you like it, it costs about twenty dollars on Steam. It also took around fifteen hours to complete the first playthrough which is pretty hefty compared to the other games listed in this article, hence the price. If you really like it, play it again! You might be pleasantly surprised.
#5 My Sweet! Housemate
Get introduced to Seung-min Kim, your roommate and the only landlord that would offer you a place after years of homelessness. In My Sweet! Housemate, you will find and uncover more things about your roommate as you play. Just don’t check the kitchen! This game is a romantic slasher comedy, a total genre switch up from all the emotional topics that the previous games express, so be prepared for some gore and themes of cannibalism to come up when playing. If you have ever played Doki Doki Literature Club, you know there’s a twist and that it has multiple endings. The twist in this game is more conspicuous and one of the first driving factors of the plot. I’d recommend going through all the endings, getting through all the possibilities and not just going down the most obvious path. It costs five dollars on Steam, takes about one to two hours to complete, and is easy to get all the achievements! If you want a funny game to pass the time, I’d definitely recommend this one.
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