mach_0 Steam Charts & Stats

Very good little game, following the footsteps of Outer Wilds, as others have mentioned. I find this much better than a surprisingly similar game called "Stars Die". Whereas Stars Die focused more on the cyclical aspect of time, El cas d'Arthur Gordon Pym (henceforth affectionately calling it Pym) focuses on learning mechanics, available from the beginning, that let you access more and more places. It is quite short and, unfortunately, linear. There is a single "next" place to reach at any time, and it alone holds the clue to the next one (mostly). But it is well designed, if a bit... "naked". By which I mean that the clues are often given by drawings on the wall, drawings which have no reason to be there, nor any explanation. It is a bit gamey, hurting immersion, but I can live with it. I never felt really stuck, but neither was it immediately obvious how to proceed, which is a good balance. I've even felt a bit clever when I solved the last puzzle. :) The biggest problem with the game is the janky camera and controls. The camera changes perspective in places, which also changes controls (from WS to move forward and AD to turn as if in first person, to then having a fixed camera with WASD moving the character as if in topdown). The biggest problem with this comes with the fact that one of the mechanics has a timer associated, and requires you to walk through cumbersome paths. This frustrated me a bit, especially when I was still "experimenting", looking for the solution to a puzzle. A second, less impactful problem, is the writing. The english can be a bit awkward (which made an impact near the end of the game), but above all it also misuses terms like "heretic" and "pagan" in connection to some lovecraftian cult. I understand the intent, to make it religious and occult, but the wrong terms works against the game. The characters are also rather simplistic, lacking a fitting voice. Regardless, the core of the game is quite good. The puzzles are well designed, and it is surprising how it manages to produce "eureka" moments in such a small scale. Due to its length, it remains little more than a proof of concept. But it definitely has my attention, and I eagerly look forward to future chapters. A very promising start!

Visca Catalunya, en Sherlock Holmes, l'H.P. Lovecraft, L'Edgar Allan Poe i l'Arthur Gordon Pym

Vibes! Aesthetics! Puzzles! Loved it, very inventive and atmospheric, satisfying and fun. A bit janky to control but I didn't mind that at all. More please!