#story-rich

[artsekey]

A Spectacular, Spooky Spectacle!

I feel like I always preface these little game recommendations with, 'I'm not a gaming blog, but...', so I'll spare you this time.

(This post is not in any way sponsored-- I just like highlighting games that really knock it out of the park!)

Beacon Pines is a well-paced choose-your-own-adventure game with a compelling narrative that delivers at every turn. You step into the shoes of 12 year old Luka only a few months after his mother goes missing. Armed with nothing but the help of his good friend Rolo, the sly wit of his newest neighbor Beck, and the power of Charms, it's up to him to unearth the truth behind their quaint town... and save it from catastrophic ruin.

Without spoiling anything, Beacon Pines is gameplay light. Instead, it takes it's cues from the visual novel genre... with a twist. The story unfolds as a narrator guides you through the various chapters, and through your journey you'll encounter branches where one word makes all the difference. That's where you come in! Using the collection of terms you pick up by exploring the world, you can radically alter the course of fate. You'll rarely get everything right on your first try, but don't worry-- even failure is rewarded with new clues, new threads of the mystery, and new hooks that will draw you further into the story.

Sitting at a runtime of 5-7 hours, Beacon Pines is short but satisfying. The art is bright, fun, and well-rendered. The characters are all well written, and the music perfectly encapsulates whatever mood the story demands-- whether it's the comfort of a slow morning or a warning of danger in the dark.

However, the thing that really sets Beacon Pines apart from other visual novels is the writing! The mystery is a fun romp that keeps you guessing, the "multiple paths" mechanic is executed so well that you never really feel like you've made a bad choice, and best of all, the characters and their interactions feel sincere. I found myself smiling, laughing, sometimes stunned silent, sometimes teary-eyed... Though the game is short, the world is just deep enough for the story and it's characters to swim.

Beacon Pines is really just... sweet and genuine. I think that's the best way to describe it. If you need something to whittle away a few hours and get away from it all and like story-driven games, give Beacon Pines a go! It was recently on sale for $4.00, but it usually retails for $20.00.

For reference, other games I love that I'd put in a similar category (note, not the same-- I'm mostly looking at high-quality narrative games here! I'm providing this so you can decide if my taste aligns with yours!):

Firewatch

Oxenfree

Disco Elysium

TellTale Games (Tales of Monkey Island, Tales from the Borderlands, etc)

Inside

Night in the Woods

Slay the Princess

[gamemaster-redrobin93]

One of the things I found most fun about developing Mersia Muses was in creating the visual aesthetic that permeated both the world and the UI. A big fan of skeuomorphism and something I find almost essential in games I created the quest system to mimic ticket stubs in the real world where a completed quest would become a memory when the stub was 'ripped' and the reward received.

Because of the rhythm element of the game and story elements encouraging; 'gigs', 'battle of the band' and 'gathering music inspiration' I felt the ticket effect works well but let me know what you think!

[meanderforth]

Chapter 2 Complete!

Chapter 2 of Meander Forth is COMPLETE!

I plan to have a preview build available to patrons VERY soon, as well as a proper demo of the game before too long! Up next on the agenda is the Teak's Tall Tale prologue stage, however!

I'll keep you posted!

[achamocha]

english is not my first language please have mercy

[peartea-and-gaming]

Upgrading garage. Matter Deconstructor, Expanded Locker, and Detailing Station.

[egophiliac]

bring your son to work day

[mimimar]

witch hat atelier doodles from the past month ♡

[ayo-edebiri]

A Cinderella Story (2004) dir. Mark Rosman

[mikeywayarchive]

Instagram story by yallhavingbirthdaycake

[Jul 28, 2024]

[astromechs]

never forget that i am, first and foremost, a star wars prequels apologist

[gamemaster-redrobin93]

The front and back overworld sprites are now available for the first 24 muses. I was finally able to redownload Aseprite and give the muses the attention they deserve. Next steps are side sprites along with idle and movement animations.

I know my art isn't perfect but I hope to improve it and continually update it over time. At frequent intervals I will be updating the Itch page with free downloadable assets. Please feel free to use for game jams, placeholder art or just to enjoy.

[bacchuschucklefuck]

binging drawtectives... have u seen them. have u frickin seen them!!!

[purpleshimmer]

I keep seeing this on twitter so I had to make an Arcane version, say in the tags where you're sitting and why ‼️

[peartea-and-gaming]

Murphy's first quirk.

[generatedblacklove]

[nando161mando]

This is why you owe them nothing, they would not do it for you.