Exploring diversity with creepy indies

CHENNAI : Grand Trunk Auto V (PC version) was available for FREE on the Epic Games store last week. This was great news considering that the game is still objectively fun, years after release. However, GTA has recently been cause for some less pleasant feelings for me. While there is variety in cars and guns, there is lack of diversity in other aspects. I realised that I recently started braiding my hair because Kassandra does it in Assassins Creed Odyssey. Understanding that my fashion sense is heavily influenced by videogames, I really hope Rockstar targets some diversity next time around — more than just bald men wearing blood-soaked t-shirts and bowling shorts.

But let us move on to the game recommendations for this week. They are sufficiently diverse, since one of them has no discernible protagonist, and the second one features an old lady who is missing her legs. This mainstream-game evasion week is brought to you by the free PC games on the Steam Store. The first one is called ‘The Supper’. It is a short indie game, but not of the warm, feel-good variety. Although the mild 8-bit style art seems very child-friendly, Ms Appleton, with her conscience led by a strange voice — is anything but that. The Voice makes Ms Appleton carry out strange tasks that are uncharacteristic of an elderly lady owning a tavern.

The only thing that did not surprise me in the game was when she throws a wet boot at a pigeon, because nobody likes pigeons. The free-to-download game has some interesting puzzles accompanied by this very questionable storyline and deserves an hour of our attention. The second game for this week is another new release from Rusty Lake, called ‘Samsara Room’. Rusty Lake has made several great games with their eerie aesthetic. Samsara’s theme is very much like the other escape room games in Rusty Lake’s series. Established logic does not work in this game.

The puzzles should be solved by going against every instinct that we might have. Nothing makes sense, which makes the game comforting when we finally figure out that yes, we can indeed pull a dismembered hand from a mirror and then unlock the door. Highly not recommended for children. I rate both games three dismembered limbs out of four for their creepy, but sufficiently challenging puzzles.