Helpless

A short, post-apocalyptic experience through the lense of a young boy supporting his sick mother. Hard mode is genuinely challenging. One step in the wrong direction and there goes your perfect run. Will definitely return sometime to get the last two achievements.

I had no idea what to expect when going into this game, but oh my god... for such a short experience, it was fantastic. It's concise, simple, and beautiful. The vibe is very much a mix of Undying, the Last of Us, and Maze Runner (specifically the Scorch), but it is its own beautiful world that honestly feels kind of realistic to a certain degree. The character designs are minimalist but the style and animations give them character, and I was fully invested in them within the first few minutes of gameplay. The story doesn't spell things out for you and I love that about it. It is well-paced, clear but nuanced, and doesn't give you an explicit "ending" for the characters. A lot is implied as to how things will likely turn out (namely that the child will eventually have to take care of himself), but it doesn't push any certainties because anything could happen between the moment and the finish line. I went through the game really feeling like there was every possibility that even if the characters could get the car working, they may not reach their destination and are trudging forward regardless. There's an air of melancholy and (of course) helplessness that makes you think about how you would view the world if you weren't old enough to have remembered society before it fell apart, but there's also comfort and a child-like curiosity as you explore the map and find trinkets of a forgotten era. I'm rambling at this point but I seriously adored this game and am excited to see what other projects the developers have in store! Also, you can pet and play fetch with the dog. 100/10. Any game that lets you play with the animals is automatically a great game in my books, hands down.