Perfect Tides

I loved Octopus Pie very much and count it as one of my favorite comics of all time. When I heard about this game, I quickly backed it and played it on release. Stuck halfway through on a puzzle, I set it down with a plan to revisit it once a walkthrough came out. Time has a way of getting away from me lately, and It wasn't until the sequel popped up on recommended that I gave it another run. The game evoked a lot of feelings I hadn't had since the 2000's era of hanging out on the internet. The amount of emotional tension waiting on an IM reply is well captured, and when Mara gets worried or frustrated, you feel it right along with her in those moments. It is a fantastic representation of the suspense those moments had, especially when you're young and unsure of yourself. A young crush can feel equally euphoric and devastating. Mara aspires to be a writer and with that pursuit comes the insecurity, crippling anxiety, and doubt in her own abilities. Speaking as a creative person this feeling seems ever present; you never think your own work is as good as other people do. When they tell you it is good, you sometimes falsely assume they're just being nice to your face. Hating your work makes you want to get better at it, though getting better at it can feel exhausting and unrewarding for the sustained effort it requires. When it comes together and you see it getting noticed, though, it starts to feel worth it again. Being an uncertain teenager without a lot of social experience makes Mara lash out in disproportionate ways. It took some personal reflection to remember that one of the benefits of getting older and wiser is dialing back those kinds of outbursts and becoming more sympathetic to the plight of those around you. Or, well, it should anyway if you're trying to become a decent person. Meredith Gran's art shines through and is the best part of this game. She has a style that works exceptionally well for the genre, capturing the seriousness of emotional moments while effortlessly depicting the absurd and surreal. The mood shifts unexpectedly many times in this game, and the art gives those moments a far greater impact than simpler animations or more static pixel characters would have done. A few frames of fluid motion or exaggerated expressions set it apart and make it feel unique and special. Since I played this game and the sequel back to back, it now feels in retrospect like part of a greater work that I hope continues into a trilogy at least, seeing the progression of someone's life as they grow and learn and become a fully fledged artist. Already just as two parts, it is incredible how much it has made me think about art, creativity, relationships, and the human condition. Thank you for making this!

Amazing. I picked up the bundle based on what I heard about the sequel and I've been blown away by the writing throughout. I'm so excited to check PT: Station to Station next, do yourself a favor and play this if you like good writing, characters, stories, etc. Lately I've mainly been reading more books and comics, playing less games, and this compares well to all the best I've read lately.

A poignant coming-of-age tale set at the turn of the century with a great cast of characters and lots of heart. A few of the puzzles are a little fiddly (i'm looking at you, photo developing lab) and it can be a little tricky to know where to go next but those nit-picks are more than made up for by the expressive art and angst of Mara.

It took me a little while to sink into its story, but Perfect Tides is a gam worth experiencing, if only for its narrative. The audio is barebones, the gameplay at times archaic and tough to get through, but I'll be damned if the rest isn't so heartfelt that it justifies everything else. It's written with such ablomb and mastery of nuances. It made me feel for Mara the whole way through, and angsty, somewhat annoying teenager than never felt irritating. She ffels so alive and complete that I couldn't help rooting for her, even if teenage years are hell. Strongly recommend, and can't wait to play the next one !

just finished this game up! what a ride. i love how true to life the interactions in this game are. the characters feel like real people i used to know another lifetime ago. you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll yell at your computer screen and even audibly say "what the ♥♥♥♥" multiple times. simply stunning visuals paired with fun bits of fluid animation where it counts. if you enjoy twisted yet true tales of teenage angst and coming of age stories, this is the game for you.

good game 👍although some puzzles can be tedious to figure out, great writing though.

Clunkier to play than its sequel, but still an incredible point-and-click game that's like a graphic novel you play through. Sometimes how to progress was a little obtuse, considering this is really all about following a story anyway. But, this is still an amazing game, and some of the best storytelling in gaming full-stop.