Still There transforms the loneliness of deep space into an intimate adventure built around technical puzzles, everyday routines, dark comedy, and a surprisingly emotional story. Developed by GhostShark and published by Iceberg Interactive, it places players in the role of Karl Hamba, the operator of The Bento, an isolated space lighthouse far removed from ordinary civilization. Karl has become accustomed to a repetitive existence of maintaining equipment, performing routine tasks, and interacting with the station's artificial intelligence. Everything changes when an unexpected emergency transmission interrupts that routine and forces him to confront circumstances he would rather keep buried.
The Bento is much more than a backdrop for the story. Its confined rooms, complicated machinery, control panels, personal belongings, and strange assortment of everyday necessities create the impression of a functioning workplace that has gradually become Karl's home. The isolation is constantly noticeable, yet the game avoids making the environment lifeless. Preparing coffee, looking after a pet tuatara, playing chess, dealing with food, and completing mundane household activities help establish what Karl's normal life looks like before the larger mystery begins taking over.
Puzzle solving is central to the experience. Instead of relying heavily on traditional inventory combinations, many challenges involve understanding machinery and following technical procedures. Players may need to inspect diagrams, operate switches, diagnose equipment, interpret controls, and determine how interconnected systems function. These puzzles complement the setting because Karl actually feels responsible for keeping a complicated station operational. Successfully repairing something can be rewarding precisely because the solution often requires understanding the equipment rather than simply clicking objects until something works.
This approach also produces some of the game's most demanding moments. Certain interfaces are deliberately complicated, and instructions require close attention. Players who prefer straightforward puzzles or frequent guidance could occasionally become frustrated when a machine refuses to cooperate. The slower pacing further emphasizes observation over action. However, the complexity has a purpose: maintaining a remote installation is presented as actual work, and the repetitive procedures reinforce Karl's isolated lifestyle. Patient players are rewarded with puzzles that feel naturally integrated into the world.
Gorky, the station's artificial intelligence, adds personality to an otherwise solitary existence. Conversations between Karl and Gorky provide humor, companionship, and occasional absurdity while preventing the story from becoming relentlessly depressing. The writing frequently moves between jokes and considerably heavier subjects, producing an unusual tone that suits the game's eccentric science-fiction setting. Even some of the station's most mundane systems are treated with enough humor to make routine interactions entertaining.
The emergency transmission gradually pushes the story beyond ordinary station maintenance. What begins as an unsettling interruption develops into a mystery closely tied to Karl himself. The narrative becomes increasingly concerned with grief, memory, family, responsibility, and the temptation to escape painful experiences. Karl's decision to live in extreme isolation consequently gains greater significance as more of his past is uncovered. Rather than using space simply as an exotic setting, the game turns physical distance into a metaphor for emotional withdrawal.
Its presentation strengthens this atmosphere. The illustrated visual style gives The Bento plenty of character, particularly through its machinery, clutter, displays, and smaller environmental details. There is always a convincing sense that Karl has spent considerable time inside this limited space. The contrast between the station's cramped interior and the enormous emptiness surrounding it makes his isolation particularly effective. Sound and music generally remain restrained enough to support the loneliness while becoming more prominent when the story requires additional emotional weight.
The smaller optional interactions are equally valuable. Chess matches, coffee preparation, pet care, and other diversions may seem insignificant beside the central mystery, but they help make Karl believable. They demonstrate how someone might fill endless hours while stationed far away from other people. These activities also create moments of calm between complicated puzzles and emotionally difficult conversations, giving the narrative room to develop without constantly pushing the player toward another major revelation.
Still There will work best for players comfortable with deliberate pacing and challenging mechanical puzzles. It is not an action-focused science-fiction adventure, nor does it attempt to provide a huge world to explore. Its strength comes from doing almost the opposite: restricting the player to a small location and using that confinement to explore one person's emotional condition. Some puzzles can become overly obscure, and the slow pace may test players primarily interested in the story, but the combination of mechanical interaction and narrative purpose gives the experience a strong identity.
Steam Deck compatibility is officially categorized as Playable rather than fully Verified. Performance with the default graphics configuration is considered suitable, and the game can run successfully on SteamOS. However, handheld players should expect compromises. Some functionality is not fully accessible through the default controller configuration, touchscreen interaction or a community controller layout may occasionally be useful, and text entry can require manually opening the virtual keyboard. Some interface text may also appear small, while certain prompts can display keyboard, mouse, or non-Steam Deck controller icons. It is therefore functional on the Deck, but the experience is less seamless than a fully optimized handheld release.
Overall, Still There is a distinctive narrative puzzle adventure that successfully combines complicated machinery with an emotionally grounded examination of isolation and loss. Its technical puzzles give the player meaningful responsibilities aboard The Bento, while its humor and ordinary routines keep the experience from becoming overwhelmingly bleak. Beneath the science-fiction mystery lies a personal story about whether running far enough away can ever truly separate someone from what they have lost. It is occasionally demanding and deliberately slow, but players who appreciate thoughtful storytelling and hands-on puzzles will find an unusually memorable journey.
Rating: 8/10
