From the outside, Figment looks like the sort of game I’d really want to play (and, of course, is why I did). Interesting graphics style, the promise of puzzles, some weird story about being in a person’s subconscious, great voice acting. All of those are true. But, it’s just so, so dull and tedious.

The main issue is the puzzles are often of a disguised Sokoban nature. You have to flip a switch to activate a thing, but you have to do another thing first, then you have to unflick it and move and then do another thing then go all the way back to the start and flick it again before you can access something. In a game like Zelda, these are fun. Here, it’s just slow and annoying. There’s also less disguised Sokoban type puzzles, with actual things to push and pull in the right order. Just boring. There’s an awful lot of the same thing as well – you always need a battery or a handle, it’s always the other side of a puzzle, it’s always needed to get to the next bit. For a game literally set in an imagination, there’s not much on show in terms of item use variety.

Then there’s the combat. It’s not difficult, it’s just clumsy, imprecise and doesn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the game. You’re often in a confined space when attacked, and you don’t have many moves and move too slowly to effectively dodge and counter. I also found the perspective sometimes screwed up my depth perception.

It isn’t all bad. The graphics are lovely and the voices and range of accents and silly comments are to be applauded. I also enjoyed it enough to play to the end and it did improve when you get to the “steampunk robot train” bits later on, it was just somewhat disappointing and uninteresting for much of the rest.

Cave Buster is a short retro-style platformer which perhaps could be classed as a Metroidvania if it was a bit longer. You get a few upgrades that let you reach other areas, but there aren’t many areas (or many upgrades) so it doesn’t feel like you get to use them enough to consider it as that sort of game.

It is fun while it lasts, however. I’m assuming it was the result of a Game Jam or something, with the possibility of using the engine to create a larger game? Certainly, all it needs is more of the same and it’d be well worth a purchase. As it is, for free, it’s nice enough for a quick run through, it just ends (with the collection of a burger for… reasons?) leaving you wanting more.

I’ve played some baffling games in my time but this may be one of the oddest in years. It’s sort of a visual novel, where you play as seemingly the subconscious of a very anxious girl who is sent out to buy some milk. Except, you also play as you, the player. And the girl knows it’s not real. Or is it? Or is it not real but her medication makes it seems like it is?

Or is the subconscious the real thing here and the girl just a puppet?

“Gameplay” takes the form of you, or something, responding to the girl when she talks to herself. Or to you. Or to both of you. Ultimately, if you’re supportive and encouraging, you get the good ending, and if you tell her she’s weird and stuff you get the bad ending. Along the (short) way, you find out a bit about her family and why she’s on medication for whatever mental illness she seemingly has. Or hasn’t.

Yes, it’s very strange.