Yesterday, the first-ever Thinky Direct aired and put together 45 minutes of pure heat. I was super excited to watch this anyway, but my interview with Joseph and Rachel increased that significantly. Here are a few games from the show that grabbed my attention.
‘THe button effect’: ‘portal’ meets buttons
I know I’m for sure oversimplifying this, but The Button Effect definitely looks like Portal with button-based puzzles. But I’m beyond intrigued by it. There is a button-based puzzle in Blue Prince involving an upgrade that I actively look for and love figuring out. And a number of the puzzles in The Button Effect look like they’re fitting exactly that mold. It’s a short game, too, coming in at three to four hours long. So, it’s a game that knows how far it can stretch its premise, and that makes me more excited.
The game promises a significant layer of depth within that, though:
“Pay attention to the subtle details. Witness every change. Curiosity is rewarded with insight as you uncover meaningful links between all things. Discover secrets, hiding in plain view.“
You can wishlist The Button Effect on Steam now. While there is no release date set, the demo is available to download now.
‘Isles of Sea and Sky’: Full game on steam now
A 2D, open-world puzzle adventure game, Isles of Sea and Sky, is already out. But in the Thinky Direct, there was more content announced for it. I didn’t know anything about this game before the event, so seeing it in action and then seeing it had been out for a year blew my mind. Because this is exactly the type of game I would sink hours into while trying to solve every single puzzle I come across.
Visually, the game reminds me of the Game Boy version of Link’s Awakening. And it is, by design, as open as the original Zelda. You can tackle the areas in any order. It is truly non-linear, and for a puzzle game, that intrigues me more than anything else because there is a narrative here. Watching the trailer made me immediately throw it into my Steam cart. So, I’ll report back fairly soon on this because it’s one I think I’m gonna need to talk about.
‘he who watches’: an indie game after my own heart
Anyone who knows me knows that if you give me a bow and arrow in a game, I will love it. He Who Watches decided to give me a bow and arrow with a puzzle game. I didn’t really need to know anything else. But I watched the trailer, and every second that passed, I needed this game more and more. It’s scheduled for release in 2025.
He Who Watches is a first-person puzzle game that allows you to manipulate gravity to solve puzzles with your bow and arrow. You only get one arrow, though, and you can recall it at any time. Which, given some of the puzzles I’ve seen, is going to create a couple of head-scratching moments. But I can’t wait for this game to do its best to stump me.
More thinky games below
There’s so much more from the Thinky Direct that will go right to my wishlist. I’m glad there’s a real place for these kinds of games to get some shine. I look forward to seeing more over the years and doing what I can to put a spotlight on them.
The post Games From the Thinky Direct I Have My Eyes On appeared first on VICE.
