Games You Might Not Have Tried - ep 17 - New Games to Learn From! - Extra Credits

Oh, hello. I did not see you there. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Matthias Esteban Krolinov III, and I will be your humble digital docent for this month's games you conceivably have not yet experienced. Cue title card and fanfare. Thanks so much to QUT for sponsoring this episode. Want to make e-sports a better and more inclusive space? Take their surveys at the link below and help shape the scene. Today's fine assortment of unique and interesting games were hand-selected by all of us here at Extra Credits as being unique, weird, or just plain different. And if you've seen our program before, you know that this isn't about finding games that are simply fun or even necessarily good. It's about finding games that are unique and that have something we can all learn from. So, without further ado, James would like to

introduce you to So, tell me The Missing. The Missing tells a story that needs to be told. Though it's not perfect, in fact, it's far from it, but it's a step in the right direction. It's a sweary game, so it's filled with rough edges, bugs, awkward controls in a puzzle platformer, and so on, but it's also a beautiful and strange psychological landscape. If you're looking for a game where you use your own severed limbs to solve puzzles, which I think would be an oddly specific request, by the way, and yet somehow has metaphorical meaning, or if you're looking for a game that tries to discuss things that most modern studios won't talk about, you should look at The Missing. Oh, hello, Belinda. You must have just returned from your gallery opening in Occupy White Walls. Occupy White Walls is an art museum simulation MMORPG. And yes, that unique description immediately intrigued us, too. The game is currently in Steam

early access, but the core gameplay loop, overall visual aesthetic, and chillaxing atmosphere are so polished that it's already an enjoyable experience. In fact, just during the alpha version alone, Belinda easily spent dozens of hours building galleries, visiting the spaces other players built, and finding new artwork through the smart AI discovery portal. They were even able to design a gallery specifically as a work of interactive fiction. How cool is that? Additionally, the player community is friendlier and more welcoming than what you'd expect to find in most multiplayer games. Belinda has high hopes that this game could eventually prove that online multiplayer doesn't have to be synonymous with toxicity if more designers are willing to experiment with creative mechanics that go beyond PvP competition. But really though, we all know this classy list could not be complete without Enter the Gungeon. Ever want to dive into a catacombs depths with nothing but a crossbow and a

Welsh corgi with a nose for treasure? No, still not going for it. Okay then, allow me to shift my answer. Shift Quantum. This game answers the age-old question, what if a puzzle game and a cyber noir platformer had a baby? You all know you've asked that before. Now, this series can trace its lineage all the way back to flash games, but I hadn't heard of it myself until I saw it at PAX West this year, and I was hooked. It's a game that deals with the concept of positive and negative space and how you can shift one to become the other to get from point A to point B. I've really enjoyed playing it and bending my brain in ways it's not used to, and I credit that to Shift Quantum's clean and straightforward design. No frills, just solid puzzling. Not to mention some sweet cyberpunk beats. Just be warned, if you're playing on the Switch in handheld mode, sometimes things can feel a little too small on the screen. You may want to shift to docked mode where you can, but that's just my opinion. You

get it? Shift with Okay, moving on. Jack just went on a long voyage a few months ago, and before they left, they made sure to stock up on as many mobile games as they could. One that they had the most fun with was I love Hue. I love Hue is the most soothing puzzle you'll ever solve. The mechanic is simple. Arrange the mosaic of colored tiles across the color spectrum while you listen to dreamy music. That's all. This game has a simple, elegant premise, and executes it flawlessly. It's also a great mental health game. Remember how James has said that a little bit of awesome is better than a lot of just okay? This game is a great example of that. Now, as the artist for Extra Mythology, you've been slaying it, by the way, my friend. Joe definitely understands both weirdness and awesome per second, and

his selection exemplifies both those properties. 30 Flights of Loving 30 Flights of Loving is a first-person narrative-focused espionage adventure. If you need an example of a game that cuts the wheat from the chaff, the minimal design in 30 Flights of Loving is hard to match, and some may argue hard to fault. Now, the game clocks in around 10 minutes. Every interaction is context-sensitive. The dialogue comically emulates Charlie Brown's elementary school teacher, and the visuals take on a papercraft spy novella aesthetic. This is the first and only game Joe has ever seen use the jump cut as a tool during gameplay. Whether you come away inspired or feel cheated by the price tag, this is an incredible exercise in economy worth studying. And the final game on our list comes from Nick. This game is colorful, musical, and endearingly positive. We are of course talking about

Wandersong. Nick loves this game and could talk about it forever because it does so much with very little. On a design level, it uses a very small set of tools, platforming, talking, and singing in as many unique ways as possible. And the color-changing paper cutout art style, animation, and cast of characters are absolutely charming. All of this ties into a wonderful story to create an experience as optimistic and whimsical as it is mature and emotional. It's not just another game about saving the world. It's about understanding and loving who you are and making an impact even when everything feels impossible. Also, and I'm just putting this out there, there's a designated dance button and way more games should have one of those. And with that, dearest viewers, we've run out of time. Though we do hope you found something that's piqued your fancy. Please tune in next week when we deep dive into the Sir Robert Walpole classic page-turner, The Heknomancer's Revenge. Mendaciously, of course.

Until then, I have been Matthius Estevon Crowlin off the third, and this has been Games You Conceivably Have Not Yet Experienced. Good day. Once again, thank you so much to QUT for sponsoring this episode. Currently, they're researching similarities between esports athletes and traditional athletes in health, psychology, and social support. And you can help. Fill out their surveys at the link below, and not only will you be providing valuable and soon-to-be publicly available data to help the industry grow, but if you complete it soon enough, you'll also be entered in drawings for some pretty sweet gaming tech. So, click the link below and lend a hand to future e-sports athletes.