Tacoma

This was a fun game with puzzles, a good story, and no violence. The good ending added to the fun.

Tacoma's plot is perhaps lower on the list of priorities than other tasks. The plot is certainly there, and is actually more fleshed out than the previous game by Fullbright, Gone Home, but it's also more of a framework for the story to dip into other areas. The places where the game really gazes intently at its subject is in the interpersonal connection of characters in a world with tough choices and a lingering danger. One telling scene early on depicts a character asking the on-ship medic about the dangers of space life, as if he didn't really know the total risks of what he signed on for. His reactions to the events that follow is in-line with this sudden realization that space life isn't just about the deafening isolation. The writing has pockets of focus into the mechanics of space life (not very different from most sci-fi - don't expect novel science ideas here) but each character embraces their own mortality in a multitude of ways. There is an scene of a man and a woman, hugging as they contemplate the most difficult decision of their lives, as the space ship turns around them. If that is what you sign up for in sci-fi, this is the game for you. It's not earth shattering, it's not a thriller or an exciting mystery. It's a slice of life experience that increases in intensity, but the general vibe remains low-key. There's also plentiful worldbuilding, depicting mega-corporations, morality of AI, and new political concerns.. This is also a different social politics world - half the cast is LGBT, and the characters' race is blended to reflect a multicultural future. Star Trek is a citation here. I have reservations about the game. I think the technology and graphics are a weak point. There were not many developers on the team and I can conprehend the drawbacks involved. Animations are great, for example. But the general aesthetic of the game feels empty, almost unpolished, and poor for the computer needed to play it.

From the makers of Gone Home comes a walking simulator where you listen to/watch recordings of a DIVERSE! cast of characters. How you feel about that depends on how you feel about games like Gone Home. If you think they're a blight upon the world of gaming, this is definitely not "made for you." If you like this sort of thing, it's fine. Be aware that, as others say, it's a "fancy visual novel." I got into this expecting a cool exploration of a weird sci-fi world with some puzzles and exploration, and it did not live up to my expectations. This concerns itself far more with relationships. That said, there are some genuinely interesting ideas here. It's sci-fi, but it's more "The Martian" than "Star Trek." It's pretty down to earth and impressively accurate. I got it on sale and HOLY CRAP I would not buy it for $20. $5, maybe $10, seems a better price.

Totally not my kinde of game, still I loved every bit of it. I went in to this one completly blind, and Im glad I did. I also played this game in Linux, Arch infact, The game ran smooth =). So.. without spoiling to mutch. Mia, is the main character you play. You are sent on a mission to exploring Tacoma, to find out what went down there. This is done by snooping around in the crews private cabins, there lockers, drawer, messeges and phone calls. This is no horror game, in fact Tacoma has no combat at all. The only "combat" I found was some punch bags at the gym I could use. And ye you can almost pick up and use anything. You are also able to use the stations recording system. It creates an algorithmist reality, that you can fast forward and rewind back to your own liking, and this is how the story is told. And I like this alot, if you miss something you can always rewind the story. You feel like a detectiv, and in a way I guess you are. I also feel a bit guilty for snooping in the crews personal life, there is more then meets the eye so to speak. The voice acting is superb, and the writing aswell. What I dont like about Tacoma is its short story, linear path, and the price. I also would like to know more about the crew, even if you get to know alot by the end, it still isnt enough. The first thing I wanted after completing this game was some sort of DLC or expansion. Maybe explore other ships in the future, and give us more freedom to explore along with it. I would wait to buy this, set it to your wishlist and pick it up for around 12 dollors. Its to expensiv for the time you get out of it and the experience along with it. And some argue its like a movie. But I havent payed over 6 dollors for a movie in ages, so I dont really buy that argument.

So this game was made by the people who made Gone Home. It's probably a bit better then gone home, or it was more interesting. Basically, a space station near the moon has suffered an accident and you've been sent in to retreieve any available data regarding what happened. The station had a holographic recording system so there are video/audio recordings all over the place to get a feel for the characters and what happened on the station. Essentially you're exploring and listening to audiologs, but it's reasonably wel done and it works well for it's 2 hour-ish length. If you don't mind walking sims/atmospheric storytelling type games, it might be worth a try for you, but it's certaintly not gonna be for everyone.