GOG still has a lot of ground to cover in most of the categories you mentioned.

Now, I don't know the exact criteria they use to select or promote the releases but as an outsider -but frequent loyal customer- I understand that there is a preference towards specific genres. No, I am not complaining here. But, for example, whenever I receive the usual newsletter discount, it is 99% about genres that I don't care about. Usually a RPG or strategy game. I guess these games sell the most, and probably even drive the "curation" process. But that doesn't mean the rest of genres should he treated as a minority.

RHEM is a series that belongs here and while it might not sell like e.g. Batman, it will make a lot of users happy.
Please show your support and vote for these games in the wishlist if you want them here.
I will keep bumping this topic for some time in case fans of the genre haven't seen it yet.

Very nice! I have a disc of RHEM Trilogy (non-SE) and RHEM IV (also non-SE I think) but I got them very cheap and would gladly rebuy the SE versions. I'd happily buy them here, but GOG apparently doesn't want my money. Thanks for the alternative links.

EDIT: Wow, that Application Systems London site is very... retro. Looks like a website from the mid-2000s.

Yeah, itch.io and Fireflower Games have become my go-to places for adventure games. GOG's mysterious curators don't seem to be adventure fans so they only want to absolute biggest "heavy hitter" adventures (which are few and far between because it's not exactly the most profitable genre).
Fireflower Games is an even better bet IMO, in addition to being plain DRM-free they have quite a focus on adventure games.

You must be comparing them to a store that has oodles in those categories, maybe Steam or Itch.io. Personally I think they have plenty in each of those categories, considering who and what they are at GOG. GOG's main focus, certainly initially, was on older games, and I've not really seen it as an Indie store, and honestly hope it never becomes one, even though I like many Indie games. I'd hate to have to wade through crap like you need to do at Itch.io or Steam etc.

I have something like 1148 games at GOG now, in many categories, and I've not found them to be too short on games, though there is plenty out there not here yet. Many of those will come here in time.

Presumably GOG are trying to make as much money as they can, and they have lasted over 12 years so far, so following that logic, there must be rhyme and reason, and I suggested some earlier, for why some games don't come here or don't get accepted. Maybe it is timing as well, as certainly many have reported about a game's initial refusal only to have it turn up here some time later. I imagine GOG want a sure quick financial return, while also building up a reputation for certain types of games etc. Or maybe those doing the curating have a bias or a preference, and seeing they may be working hard at it, they are just selective to make it less tiresome ... who knows.

From my perspective, they haven't been doing too bad a job, and despite getting newer and other games for me, I have also nearly replaced all my older ones on disc ... something like 100 or more.

Yes! I love it xD (haven't bought anything there though)

Haven't heard of that before. Is it worth checking?

Could have sworn I mentioned them in your first-person-adventures thread, but maybe not. Definitely worth checking! They have a lot of adventure games I've not seen elsewhere and have a (very) small sale every weekend.

It's only thanks to them that I have nearly completed my Cryo/Kheops collection.

Just looked into that thread but could find any reference.

Anyway, I took a peek in the store and there are some interesting entries that are not on GOG.

Also, a slight *bump* for people who would like to see RHEM on GOG :)
The developer still wants to release it here, so please vote in the corresponding wishlist entries!

Friendly *bump*

This time I will also add another request.

The game is called "Lisssn" and it is co-developed by the creator of the RHEM series. From the screenshots, it is essentially RHEM-like but this time puzzles are focused on listening carefully. The concept includes music (of course) and seems to be perfectly designed to train you step by step into recognizing and combining sounds and music to solve puzzles.

Unlike the RHEM games, I haven't played this one as it never got a physical edition and is much newer (2017) so it probably went straight into digital stores. It got very praising reviews from people who like RHEM, so it should deserve its place here as well!

Please, people, show your support and vote for these great games.

RHEM 1, 2, 3, 4

RHEM I

RHEM II

RHEM III

RHEM IV

Lisssn

Oh wow, that sounds like my kind of thing. I have a fairly keen ear and enjoy sound puzzles. People always complain about the puzzle in the rocket ship in Myst and I always thought it was one of the easiest puzzles. I also got the navigation in the Selenetic Age tunnels pretty quickly, I recognised the sounds. I was probably only about 8, my dad (who was the one with the mouse) was trying to map the entire thing when I pointed out they were the same sounds as in the Mechanical Age. Ok, boasting over.


No DRM-free store for this one?

I know, I love sound puzzles as well! I definitely want this game!

(I remember playing Aura - Fate of the Ages many years ago with a friend. That game had some great sound puzzles, I was super excited and my friend cursed every 5 seconds xD )

Unfortunately, I don't know if Lisssn is available DRM-free anywhere, my communication with the developer was exclusively about RHEM.

GOG's way of accepting games has always been rather weird. On one hand they turn down a game for being too niche but on the other they don't make any scruples adding an equally or worse title, such as the recently released 'Cube Escape Collection' games.

As for the RHEM games, before stumbling on this thread I had only heard about the game name. I've never looked what the games were about and how they look like.

Bottom Line: If I had to pick between the RHEM games or the Cube Escape Collection, I'd choose the former.

I agree. I wondered the same thing when I saw the Cube Escape release. I mean, they may be good games - I don't know - but rejecting RHEM when they accept such games? Really awkward.

Since you don't know about RHEM, and if you're a fan of the genre, trust me. It is my favorite first-person adventure series of all time. Have I mentioned I'll take RHEM over Myst anytime? Multiple times. Here's one more :)

Please show your support by voting in the wishlist if you want these games here!

I feel like in terms of Myst vs RHEM that the Myst series has better atmosphere but the RHEM series has better puzzles.
I enjoyed the first Aura game quite a bit, but I felt the second one was a bit of a let down. It just felt a bit half-baked and cheap compared to the first.

Once devs have games on here they can pretty much release any of their games (as long as they want too). I don't have numbers to back that up but it feels this way. The hardest part is getting on GOG.

They would be niche but reading "Retrogamer magazine" in the last issue in the Spanish edition, in the British was on previous numbers, there are a interview of The Legacy of Myst . They talk of Timelapse, but also Quern, Dear Esther, Lake Ridden, The Witness and... RHEM. All the games that they did mention are on gog excepts RHEM. Curious.

First of all, I'm not even surprised by the fact that GOG curators have rejected another classic oldie. I mean, they ignored the original Rogue last year. What could be more surprising? (:

Very doubtful.

For example, 1C Entertainment has been on GOG for years, but many of their games are still not available here.

There used to be a theory that 1C Entertainment didn't want to release these games without a DRM, but last year games like A.I.M. 1 & 2, Brigade E5, Konung III, Planet Alcatraz and 7.62 have all appeared on the Zoom Platform (another DRM-Free store). Moreover, DRM-Free versions of some of these games are also available on GamersGate and IndieGala.

People have been mentioning these games in the community wishlist since the early 2010s, but they still haven't been added to the catalog.

Another example is Hatred.

The developers of Hatred (Destructive Creations) are already on GOG with another game, but Hatred is still not in the catalog, even though it has already scored almost 5000 votes in the community wishlist and is still getting new votes.