S.p.l.i.t

Finally, a game that accurately simulates trying to get online in Russia 10/10

I have read many reviews complaining about the briefness of this game. And it is true: You can complete it in less than an hour. Yet it never claimed to be anything else. It's exactly what it says on the tin: a short game. It is also true that there is a lot of straightforwardness and linearity to the story. With the masterful atmosphere Kublinka is known for, you genuinely WANT there to be more. You want the game to challenge you further, to give you more to do, more to uncover, and more ways to interact with its OS. There is a part of me that wishes it had leaned further into its gameplay. And yet, I think the worldbuilding it manages to weave into such a short experience makes the linearity worth it. There is something sublime about the way this game reveals its world, but explaining why would require spoiling what makes it so effective. [spoiler]The subtlety of starting with something as familiar and retro as that interface, complete with the inability to tab-complete anything (nightmare stuff for me), only to gradually realize what the dates of entry for the prisoners actually mean... And then to reach those absolutely terrifying words explaining that the “way out” established from the very beginning would no longer work with the technology of that grim future. Phenomenal.[/spoiler] It is dirt cheap, it's short, and I think it's absolutely worth the price of admission. Go in blind.

Just wish the hacking part was longer, just when I felt I was finally understanding it, it was over. Definitely not bloated, all the files i found that were not necessary to progress were empty and the dialogue is very intentional and minimal. One of the reasons I had gotten this game was for some of the lore hidden in the files, so when I go back for the second ending I'll snoop about for those. So worth buying, especially for the price. Just wish it was longer.