Wanderstop

This game did a number of things to my heart that I wasn't prepared for. When a friend gifted it to me, she said it tackled some heavier themes, and she was right. She was also right when she said it's beautiful and calm. This was an incredibly relaxing game that didn't punish me for having a short attention span (leaves- no wait, thorns- oops, what if I made that plant small- pluffin!) because there was no timer in any way. It's a game that tells you to take your time, take as long as you want, because there's no hurry - and that is, in many ways, exactly what it's story is about. I streamed this game and ended up having some in depth conversations with my community about burnout, chronic pain, OCD, abandonment issues, neurodivergence, and more. By the end, I was teary and so were a number of people in my chat. Strongly recommend this if you're able to approach it with an open heart and aren't in a rush to beat it as quickly as possible.

okay... I didn’t expect this game to actually make me so sooooooooo emotional 😭 I thought it was just gonna be a chill tea shop game but it lowkey hit me in a personal way. Alta’s [spoiler] burnout + her whole “I can’t just keep pushing like this” thing [/spoiler] felt… too relatable. and idk why but Boro reminded me so much of my dad?? like the way he talks and just exists in the story made some scenes hit harder than they should’ve. I ended up crying at the ending because it’s not even a “perfect fix everything” story, it’s more like… learning you’re allowed to rest and still move forward in life. 10/10 would emotionally recover in a tea shop again. Honestly, I just wish I could wipe my memory and play it again because the experience was so specific and special like I already miss not knowing what was going to happen.

One of the most GENUINE storytelling experiences that makes you feel empathetic, curious, and just want to learn and listen to every story of each character in the game. I felt moved, emotional, and a bit empty inside after finishing the game, like leaving a good friend I’ve spent deep conversations and moments with. I felt even sadder knowing that the studio is closing down, but I hope all the best for the team and hope there are more stories like this that we can experience in the future.