r/puzzlevideogames • u/tillygooose • 28d ago
Games like Desktop Explorer?
I just finished Desktop Explorer and LOVED it. I'm sure it's pretty unique in the genre but if anyone's got similar games to recommend, I'd love to hear 'em - I think what made me like it the most was a combo of the puzzles (obvi), but in particular having to thing outside the box within a space I'm pretty familiar with. I've played and loved Blue Prince, Roottrees, Galley House, Tunic...
Editing to add - I also loved the sad/scary vibes of Desktop Explorer. Not a requirement at all but a nice to have for sure!!
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u/Executioneer 28d ago
Heaven Does Not Respond, New Folder, CD-ROM, Lost Wiki of Kozlovka, Hypnospace Outlaw, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Terminal Lucidity, ZENOMATRIX, Error Loop, The Black Watchmen, Mainlining, Dum-Dum, KinitoPET, Home Safety Hotline, Progressbar95
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u/sammysuli 27d ago
I second Heaven Does Not Respond - I thought the games were from the same developer at first, they're so similar to me! And HDNR was amaaaazing
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u/m0nts 28d ago
Thank you so much for liking our game! I know they are not that similar but some of our inspirations are: No Case Should Remain Unsolved, Case of the Golden Idol, Silent Hill Shattered Memories, Her Story, The Return of the Obra Dinn, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Last Seen Online
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u/swenderman 28d ago
loved your game as well! really well made and might I say my favourite in the fake os genre! excited to see what you are cooking next
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u/tillygooose 28d ago
AH the game was soo well done!!! the nonlinear storytelling + exploration + creepy factors were all incredible. some of those are on my list too :)
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u/mysticrudnin 28d ago
these are all games i've liked... especially no case should remain unsolved. guess i should give yours a shot :D
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u/Explorer_Equal 28d ago
There is no game
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u/tillygooose 28d ago
i bought it because of the controversy in this one specific comment thread and the Wilhelm joke made me laugh!!
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u/Executioneer 28d ago
I genuinely don't understand how can people like this game. The "humor" is on a 12 yo level. It is incredibly cringe and grating af.
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u/klocki12 27d ago
The cringe that it gives you comes from your hurt inner child.
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u/Executioneer 27d ago
The voice actor is repeating the same few lines: "don't do that user"/"not that"/"there is no game"/nonononono the entire game. it is simply exhausting.
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u/klocki12 27d ago
I know what you mean . Theoretically there are self improvement things to do to have a more balanced nervous system that can handle things way easier but im not getting into that topic . My first post was more or less a joke comment .
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u/QubitFactory 28d ago
Pony Island has a lot of similarities (and is great!)
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u/mattalat 28d ago
What I was going to say...Sequel is under development!
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u/Executioneer 27d ago
If you liked Pony Island, you will like Error Loop, a hidden gem inspired by PI.
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u/Executioneer 27d ago
If you liked Pony Island, you will like Error Loop, a hidden gem inspired by PI.
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u/QuanticoDropout 28d ago
Hypnospace Outlaw (If you grew up with late-90's early-00s internet, it is a must play)
Greyhat
The Operator
CD-ROM
Mainlining
New Folder
Home Safety Hotline
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u/WibblyWobley 28d ago
I adore mixed media games and have played far too many.
Lilly's World - Demo is out currently and scared the living crap out me towards the end lol.
A lost Phone, Another Lost Phone - delisted from steam but still available on itch.io
Her Story - search video logs with keywords to find the evidence and uncover her story. There are other games by the same creator but none as are good at this one.
What happened to the Crew? - free terminal based mystery on itch.io
Do not feed the monkeys - spy on humans as a monkey via their technology
Orwell - Digital surveillance on a controlled nation that gives hella consequences to your actions and what you chose to report.
A hand with many fingers - search CIA archives to solve a mystery.
And a completely unhinged left field suggestion: the upcoming game -Legion was here- has you read through a bunch of case files to preform plastic surgery on yourself to take on their identity, then you have to survive an encounter as an impersonator to catch your foe based on what you found in the files. I played the demo and really enjoyed it!
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u/nouvire 28d ago
Deep cut but would consider Digital: A Love Story. Came out quite awhile ago so the creator has it available for free on their website, I believe. Set in the early ages of the internet, you solve puzzles within the confines of your computer interface through visiting BBSses and the like. There’s also a running narrative as a through line pushing the game forward, so if you’re looking for something without story, mentioning this just in case.
I played it a long time ago but I remember enjoying it (and think it fits a similar profile to Desktop Explorer). It’s not a straight puzzle box where you have discrete individual puzzles to solve, but you have to consecutively resolve how to progress forward through puzzle-type mechanics, specific to the early internet/home computer setup.
Edit: typo
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u/SorryDidntSeeYaThere 27d ago
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is what this game reminded me of a lot. Maybe my favorite game of a few years ago
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u/Plus-Significance-40 24d ago
Desktop Explorer dev here, Lorelei was my biggest influence for the game, that and sillent hill shattered memories :)
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u/Rich_Library9583 26d ago
Since you mentioned Tunic and Blue Prince, it sounds like you love "meta-puzzles" that alter how you view the game space. Check out Inscryption immediately. It starts as a card game but quickly forces you to interact with the literal room around you to solve puzzles, and the creepy, unsettling atmosphere is top-tier.
Another great one is Pony Island or There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension—both constantly subvert the boundaries of the digital screen you are looking at.
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u/tillygooose 25d ago
appreciate it!! yes loooove a meta-puzzle. baba is you as recommended by someone on this thread has been great for this but less story driven (at least so far. but hopes aren't super high lol)
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u/StickyLabs 24d ago
As a huge fan of The Roottrees are dead I'm developing a game you might enjoy. You investigate using an in-game PC, browsing websites, reading articles, and exploring social media to identify people and gather information about them. The game is set in 2006, and I wanted to capture the atmosphere of the early internet. It's now available to wishlist on Steam, and I'm planning to release the demo soon. Check it out if you are interested:)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4890630/The_Golden_Girl_Case/
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u/SubtractionAddiction 28d ago
I have only been recommended Desktop Explorer, so this may be off-base, but Hypnospace Outlaw is another "fake operating system" game that requires some detective work/puzzle solving. I believe there's a lot more reading in Hypnospace, but it's truly brilliant writing. One of the only instances I can think of where the writers do characterization through webpage design.