So many indies struggle making themselves heard against big releases. Even in my position as someone who writes about games, you never truly grasp how many slip through the cracks. Take a look at Steam’s upcoming releases list and you’ll see what I mean: sure, Tunic and Moss: Book II were recent hits, but that’s two games in a sea of thousands. I’ve missed conventions dearly and when I walked into W.A.S.D., that was put into perspective. Showcasing over 100 games, big hitters like Football Manager and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands were present, yet these indies are what truly shone.
Between swinging through trees as a gibbon, running a postal service as a kiwi bird, or getting invested in the majestic art of power washing, I experienced plenty that I’d have otherwise never known. My own personal standout was We Were Here Forever, developed by Dutch team Total Mayhem Games. Being perfectly honest, I wasn’t familiar with this co-op puzzle series beforehand, and Forever marks the fourth entry. Trapped inside Castle Rock by dark forces, I was joined by a stranger for this, and this demo gave us 20 minutes to escape.
This specific demo took us to the Jester’s illusion room. No frozen wastelands or abandoned castles like we’ve previously seen, me and my new friend were instead trapped inside a distorted reality. Navigating a series of doors between adjacent rooms – all symbolised by a projected icon in the middle, like playing cards or musical instruments – some doors have a matching icon above it, which only your co-op buddy can see.