Paradox Factor (2022)

Developer: Hosted Games
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Casual, Indie
Rating: 2.9 of 5, 7 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 1.7 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A quiet, introspective text adventure where you weigh the emotional cost of changing timelines.

text-basedcontemplativeatmosphericforebodingmethodicaledgypersonal

What players say

Players split on the experience. Some praise the time travel mechanics and say it gets surprisingly deep, while others find it overly repetitive, requiring rereading the same dialogue to manipulate outcomes. Many describe the story as depressing, with one reviewer comparing it to Madoka Magica for its bleakness.

Screenshots

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More by Hosted Games

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.