Parametric Creature: Lab (2021)

Developer: Ni Hao
Genres: Simulation
Rating: 4.8 of 5, 32 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 48 minutes
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 peaceful, hands-on sandbox where you twist knobs to observe gentle, organic particle swarms evolve like tiny living systems.

relaxingatmosphericmeditativeabstractminimalistplayfuleducationalcolorful

What players say

Players describe it as a $3 hypnotic screensaver or desk toy, not a game. They enjoy tweaking sliders to produce complex emergent shapes from simple particle rules, but some wish for more depth and content updates.

Screenshots

More games like this

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.