Proto Raider (2015)

Developer: Puzzle Lab
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Action, Indie
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 110 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 1.1 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 vibrant and whimsical auto-runner where cheerful exploration is constantly shadowed by sudden, fatal consequences.

auto-runningpuzzle platformercolorfulwhimsicaldangerousexplorationretro aestheticpunishing

What players say

Players praise the ASCII art and relaxing music, but many find the one-button auto-runner design frustrating because random obstacles make levels feel luck-based. The game is short, about 3 hours, and players are split on whether the challenge is rewarding or unfair.

Screenshots

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More by Puzzle Lab

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.