start;again (2022)

Developer: Two and a Half Studios
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, Simulation
Rating: 4.7 of 5, 190 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 9.2 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 tense, time-limited escape where you navigate mysterious supernatural drama and romantic connection through branching choices.

mysterioustenseromanticemotionalbranchingsupernaturaldramaticatmospheric

What players say

Players describe it as a short visual novel with puzzles and a touching BL romance, not a dating sim. The story's twist is mild but emotional for some, though others find it hollow. The game has no voice acting and only one ending.

Screenshots

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More by Two and a Half Studios

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.