Stuck in the Present (2025)

Developer: Dusk Wave Arts LLC
Publisher: Embersail Studios
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Genres: Adventure, Casual, Indie
Rating: 4.2 of 5, 18 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 2.0 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 slow, melancholic journey through fragmented memories as you piece together a character's painful past through symbolic illustrations

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What players say

Players praise the story, voice acting, and soundtrack, but warn the game is short at 1-3 hours and more of a visual novel than a game with puzzles. Some report game-breaking bugs that prevent progression, though others finish without issue.

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.