Surrogate (2023)

Developer: Brandon McQuay
Publisher: Dreamwraith Arts, Brandon McQuay
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Indie
Rating: 4.5 of 5, 28 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 1.5 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, introspective visual novel where you guide a neurotic protagonist through darkly comedic and psychologically unsettling choices.

psychological horrordarkly funnyemotionalatmosphericpixel graphicschoice-driventenseanxiety-inducing

What players say

Players praise the uniquely beautiful art and the way the story provokes introspection about self-criticism and existential dread. Many find the dialogue relatable in a painful way, though some note the music loops are grating and the pacing starts slow. The game is short, around one to two hours for full completion.

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.