Waking Up: Way Back Home (2023)

Developer: Nostalgic Brains
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Adventure
Rating: 4.5 of 5, 90 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 linear, narrative-driven adventure through space as a young protagonist seeks his missing father, with a modest sense of mystery and hope.

adventurousmysterioushopefulspace explorationfamily drivenlinearnarrative focusedmodest

What players say

Players call this a short, free adventure you can finish in under 30 minutes. They like the art style and simple story, but many find the controls clunky and the fixed camera easy to miss doorways with. Some note the tutorial feels longer than the actual game, and opinions split on whether the short length is a charm or a letdown.

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.