Way of the Passive Fist (2018)

Developer: Household Games Inc.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Action, Indie
Rating: 4.0 of 5, 225 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 4.1 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 deliberate, rhythmic brawler where you patiently deflect attacks and drain enemy stamina rather than aggressively punching.

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What players say

Players praise the unique parry-based combat and 90s presentation but warn it is not a traditional brawler. Reviews split on difficulty: some find the lack of a basic attack frustrating, while others call the easy mode far from forgiving. Boss battles and visual clutter draw criticism.

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.