Underplayed Gems

Californium (2016)

Californium cover
Developer
Darjeeling, Nova Production, ARTE France
Publisher
ARTE France
Platforms
Windows, macOS
Genres
Adventure, Casual, Indie, Simulation
Rating
3.5 of 5, 408 player ratings
Typical playtime
about 2.7 hours
Where to get it
Steam

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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 disorienting, psychedelic first-person adventure that feels like a wacky bad trip through a surreal comic-book world.

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What players say

Players praise the surreal atmosphere and Philip K. Dick-inspired visuals, but many find the core gameplay repetitive and the puzzles easy once learned. The game is very short, 2 to 3 hours, and several report bugs that block progress or a save system that can restart levels by mistake.

Screenshots

Californium screenshot 1Californium screenshot 2Californium screenshot 3Californium screenshot 4Californium screenshot 5

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More by Darjeeling

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.