An immediately engaging game. Made me big laugh about 3 minutes in, then rewarded me for paying attention. Displays a lot of mystery right at the start. Only took me 3 runs to figure some big parts of it out but that's just because I'm a gamer genius and also the game respects your time. You won't run into the problem Blue Prince has where you're relying on RNG between runs to figure out if you even have the right pieces to get hints to start whatever grand multi-run puzzle is going on. Gave me a lot of "Room Of Swords" vibes actually, though it doesn't have any of the same problems that comic had. (Which I enjoyed!)

It's not much for "gameplay" really. There are real time dodging elements but nothing strenuous. If you could deal with froggits in the undertale demo you'll be fine here. It's really all about intrigue, puzzle solving, routing, and remembering this is an RPG Maker game made by a guy who used to exclusively stream Dark Souls II PvP how the hell is it even decent let alone this good and worth your time???

Got to the "true" ending in about 4 hours, but that wasn't really the ending either. Not for me at least, I've still got more to find. I can't really say anything else without spoilers, but don't be surprised if you get to the end and find yourself saying something along the lines of "Well this is interesting."

Player character is clearly a cringe self-insert tho 0/10 #GameSux

This guy got spun by a Quentin https://youtu.be/T25Us8Mow-Y?t=462

Disclaimer
Bought on Steam, installed and played through a third party program due to me not using a Windows computer, hence the missing playtime (had to idly run the game through Parallels to even write this review). To give you an idea, I've spent about 10 hours playing the game at the time of writing this.

Contains minor spoilers for the game and its story.


This is Interesting is a mystery roguelite psychological horror video game. Made with RPG Maker, the game's triumphs don't lie in its graphics or its outstanding gameplay. There's no combat or fight sequences (excluding one boss fight), the game instead focuses on its metanarrative story, choices and varying outcomes.

In the game, you play a character who must undergo several trials in order to complete an "examination". The game drops you in, not specifying where you are or why you're doing what you're doing, something you're meant to figure out as you go through. All you know is that you're currently being watched and being guided by somebody who's posing as a reflection of you. During the aforementioned trials (which are presented as memories from your past), you must complete puzzles and make choices which affect your "stats." You don't know what these stats mean at the start, another thing you're meant to figure out as you go. The choices you make and how you play affect your stats, which later determine your ending and affect following playthroughs and progression. The game is meant to be played through more than once as your past runs affect future ones and will help you get to the "true" and final ending of the game.


As far as the trials and puzzles go, they're pretty rudimentary and enjoyable. They're not mind-numbingly boring and they're not too complex to figure out. It's nothing that you'll need to look up a guide for and they're engaging enough to keep you entertained, at least until you figure out why the hell they're there and what you're meant to really get to. There's one particular "hide and seek" trial which gets boring after the first time you do it and doesn't change throughout different playthroughs. That one was definitely my least favorite set of the game, but other than that, the puzzles are just fine. The focus is mostly on the outcomes of your actions and seeing how different progression options affect them rather than the puzzles themselves. Having to do each trial again and again does get stale but it feels rewarding to get more clues and different conclusions on each run. Past a certain point, the puzzles fade into the background as the game fully focuses on the story and your progression through it.

The most engaging part of the game is definitely the previously mentioned story and atmosphere. Scott has mentioned that he took inspiration from games like Silent Hill 2 and Inscryption for the setting of the game and its story, and you can tell. The setting is very dreary and dark, and the plot isn't sunshine either. There is also the added meta element to it, much like in Inscryption. The roguelite aspect of the game is somewhat reminiscent of Hades (there's also a particular area which reminds me of that game), namely the repeating playthroughs with different dialogue based on your progression. It feels rewarding to play the game several times and piece together what is actually happening, why you're where you are and how the environment fits into the story. The narrative and story were easily my favorite part and motivated me to go through the game numerous times to get each ending and see how my choices affected the outcome of the game. Your first run will probably be your longest standalone one and the following ones will be shorter, since you know how to complete the puzzles already. But added up, they make the game well worth its price as you reveal more and more of the story and get to each different ending, before getting to the real ending of the game. Subsequent playthroughs don't really change up the gameplay in major ways, but rather expand on the story, such as with providing new dialogue or giving you different options to progress (some of the time).

The lone fight of the game happens at the very end of the "true ending." It's a pretty rudimentary top-down roguelike action sequence which serves its purpose and honestly is a really fun addition after several hours of no combat whatsoever. Once again, it feels rewarding to get to that point.

True ending spoilers
After getting through the game and achieving its "true ending," it really felt that much more worth it. While the story was engaging during the game, piecing together all of the different shards at the very end felt even better. Defeating the demon who was keeping you captive in purgatory, getting to see Sam in the present and watching the environment you were navigating through revealing its true nature just felt really cool. It almost gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside before I read the document generated in your game files as the game shuts itself down (a personal favorite psych-horror trope of mine). The build-up to the ending with the game's atmosphere, ambiance and shattered story ended in a great culmination that I really enjoyed. I'm excited to watch more people play this game and see their reactions to the ending(s) as well.


One of my only somewhat big grievances with the game is the way you die and are reset. There's this entity that chases you in some trials, and if they touch you, your current run is reset. It's not very engaging and you're sort of meant to navigate around the environment so you can lure them into a corner or in a tight corridor so you can traverse safely or get a head start. But some spaces are too tight to where it can be frustrating to avoid, and if you don't, you need to start your run over. Dealing with the creature itself isn't super interesting and is more of a nuisance. There's a caveat to how you die to this creature which I won't reveal, but it doesn't make this process less frustrating and lackluster while playing.

This game definitely isn't for you if you hate going through the same areas several times. On successive playthroughs, you have to visit the same areas, and even if there is something new there, it can get stale. The story and the metanarrative is engaging enough to where it doesn't get boring, save for the hide and seek trial. There's new things unlocked and new opportunities to learn about the story as you go through new playthroughs and it keeps the game fresh despite you repeating areas and puzzles, so it just depends on whether you mind revisiting the same areas and doing similar things a few times over for new bits of information and outcomes or not.

A settings menu would be nice, if only for the sake of a volume adjustment. And regardless of the game being dark on purpose, a brightness setting would be helpful too, since one or two areas are so dark you can barely see anything if you play the game during daytime. Also, Scott removing clicking for movement was unnecessary, since personally I much prefer using mouse for movement and interaction when it comes to top-down games. On the other hand, I really appreciate how receptive Scott has been to player feedback with fixing bugs, tweaking some mechanics and introducing some new features to the game.


This is Interesting is well worth the price, both length and enjoyment wise. The somewhat lackluster gameplay and repetitiveness is made up for with the game's story and metanarrative structure, culminating in a great finale. The game's story and atmosphere are definitely its biggest draws and they keep you motivated to go through the game numerous times to uncover the truth about what is really happening, using subsequent playthroughs that connect to each other. Great video game debut for Jund and I hope to see more from him!

Hey guys, Scott here.

If you somehow see this Mr Scott, just know that this game was a nice change of pace from some other titles I've been playing recently, I've only done one run so far but I'll definitely be checking out more of them, the atmosphere and cryptic messaging really got me.

I actually sat on the menu screen for a solid 10 minutes...

This is Interesting is a short and sweet package that really takes me back to an era of playing video games where you didn't have guides, or the internet, you just had to try different things and piecing together what you're doing and what effect it has GREATLY enhances the experience for me. If you judge games by their 'dollar per hour' ratio, you'd be stretched for perceived value here - but rather than seeing that a 'full playthrough' of the game takes only five hours, you should be wondering 'Then what is so appealing about the game?' Let me tell you.

If you enjoy meta-narratives, cyclical sequences, occasional brash humour mixed with somber introspection, twists that don't feel like they were added for the sake of being unexpected, and a game that treats you like you can think for yourself and don't need a map marker to figure out what side of the street to walk on, This is Interesting could be up your alley. Make no mistake - this is the developer's first foray into game development. RPGMaker is a game engine that you can make almost any game in. Whether that game is Metal Sonic killing Sora with realistic blood on the screen, or any of the classics (Lisa: The Painful, Yume Nikki, To The Moon, Witch's House, Mad Father, Fear and Hunger, etc.), you WILL get a varied experience. I found myself engrossed in the game from my very first button press - which took over 8 minutes. And the game told me it thought I was a bit of a weasel to wait that long to do anything. From that moment I sat up in my chair and spent about four straight hours unraveling many of the mysteries this game offers.


You (henceforth referred to as The Player) and the player's character (The Soul) are not one and the same. You have to figure out where Soul is, what were they doing, and why they're still here. The Player cannot directly interface with their Soul, but by commanding them to perform actions (or inactions) and seeing what choices you have them make tells you information about the Soul. I'll leave the premise talk there because game progression, rather than being tied to a meta-currency or campaign progress or level, is instead tied to knowledge.


This is an RPGMaker game of a specific variety. There is no combat, there are a few chase sequences, but overwhelmingly you find yourself picking up items, solving various puzzles in a non-linear order, and KNOWING things. Certain gameplay mechanics are not explained to you, and you must figure them out to proceed. This is a game that takes little time to hold your hand if you are brave or bold so as to not slow you down, but if you find yourself slipping, stuck, or lagging behind, it can and will extend an olive branch to assist you on your way. As a fan of Noita and Outer Wilds, knowledge being directly tied to game mechanics means that going into this as blind as possible is what you're gonna want to do. The catharsis of discovering that you were right is very worth the time investment. This game is not without its flaws however.


There were a few rooms and tilesets that were interesting to me, and really caught my eye. However, there were some that felt basic, incomplete, or wildly out of place. And no, just because the game TOLD me its out of place doesn't make it any less so. Some of the objects were difficult to identify as interactable, some objects' interactivity overlapped with others, and some objects (lookin' at you, rock) were just plain jank. But for the developers' first time? It showed theming, an understanding of solo limitations, and still creating an atmosphere of oppression, confusion, and dread in certain cases.


This is Interesting is a clear passion project by one man with a vision, who tried his utmost to experiment with ideas, is ACTIVELY responding to feedback, and obviously is trying to say something. Exactly what is it trying to say with its seemingly focused surface narrative? Who is it trying to say it to? It might be talking to you, or the gaming/streaming industry, or even the game itself and whether it is what is says it is on the cover. But for a review, I'll end with this.

Is This Interesting?

Yes.

I very much recommend this game.
Sure, it's an RPG Maker game, but I like the way that you find the pieces to the story in various orders and have to combine them over successive attempts in order to figure out the story.
I even learned that I found a couple of things in a different order than my friend, despite us both being able to finish the game without issue. I like games that allow for that kind of exploration and variation.
I do like that Scott uploaded at least 4 bugfix updates within a few hours of the game coming out, that shows a dedication to a good product.

There are a few issues I have, such as I think I got the "hint" mechanic a little early (~7 deaths), and I ran into a minor movement bug that I was able to resolve pretty quickly. There are also a couple of story threads that don't really seem to tie into the overall plot and exist just to exist, but I didn't find it overly distracting.

A shorter game, for sure, (took me ~4 hours to complete) but I like the direction, style, and gameplay.
Can't wait for Scott to do more passion projects like this.

A very creative game which blew my expectations out of the water. To be honest, I was expecting quite a short game despite the price, but I was pleasantly surprised at the length! The graphics are about as good as you can get for RPG maker, and the music was also great. The story didn't make much sense at first, but upon completion all the pieces fall in place excellently.

And man, the true ending "easter egg" makes me very excited for a potential sequel!

It's definitely not for everyone, but for RPG maker and puzzle/mystery game fans, it's a must play.

Pretty neat. For something made in rpg maker it’s not bad. Also priced very fairly.

It is.

The game title wasn't a lie, this was interesting.