We’re creating this thread as a general place to discuss games entered into this year’s short game showcase!
Particularly liked something? Stuck on a game? Have questions on what to play next? Talk about it all here!
10 Likes
I really, really, really enjoyed sweetfish’s entries to the Short Games Showcase:
Eider Cake is such a cool take on medieval cloister life since it’s all about birds doing Pentiment stuff. The atmosphere is impeccable. I wish the game was longer because the setting could be explored even more!
night confessional has an interesting premise too: you’re hearing confessions of all kinds from people who are calling in the middle of the night. The confessions range from actually embarrassing things to just someone telling you a story. Really unique writing.
10 Likes
Just played Lazarrien: A Love Story and highly recommend! Vivid imagery, a compelling story, and excellent use of the single-choice conceit.
6 Likes
This one is lovely; peaceful and soothing with beautiful descriptions and a nice sense of exploration.
5 Likes
oooh my god there’s an extended version!!! 
jsmonzani creates such cozy atmospheric pieces, I’d recommend checking out his other entry: Letters to strangers by jsmonzani
3 Likes
I’m going to say this: I’m loving this showcase. So many games I’ve never seen before are popping up! The quality of these games may vary but the good ones are really good.
This isn’t for everyone, but for some reason having to rate the entries gives me a weird incentive to play them all. Maybe it’s just that they’re short so they’re easy to play. Wither way, super fun!
7 Likes
Quite enjoyed this one! It’s on the longer side as far as the showcase games go, but it sure didn’t feel like it. Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes, but Appalachian and queer.
(Oh, but I would include a content warning for blood, gore, and minor character death).)
7 Likes
I played this one before during the Neo-Twiny jam, but just played again and once again found it incredibly relatable.
5 Likes
Just played through this one several times. Has anyone else who’s played found more than one ending? I’m curious whether I’m just missing it, or if there’s only one.
5 Likes
It can end sooner or end later depending on your choices, but I think the final screen is always the same; it’s just a matter of how much you get to see before that. I could be wrong, though!
3 Likes
The text did differ a bit between a short playthrough and a longer one - Her Majesty on the verge of tears! - but the general outcome was the same. I reached a point where both dialogue choices led to the same (longer) ending, so that may be it unless there’s a wildly different path I missed.
2 Likes
Ahhh, I had a longer playthrough but I didn’t really read the ending text because on a first glance it looked the same as what I’d already seen—will have to go back and take another look!
I am hopelessly stuck on Thornfell Manor: 1984.
I can not get this damn bone out of the mausoleum. I’ve played so much guess-the-verb. The invisiclues indicate these are, in fact, the remains I want and it’s not another fakeout like the libraries. I was wondering if it was an issue of “you don’t know who this bone belongs to” even though you apparently do (see transcript below), but I’ve consulted both libraries and Campbell as many ways as I can think of. I figured the seance would have to happen in the gallery because of the painting, and the invisiclues confirm it, so I think I’m done with this for now.
I don't know?
› open casket
The wooden lid is stuck in place, leaving the casket partially exposed.
› search casket
You peek into the casket, and a single bone stares back at you.
› take bone
You don’t know who this bone belongs to. Better leave it alone.
› x bone
A bone from the grave of Oswald Thornfell. A femur, perhaps?
› take bone
You don’t know who this bone belongs to. Better leave it alone.
Oh yikes, I think that must be a bug, because “take bone” worked fine for me, and I can’t think of anything related to that character that I did that you didn’t mention doing.
Maybe you have to read the plaque on the casket first? That’ll tell you his name.
swears profusely
2 Likes
I’d played it before, but just played this one again and it remains very good:
6 Likes
So far, in my replay list, that still holds up (and weren’t mentioned above):
Still super fun!
Still as disturbing
Really comforting
this one is so beautiful
7 Likes
I’m appreciating that this event has gotten me to go back and play jam games that I meant to play back when the jams were actually fresh, but never did. Just played this one and really loved it; some great stuff came out of the Bluebeard Jam!
6 Likes
Just played Eider Cake and also loved it. Fun gameplay with a combination of conversation and point-and-click exploration, really well done graphics, and a great premise—seeing the abbey’s goings-on through the eyes of a scullery maid. And of course the charm of the characters being birds!
5 Likes