Perfect Tides

As someone who was also a teenager in the '00s- this captures that time and that way of being in the world PERFECTLY. Excellent writing, compellingly realistic characters, lots of laughs (and some crying). I actually played this AFTER playing the Station to Station (which is also amazing) so if you're also coming to this one after playing the second game, don't worry- they actually really work even out of order. Beautiful job making two stand alone games that still intertwine beautifully.

[h1]Rough point & click game, but a really ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ good story.[/h1] [h1]8/10[/h1] [b]This is a grounded yet funny coming-of-age story[/b], where both the narrative and its protagonist develop in some pretty unexpected and emotional ways throughout the four seasons the game spans. The main character may be a little unlikeable and bratty at times, but in a very understandable way, and the rest of the cast of characters is equally memorable and flawed. The setting is pretty interesting and unique too, despite looking kinda mundane at first glance, and the charming art style does a great job fleshing out both the characters and the world. [b]As for the gameplay... it feels like it´s old school for the sake of being old school. [/b] It uses a retro interface, but the game doesn’t really do anything with it, and it just ends up making the experience clunkier. I don’t think the puzzles were particularly memorable (and the game doesn’t really have many), and there’s a lot of annoying missable content that makes the story better. I also ran into a few somewhat frustrating cases of pixel-hunting. This is one of the rare cases that made me wish this was an “interactive movie” instead - [b].but nevertheless, I 100% think this game is worth playing for the story.[/b]

funny and heartfelt memoir about growing up in the message board era of the internet

Monumental slice-of-life from one of the best writers in games right now. Perfect Tides is immediately so charismatic that it overrode my learned hesitation around point-and-click games, a genre that contains mechanical highs and lows that PT admittedly rides into here and there, but also one that never degrades by having a guide on hand. That's not even to mention how PT's narrative boosts the experience tenfold past the trappings of pointing and/or clicking. There are moments here that, while mundane, are written so well that I'm going to be carrying them with me for a long time onwards.

I really loved this game. The visuals, both the art and animation, are absolutely outstanding. And the writing ties it all together beautifully. The characters feel so human, and authentic. I have little in common with Mara. I'm not a girl, I'm not Jewish. I didn't grow up somewhere interesting. I was never really online in the way she was, never really connected to others that way. And my childhood was much later than hers. Yet I had no problem connecting with her, understanding her and feeling understood. I did lose my father at a similar age as Mara, and there's a part where she reckons with that on the docks that felt like it could have been pulled from my own brain back then. The writing feels so honest and... loving, is how I'd put it. It's so easy to look back at your teen self and kind of hate them. At least it's easy for me. But this game helped me understand my past self better, and man, I didn't know it was possible for games to do that. Also, my name is Jason and I was a punk kid whose closest friend was not punk at all, so it's another way I felt seen in a way I never thought would happen. Absolutely lovely game, can't wait to play the sequel.

Great point and click adventure. Not really the genre I'm used to, but I'm glad I gave it a try. At its core, this is a very a personal story of a teenager growing up in the 2000's and striving to form bonds with other people. The story really dives deep into the psyche of being at a distance from people, but rewards you for trying to reach out to other people. Felt a bit weird playing story as I myself am nearly 30 year old man, but I'm very happy I did. The gameplay itself is simple and is more about paying attention to details in the world while being sure to interact with people when you can. You can examine, talk, move around, and look at items; It really isn't complicated and game progression is pretty reasonable as long as you make sure to talk to everyone. Play with a guide. Not because the game is hard to progress - but so you can be sure to see all the interactions available. This story really shines with the small moments you see and can range from really funny and charming set pieces to very real, emotional conversations. Only cons are some progression stuff feeling a little confusing at times as your given a good amount of freedom to figure things out. Its easy to progress the game, but you might be locked out of cool moments of bonding if you miss certain interactions. Use a guide, save often, and enjoy a very ride - this game is something special. If you're into story theory and creative writing, i think this game is absolutely worth checking out.

OK. So me and a friend just finished this. I've been a fan of Gran's other work, Octopus Pie, for about 15 years now, so there's definitely a fair amount of bias from me. The worst aspects of the game are inventory puzzles or leaps of logic to advance the story. At most, I encountered them twice. If you're stuck, look up a walkthrough. I do appreciate bucking the adventure game narrative with most of the 'quests' being optional. The game is a time capsule of the late 1990s, a view of what it's like to grow up, and a memoir of sorts. Not of exact experiences, but feelings, and a path through life. It is unique, amongst what is on Steam, and it's worth playing.

lovely game, wonderful use of the point and click genre.

I really like this game. The only thing that I have a trouble with was either understanding grammar of 2D adventure games, or the controls are finicky and buggy, I went to guides to help me the confusing parts or parts I had trouble understanding. I watched the ending for the 100% ending. Overall, it is a nice slice of early 2000's life.

I loved Octopus Pie very much and count it as one of my favorite comics of all time. When I heard about this game, I quickly backed it and played it on release. Stuck halfway through on a puzzle, I set it down with a plan to revisit it once a walkthrough came out. Time has a way of getting away from me lately, and It wasn't until the sequel popped up on recommended that I gave it another run. The game evoked a lot of feelings I hadn't had since the 2000's era of hanging out on the internet. The amount of emotional tension waiting on an IM reply is well captured, and when Mara gets worried or frustrated, you feel it right along with her in those moments. It is a fantastic representation of the suspense those moments had, especially when you're young and unsure of yourself. A young crush can feel equally euphoric and devastating. Mara aspires to be a writer and with that pursuit comes the insecurity, crippling anxiety, and doubt in her own abilities. Speaking as a creative person this feeling seems ever present; you never think your own work is as good as other people do. When they tell you it is good, you sometimes falsely assume they're just being nice to your face. Hating your work makes you want to get better at it, though getting better at it can feel exhausting and unrewarding for the sustained effort it requires. When it comes together and you see it getting noticed, though, it starts to feel worth it again. Being an uncertain teenager without a lot of social experience makes Mara lash out in disproportionate ways. It took some personal reflection to remember that one of the benefits of getting older and wiser is dialing back those kinds of outbursts and becoming more sympathetic to the plight of those around you. Or, well, it should anyway if you're trying to become a decent person. Meredith Gran's art shines through and is the best part of this game. She has a style that works exceptionally well for the genre, capturing the seriousness of emotional moments while effortlessly depicting the absurd and surreal. The mood shifts unexpectedly many times in this game, and the art gives those moments a far greater impact than simpler animations or more static pixel characters would have done. A few frames of fluid motion or exaggerated expressions set it apart and make it feel unique and special. Since I played this game and the sequel back to back, it now feels in retrospect like part of a greater work that I hope continues into a trilogy at least, seeing the progression of someone's life as they grow and learn and become a fully fledged artist. Already just as two parts, it is incredible how much it has made me think about art, creativity, relationships, and the human condition. Thank you for making this!