The story appears to continue directly from the first episode, which I haven’t played, so everything initially feels quite confusing. You’re dropped into the middle of events without any prior connection to the characters you’re apparently supposed to recognize. The game begins with your character waking up inside what seems to be an abandoned store, and your first task is simply to find a way out.
Once you manage to escape, you discover that there’s nothing outside but an endless, dark void. The only option you have is to jump into this darkness, which then transports you to another surreal location called The Pile. Here, you encounter a few characters who explain your main objective: to find and rescue your friends who are trapped somewhere within strange worlds.
Your mission takes you through several TV screens, each acting as a portal that leads to one of your missing friends. The intriguing twist is that every friend is trapped inside their own bizarre TV show, each with its own distinct atmosphere, style, and gameplay mechanics. For instance, the first show you enter has a Halloween-inspired theme filled with demons and horror bits. The second one unfolds in a small town where you follow a local band, and the third adopts a classic point-and-click adventure structure.
The gameplay variety is one of the title’s strongest aspects. The first TV world is presented as a first-person adventure game, emphasizing exploration, item collection, and environmental puzzles. The second world shifts tone and genre entirely—it’s more of a visual novel mixed with rhythm-based gameplay and light RPG elements. The third, as mentioned, is a point-and-click adventure that relies heavily on puzzle-solving and dialogue.
The latter two worlds are far more straightforward than the first. In the second world, for example, much of the gameplay revolves around navigating story-heavy scenes and choosing from a list of locations to visit. Occasionally, you’ll encounter rhythm mini-games that aren’t too punishing, perfection isn’t required, and you can also improve your stats. You even collect clothing items that modify your stats and make certain checks easier to pass.
The first section, however, feels the most engaging and immersive. Besides moving and jumping, your primary form of interaction involves a single button that allows you to examine, pick up, or use objects, and talk to characters. Nothing is highlighted or marked in the environment, so discovering interactive elements depends on paying close attention. When you approach something usable, the small dot at the center of the screen expands into a circle. The detection range is fairly generous, letting you spot interactable objects from a short distance.
Inventory management is simple. You can carry up to nine items at a time, but you rarely reach that limit because most puzzles are designed around using only a few objects per area. Once you use an item, it’s usually replaced by something new relevant to the next objective. When interacting with an object that requires an item, your inventory automatically opens, making it easy to select and use the correct one. Occasionally, you’ll need to combine items, but with such a limited inventory, the right combinations are easy to figure out.
Dialogue is straightforward, focusing more on advancing the quirky and entertaining story than on offering deep choices. While you sometimes get multiple conversation options, most characters only deliver key information once and won’t repeat it. Thankfully, important clues are never permanently missable because characters holding essential hints will continue to provide them until you progress. Talking to NPCs often unlocks new dialogue topics elsewhere, so frequent conversation is encouraged. When a character requests an item, the process mirrors regular item use: simply approach, open the inventory automatically, and hand over the correct object.
There’s some expected backtracking, as you’ll often run between characters and locations to trigger new events. Luckily, your movement speed is fast and unlimited, so it never feels tedious. Objectives are clearly displayed, though the lack of hints means you’ll still spend time exploring to figure out exactly where to go next. The game doesn’t hold your hand because progress often depends on observation and revisiting places to see what’s changed.
For players who enjoy collectibles, each world contains three hidden horse coins. Some are visible but cleverly tucked away, while others require solving small puzzles or performing specific actions. In the first world, for instance, you’ll need to light glowing orbs in the ground, locate hidden frogs, and use a mushroom to launch yourself into the air. You can find vague hints about the coins’ locations by talking to a horse character in The Pile. However, since you can’t return to a previous world once you leave, it’s important to collect them all before moving on.
Overall, the game offers an imaginative and genre-bending experience that rewards curiosity and exploration. Though the beginning may feel disorienting without context from the first episode, its creative worlds, varied gameplay, and distinctive tone make it an engaging and memorable journey.
