In a world that too often equates frames per second and stereotypical characters with quality, Sagebrush and it's lo-fi aesthetic proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that unforgettable video games can just be beautiful rather than expensive.
I bought this game among hundreds in a bundle, yet so far it has been the best one I've played. Probably the best game I got from itch.io in general. Hell, it might be short, but this may be one of my favourite first person adventures in general.
Is it mindblowing on a technical level? Well no, it's actually rather janky, but it's story was jaw-dropping to me. It's a great investigative game about a new age cult and I can just recommend people to play this blind.
I just finished playing this for my youtube channel (wishpoet, go check out my gameplay! :)), and OH MY GOD, I've never been so moved by a game before. Lol. The atmosphere was perfect, the sounds and music were perfect, the story was intense. And that ending! Even when I was editing the last video of the gameplay, I still got chills. Great job on this game. Worth much more than $7 in my opinion.
What a journey. I knew next to nothing going in, was piqued with personal interests that were core to me at the start.. and after 14/12'ing it: yes. Just.. yes. To say more is to betray the whole thing, so instead: thank you (as odd of a thing as that is to do, considering).
To those wondering: YES, play it. Go in as blind as you can, don't try to 'game' it, and just.. experience it.
I really really want to play this game but when I run it on Windows, I'm stuck at the beginning at the gate because I can't "use" the wirecutters. When I press E in the inventory nothing happens, and when I press E on the gate when they are in my inventory it says I don't have anything to cut it. :(
WOW. This game was a great experience. It took me around an hour or two to complete. Its very linear and story driven. The story is absolutely realistic. This isn't as extreme as something like the game Outcast. It's chilling due to the realism, and the progression is great. Some parts were very unnerving, but there are no jump scares or even other people/creatures to interact with. You're alone. Exploring. Uncovering the truth. Some parts were a bit hard to figure out, like others mentioned though (the padlock code!).
This was such a bone chilling game, it was creepy but I was so happy there weren't any jumpscares. The ending part was terrifying though but I felt such a sense of relief getting through it. This was a fantastic walking kind of game and I enjoyed being led around from item to item! It was a great game and I loved seeing the story rolled out as I went along!
Great experience. Early on, some of the progress items are too difficult to find. Feels like a dead end a few minutes in. I had to use a guide for certain things. I still don't know where the padlock combination is located. The story is well written and researched. Sometimes I wished for the ability to jump in order to better target some items and enter trailers.
Impressive. It took me kind of off-guard, as I had not read the summery before playing it. The game has a dense atmosphere and the unraveling of the information is well done. I really wished the voice-acting would have been more professional, though. I know, this is a small indie-game with no budget, but I think the overall experience would have been even more captivating with it. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this game :)
Really well done walking simulator / adventure game mix about exploring a cult campground. The game really edges you forward constantly and intrigues you to uncover its history. I was especially surprised by the engaging audio content framing the whole experience. I do have a few gripes with how the game is structured, but its a great concept that is well worth checking out. 4/5
A great game with an amazingly creepy atmosphere. As someone who grew up in a cult (not as violent as this) I related to the character's feelings of doubt, fear and guilt.
If I ever achieve the level of Narrative genius that this game executes so beautifully, I will consider my life goal reached and surpassed. Honestly, one of the best narrative pieces I have ever experienced. 1000/10
My girlfriend and I just finished playing through this game and loved it. The only part we really struggled was getting into the rectory (because we totally missed seeing the lock). The whole thing was really haunting and sad, but I'm glad we played through it. There's some creepy elements, but the game isn't outright scary (other than the first time you realize the doors close on their own, jeez). What a great mystery to unravel. We were really impressed, and we definitely can't wait to see what Redact Games releases next!
[SPOILERS] god. where to start. i love this game so much. 2 full hours, 15/12 tapes, and an out of body experience. my name is also Lillian (spelled differently i know) and i go by Lily. im a depressed college student studying fine art (useless degree, not communications but whatever) who has trouble finding a job. I also [bigger spoiler] have survivors guilt and have tried to kill myself multiple times. on top of this, my ex boyfriend who i dated for 3.5 years is named tim. this game really came for me specifically huh. 10/10. this was amazing, and i cant wait for more!!!!
One of the best narrative experiences I've had in a long time. Heartbreaking, hopeful, vile, but grounded in facts and reality. I will be raving about this game/experience to anyone who will listen...The last game that really got me this excited about the medium in terms of story and atmosphere was Outer Wilds. Great Work!
One hour and half of game play and absolutely all of it enjoyed. It had been so long since I had this much fun playing a game and even longer since I had been so engaged in the story. I'm usually not one for 3d exploration games with wacky graphics but this game is so marvelously done. and everything plays in its favor. This game made me feel things so strong as the story progressed at some point I completely forgot I was playing and I actually felt like I was actually exploring Safe Heaven. Aching for another similar game.
This is one of the best games I've played, period. It's atmospheric and incredibly well put together. It's beautiful. I think the style of the graphics add to it. The story unfolds beautifully and comes together perfectly. I can't say enough about this game.
I never comment on these pages but after playing through this game, I just gotta say it was amazing. I got this game in the $5 bundle and I fell in love with it. 1 hour 30 minutes was my playtime and found all the tapes. It was a great story and super super creepy. I hope similar games are released in the future! Great job!
one of my first plays through the bundle, thank you for having it available there! from the start i was hooked. the two-bit design makes it all the more eerie feeling. i love how it's meant to keep one on their toes, but never quite terrify them all in one scare. it's a psychological fear, a wondering of what exactly happened, and the genuine anxiety creeping up throughout as the story unfolds itself. the twist at the end really got me, and i was left feeling fully treated to a great experience! thank you for this wonderful work.
There's a very loud buzzing sound starts up when I turn on the cafeteria generator, and it doesn't stop no matter how far I walk away from it. Does anyone know of a solution?
An enjoyable walking simulator. Graphics are a little rough (my main issue is how the menu does not fit the aesthetic of the world, and suffers from some severe low light issues), but story unfolds in a good way. Easy to follow, will be difficult to miss what's going on, and doesn't rely on any hard puzzles.
I did somehow wind up with 15/12 tapes at the end, so a bit of a funny bug there. But I'd recommend it. Fine to spend a little over an hour.
I just got this game in the bundle, and was hooked from the first tape. I finished a couple minutes ago, and immediately had to tell you how much I loved it. Thank you so much for all your hard work, the results are incredible! I'm recommending this game to everyone I know.
SPOILERS FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE HORROR/JUMPSCARE ELEMENTS:
The game is certainly intended to be creepy and there are disturbing images and randomized ambient noises (like loudly creaking wood) that might startle you, but there are no jump scares and there are no enemies/threats in the game. The horror is purely atmospheric.
Received this through the Racial Justice Bundle. Played through it, and it's one of the best games of this type that I've experienced in a long time. As a Christian myself, I came away from it thinking that everyone needs to play it. Single-handedly made the donation cost of the bundle worth it.
Not a problem -- I have been thinking about the game a lot since finishing it. I ended up purchasing it on Steam this morning so that I can better support your work. Take care and thanks again for creating such a thoughtful game!
very immersive storytelling and wonderful design ,, the more i learned about james the angrier i got lmao god it's really a sad thought this has happened and continues to happen to people and they don't know it
played this on steam about a year ago with my girlfriend. i still think about it from time to time. it's an experience that really stuck with me. fantastic little game. i'll check out anything else you guys make for sure :)
Such a compelling, chilling dive into life in a cult compound as told through audiotapes and letters that you uncover as you make your way through the simple but eerie landscape. Great story, great visuals. Nice voice acting. The only issue I had was with the lighting . The mine shaft portion of the game was so dark that I gave up a few minutes in since I couldn't make heads or tails of where I was going. But I'll likely return to finish this game soon. It sticks with you.
This was a really interesting experience! I was very much captivated by the story and I loved the overall aesthetics and eerie, lonely atmosphere. (the mine left me feeling particularly unsettled.) The cult and it's compound felt disturbingly realistic. Great job, it's certainly put me off joining a cult any time soon!
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Serious question - are there any jumpscares? Anxiety ^^;
No worries - the game is intended to be eerie but there are no jump scares.
Thank you!!
In a world that too often equates frames per second and stereotypical characters with quality, Sagebrush and it's lo-fi aesthetic proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that unforgettable video games can just be beautiful rather than expensive.
this ^
shame you can only upvote once.
I bought this game among hundreds in a bundle, yet so far it has been the best one I've played. Probably the best game I got from itch.io in general. Hell, it might be short, but this may be one of my favourite first person adventures in general.
Is it mindblowing on a technical level? Well no, it's actually rather janky, but it's story was jaw-dropping to me. It's a great investigative game about a new age cult and I can just recommend people to play this blind.
I just finished playing this for my youtube channel (wishpoet, go check out my gameplay! :)), and OH MY GOD, I've never been so moved by a game before. Lol. The atmosphere was perfect, the sounds and music were perfect, the story was intense. And that ending! Even when I was editing the last video of the gameplay, I still got chills. Great job on this game. Worth much more than $7 in my opinion.
What a journey. I knew next to nothing going in, was piqued with personal interests that were core to me at the start.. and after 14/12'ing it: yes. Just.. yes. To say more is to betray the whole thing, so instead: thank you (as odd of a thing as that is to do, considering).
To those wondering: YES, play it. Go in as blind as you can, don't try to 'game' it, and just.. experience it.
I really really want to play this game but when I run it on Windows, I'm stuck at the beginning at the gate because I can't "use" the wirecutters. When I press E in the inventory nothing happens, and when I press E on the gate when they are in my inventory it says I don't have anything to cut it. :(
Hint: you can't actually cut through the gate, but maybe there's a spot nearby...
(Unless you already knew that and this is in fact a bug I haven't encountered yet...)
...I'm embarrassed
WOW. This game was a great experience. It took me around an hour or two to complete. Its very linear and story driven. The story is absolutely realistic. This isn't as extreme as something like the game Outcast. It's chilling due to the realism, and the progression is great. Some parts were very unnerving, but there are no jump scares or even other people/creatures to interact with. You're alone. Exploring. Uncovering the truth. Some parts were a bit hard to figure out, like others mentioned though (the padlock code!).
Loved it! Eerie atmosphere and incredibly well paced. Felt so much unease exploring the compound.
This was such a bone chilling game, it was creepy but I was so happy there weren't any jumpscares. The ending part was terrifying though but I felt such a sense of relief getting through it. This was a fantastic walking kind of game and I enjoyed being led around from item to item! It was a great game and I loved seeing the story rolled out as I went along!
Great experience. Early on, some of the progress items are too difficult to find. Feels like a dead end a few minutes in. I had to use a guide for certain things. I still don't know where the padlock combination is located. The story is well written and researched. Sometimes I wished for the ability to jump in order to better target some items and enter trailers.
PHENOMENAL game. was full of absolute dread the entire playthrough. #digupfatherjamesandkillhimagain2020
ALSO - i got stuck on the rectory. There's a padlock on the gate where you can put in a number combination, there isnt a key for u to find.
Impressive. It took me kind of off-guard, as I had not read the summery before playing it. The game has a dense atmosphere and the unraveling of the information is well done. I really wished the voice-acting would have been more professional, though. I know, this is a small indie-game with no budget, but I think the overall experience would have been even more captivating with it. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this game :)
Really well done walking simulator / adventure game mix about exploring a cult campground. The game really edges you forward constantly and intrigues you to uncover its history. I was especially surprised by the engaging audio content framing the whole experience. I do have a few gripes with how the game is structured, but its a great concept that is well worth checking out. 4/5
More Racial Justice bundle impressions and ranking: https://itch.io/c/915453/quick-impressions-bundle-for-racial-justice
A great game with an amazingly creepy atmosphere. As someone who grew up in a cult (not as violent as this) I related to the character's feelings of doubt, fear and guilt.
incredible game
Really interesting game, it was really well made and it was so much fun to hear the story and explore the commune. I really enjoyed this!
If I ever achieve the level of Narrative genius that this game executes so beautifully, I will consider my life goal reached and surpassed. Honestly, one of the best narrative pieces I have ever experienced. 1000/10
You can grab the shovel through the window
My girlfriend and I just finished playing through this game and loved it. The only part we really struggled was getting into the rectory (because we totally missed seeing the lock). The whole thing was really haunting and sad, but I'm glad we played through it. There's some creepy elements, but the game isn't outright scary (other than the first time you realize the doors close on their own, jeez). What a great mystery to unravel. We were really impressed, and we definitely can't wait to see what Redact Games releases next!
[SPOILERS] god. where to start. i love this game so much. 2 full hours, 15/12 tapes, and an out of body experience. my name is also Lillian (spelled differently i know) and i go by Lily. im a depressed college student studying fine art (useless degree, not communications but whatever) who has trouble finding a job. I also [bigger spoiler] have survivors guilt and have tried to kill myself multiple times. on top of this, my ex boyfriend who i dated for 3.5 years is named tim. this game really came for me specifically huh. 10/10. this was amazing, and i cant wait for more!!!!
One of the best narrative experiences I've had in a long time. Heartbreaking, hopeful, vile, but grounded in facts and reality. I will be raving about this game/experience to anyone who will listen...The last game that really got me this excited about the medium in terms of story and atmosphere was Outer Wilds. Great Work!
One hour and half of game play and absolutely all of it enjoyed. It had been so long since I had this much fun playing a game and even longer since I had been so engaged in the story. I'm usually not one for 3d exploration games with wacky graphics but this game is so marvelously done. and everything plays in its favor. This game made me feel things so strong as the story progressed at some point I completely forgot I was playing and I actually felt like I was actually exploring Safe Heaven. Aching for another similar game.
This is one of the best games I've played, period. It's atmospheric and incredibly well put together. It's beautiful. I think the style of the graphics add to it. The story unfolds beautifully and comes together perfectly. I can't say enough about this game.
I never comment on these pages but after playing through this game, I just gotta say it was amazing. I got this game in the $5 bundle and I fell in love with it. 1 hour 30 minutes was my playtime and found all the tapes. It was a great story and super super creepy. I hope similar games are released in the future! Great job!
one of my first plays through the bundle, thank you for having it available there! from the start i was hooked. the two-bit design makes it all the more eerie feeling. i love how it's meant to keep one on their toes, but never quite terrify them all in one scare. it's a psychological fear, a wondering of what exactly happened, and the genuine anxiety creeping up throughout as the story unfolds itself. the twist at the end really got me, and i was left feeling fully treated to a great experience! thank you for this wonderful work.
There's a very loud buzzing sound starts up when I turn on the cafeteria generator, and it doesn't stop no matter how far I walk away from it. Does anyone know of a solution?
Strange -- definitely not intentional. I'll take a look at it and see if I can pin down the problem.
Well, I'm not quite sure how that bug regressed but I found the cause and I'll be issuing an update shortly to fix it. Thanks for letting me know!
Excellent! Thank you!
An enjoyable walking simulator. Graphics are a little rough (my main issue is how the menu does not fit the aesthetic of the world, and suffers from some severe low light issues), but story unfolds in a good way. Easy to follow, will be difficult to miss what's going on, and doesn't rely on any hard puzzles.
I did somehow wind up with 15/12 tapes at the end, so a bit of a funny bug there. But I'd recommend it. Fine to spend a little over an hour.
I just got this game in the bundle, and was hooked from the first tape. I finished a couple minutes ago, and immediately had to tell you how much I loved it. Thank you so much for all your hard work, the results are incredible! I'm recommending this game to everyone I know.
Totally AGREE !! And thanks Dev for putting it in the bundle !!
hi i am very interested in the story element of the game. however, i am afraid that there will be horror/jumpscare element. Will these be in the game?
Hey there!
SPOILERS FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE HORROR/JUMPSCARE ELEMENTS:
The game is certainly intended to be creepy and there are disturbing images and randomized ambient noises (like loudly creaking wood) that might startle you, but there are no jump scares and there are no enemies/threats in the game. The horror is purely atmospheric.
Thank you so much! I'll give this a try!
Received this through the Racial Justice Bundle. Played through it, and it's one of the best games of this type that I've experienced in a long time. As a Christian myself, I came away from it thinking that everyone needs to play it. Single-handedly made the donation cost of the bundle worth it.
Thank you so much! This is incredibly kind!
Not a problem -- I have been thinking about the game a lot since finishing it. I ended up purchasing it on Steam this morning so that I can better support your work. Take care and thanks again for creating such a thoughtful game!
very immersive storytelling and wonderful design ,, the more i learned about james the angrier i got lmao god it's really a sad thought this has happened and continues to happen to people and they don't know it
I'm glad I could make you angry and sad :P
For real though, glad you enjoyed the game.
Highly enjoyed this experience :-)
played this on steam about a year ago with my girlfriend. i still think about it from time to time. it's an experience that really stuck with me. fantastic little game. i'll check out anything else you guys make for sure :)
Thank you -- I'm glad you enjoyed it. We should have a new game coming out shortly so check back :)
My first Platinum Trophy on PS4. A game experience I won't forget. Thank you.
Thank you so much! Really happy you enjoyed the game.
Such a compelling, chilling dive into life in a cult compound as told through audiotapes and letters that you uncover as you make your way through the simple but eerie landscape. Great story, great visuals. Nice voice acting. The only issue I had was with the lighting . The mine shaft portion of the game was so dark that I gave up a few minutes in since I couldn't make heads or tails of where I was going. But I'll likely return to finish this game soon. It sticks with you.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Glad you're enjoying it.
Here's a tip: Check the farm shed for a handy item that'll let you get around much easier in the dark.
Thanks for the tip!
This was a really interesting experience! I was very much captivated by the story and I loved the overall aesthetics and eerie, lonely atmosphere. (the mine left me feeling particularly unsettled.) The cult and it's compound felt disturbingly realistic. Great job, it's certainly put me off joining a cult any time soon!
Love this game.. it just makes you feel uneasy .. You never loose that feeling of something's not right
Are there any plans for a Linux version ?
same here. linux?
The story is... quite a bit disturbing, but I liked the end (not spoiled in here). :)