This game was absolutely wonderful to play. I went into it nearly fully blind, barely looking at the description. I am completely unable to describe how it made me feel. By the end, I was questioning a lot both about the people in the game, and myself.
I played this about a month ago, when the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality came out. I've been desperately searching for similar games, but none hold a candle.
Thank you for allowing me to experience such a nuanced game and have an experience I don't think I'll ever be able to find again.
Thank you for creating a game that deals with a complex subject with tact and nuance. There are no easy answers. I can't believe that I was explicitly searching for a non-over-the-top game about the cult experience and this did not come up. Thanks to the massive Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, I got to experience it! Thank you for including it in that bundle.
I also got the 15/12 tapes thing. Further, in testing whether death was actually possible, I tried to kill myself several ways. The closest I got was standing under the mine elevator as it plummeted downwards. I did not die, but glitched partially through it, just so you know. The voice acting was generally on point, but I would have loved to have heard a wider variety of voices.
I love this game. It's unnerving. It's not full on horror but leaves enough to rub you the wrong way -- which is exactly what's great about it. I love the artstyle because you have the lot poly nostalgia mixed with modern tech being able to render everything.
I love the design of this game. The immersive sound and environment creates a sense of desolation and abandonment which makes the story it is trying to tell all the more haunting. Absolutely recommend.
Awesome atmospheric experience with light puzzle and exploration elements. I felt drawn in by the foreboding, desolate environment and evocative sound design. The story was compelling and engaging throughout. Great work!
Loved it. Really unsettling atmosphere. Was a bit hard to figure out which way I was going at times and the Lo-Fi filter seemed a tad too much but the story had me hooked and I finished it in one sitting. Looking forward to more in the future!
Loved it! Spooky atmosphere. Somehow the blocky PS1 graphics really work. Some of the best narrative exposition in any game in recent memory. Great job! My full review and the other most special games from The Bundle here: https://notlikeothergames.wordpress.com/
Very interesting game! Gave me a lot of feels. Great writing, very atmospheric.
One bit of constructive feedback: a number of doors in this game had their texture on the wrong way around on the inside, so it would hinge on the side where you see the handle and it swings open where you see the hinges. I recall the doors to the shed and the trailers in particular.
Wow, what an experience. Despite knowing there weren't any jumpscares, I still got anxious from the atmosphere...very haunting scenery and storytelling. Awesome game!
as a person who grew up in a cult (though not as brutally violent), this actually made me cry. the last time i cried playing a game was 5 years ago, and i play a boatload of games. really good at allowing the player's mind to wander to create the horror rather than just showing you the complete horror itself; plus i felt all the pieces of the story weren't placed anywhere too obscure, or anywhere too obvious. such accurate story telling i could feel uncomfortably close to the situation. 10/10!
It took me three and a half hours to play, which is pretty standard for me--I'm a very slow player, especially in exploration games. I also kept forgetting where I had and hadn't been and ended up having to revisit some sites multiple times.
I loved the story, I loved the setting, I absolutely ADORED the graphics. The lofi graphics really played into the game, and made everything seem so much more real.
One of the coolest games I've ever played, I highly recommend it!
Really good, so far. Though I am stuck as despite having my brightness up and the games brightness up. My screen is completely black in this one section. I have added a photo, it does not give away any of the story though lol. Is it possible to perhaps add a way to up the contrast during game play? Im struggling.
So... Did you already pick up the lantern battery?
In the very beginning of the game you might need to get the generator key and turn on the generator behind each building (and hit the light switches in wach room) in order to see well.
After a while, you pick up a battery that allows you to iluminate the area in front of you at the click of a button. (B on the XBox controller, I don't know which button it is on keyboard and mouse. I think you need to open the item menu and use the battery before the lantern becomes available, tough.)
If you don't do that, then yeah, some areas will be pretty dark. ^^;
Oh no, I didn't find the battery after getting the generator key. Whoops. I just played by taking screenshots then changing the contrast on photoshop so I had a point of reference of where to pivet. Welp I made that harder for myself, thank you for letting me know!
what a fantastic game! i absolutely loved this. the way the story trickled out into the player's hands was wonderful. thank you so much for making sagebrush.
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!
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This game was absolutely wonderful to play. I went into it nearly fully blind, barely looking at the description. I am completely unable to describe how it made me feel. By the end, I was questioning a lot both about the people in the game, and myself.
I played this about a month ago, when the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality came out. I've been desperately searching for similar games, but none hold a candle.
Thank you for allowing me to experience such a nuanced game and have an experience I don't think I'll ever be able to find again.
Thank you for creating a game that deals with a complex subject with tact and nuance. There are no easy answers. I can't believe that I was explicitly searching for a non-over-the-top game about the cult experience and this did not come up. Thanks to the massive Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, I got to experience it! Thank you for including it in that bundle.
I also got the 15/12 tapes thing. Further, in testing whether death was actually possible, I tried to kill myself several ways. The closest I got was standing under the mine elevator as it plummeted downwards. I did not die, but glitched partially through it, just so you know. The voice acting was generally on point, but I would have loved to have heard a wider variety of voices.
Oh, and thanks for supporting Macs!
I love this game. It's unnerving. It's not full on horror but leaves enough to rub you the wrong way -- which is exactly what's great about it. I love the artstyle because you have the lot poly nostalgia mixed with modern tech being able to render everything.
I love the design of this game. The immersive sound and environment creates a sense of desolation and abandonment which makes the story it is trying to tell all the more haunting. Absolutely recommend.
Awesome atmospheric experience with light puzzle and exploration elements. I felt drawn in by the foreboding, desolate environment and evocative sound design. The story was compelling and engaging throughout. Great work!
A great piece of interactive fiction, deeply unsettling but without resorting to tropes or horror
Loved it. Really unsettling atmosphere. Was a bit hard to figure out which way I was going at times and the Lo-Fi filter seemed a tad too much but the story had me hooked and I finished it in one sitting. Looking forward to more in the future!
Loved it! Spooky atmosphere. Somehow the blocky PS1 graphics really work. Some of the best narrative exposition in any game in recent memory. Great job!
My full review and the other most special games from The Bundle here: https://notlikeothergames.wordpress.com/
Hey ! Neat work. :) Can we send you the link of our game when it's gonna be out this spring ?
Very interesting game! Gave me a lot of feels. Great writing, very atmospheric.
One bit of constructive feedback: a number of doors in this game had their texture on the wrong way around on the inside, so it would hinge on the side where you see the handle and it swings open where you see the hinges. I recall the doors to the shed and the trailers in particular.
Haven't played the game yet but it seems like something I'd love to see in VR!
Wow, what an experience. Despite knowing there weren't any jumpscares, I still got anxious from the atmosphere...very haunting scenery and storytelling. Awesome game!
as a person who grew up in a cult (though not as brutally violent), this actually made me cry. the last time i cried playing a game was 5 years ago, and i play a boatload of games. really good at allowing the player's mind to wander to create the horror rather than just showing you the complete horror itself; plus i felt all the pieces of the story weren't placed anywhere too obscure, or anywhere too obvious. such accurate story telling i could feel uncomfortably close to the situation. 10/10!
Loved this game!
It took me three and a half hours to play, which is pretty standard for me--I'm a very slow player, especially in exploration games. I also kept forgetting where I had and hadn't been and ended up having to revisit some sites multiple times.
I loved the story, I loved the setting, I absolutely ADORED the graphics. The lofi graphics really played into the game, and made everything seem so much more real.
One of the coolest games I've ever played, I highly recommend it!
Really good, so far. Though I am stuck as despite having my brightness up and the games brightness up. My screen is completely black in this one section. I have added a photo, it does not give away any of the story though lol. Is it possible to perhaps add a way to up the contrast during game play? Im struggling.
So... Did you already pick up the lantern battery?
In the very beginning of the game you might need to get the generator key and turn on the generator behind each building (and hit the light switches in wach room) in order to see well.
After a while, you pick up a battery that allows you to iluminate the area in front of you at the click of a button. (B on the XBox controller, I don't know which button it is on keyboard and mouse. I think you need to open the item menu and use the battery before the lantern becomes available, tough.)
If you don't do that, then yeah, some areas will be pretty dark. ^^;
Oh no, I didn't find the battery after getting the generator key. Whoops. I just played by taking screenshots then changing the contrast on photoshop so I had a point of reference of where to pivet. Welp I made that harder for myself, thank you for letting me know!
what a fantastic game! i absolutely loved this. the way the story trickled out into the player's hands was wonderful. thank you so much for making sagebrush.
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!