I loved this game so much! The characters were set up so well, and story telling was awesome imo, and i specially loved how it got darker with time passing! I wonder how many extra tapes are in it though xD A reticle would have been helpful, but the overall atmosphere and storytelling of the game was wonderful.
This was good. Not often one see a truly realistic take on Cults. My only problem was a lack of a "quest log" to see what one has read and listened to before, and no arrow in the map to tell where you are going.
this was a really interesting game to play. i already knew a bit about cults, so i kind of understood how accurate this story is. one big point: desperately needs a reticle! every time i had to focus something in the exact center of the screen to highlight it, i would think, "argh, no reticle!" also if i hadn't noticed the run button i might have stopped playing because the movement is so slow. and this is just my personal bias talking, but i think a jump button would have been great too.
either way, it was worth playing, and the graphics and landscape were beautiful. thanks for making this.
I got this as part of the Racial Justice Bundle. I absolutely loved it! Short but such a great story. The art style really worked with the plot and made everything way more creepy imo.
Absolutely LOVED this. I got it in the Racial Justice Bundle, and it's been one of my favorites so far. Tight, compelling storytelling and a great aesthetic. Ended up finding all the tapes (I think).
Looking forward to stuff you put out in the future.
One of those games that has a sprint function, but it feels kind of wrong to use it. Sprinting seems to contrast with the more surreal atmosphere created by the game. Kind of seem to forget the outside world exists while playing this one. Fairly standard gameplay with exceptional storytelling and atmosphere with the perfect length imo. Great way to spend an hour and a half.
This was a fantastic game! The subject matter could ave been treated really shallowly but this is a game that resonates. The sound design and especially the lead actresses performance really make it.
Very cool. The lo-fi graphics made for an uneasy atmosphere (or at least so I imagined), the daylight fading over the course of the game gave it a more real, immediate feeling, and due to the somber, rather down-to-earth tone the... break towards the end caught me off guard, which was pretty cool.
To clarify: the gate at the community building. After going thru the building, I am missing what is needed to open the gate to go to another building. I'm new to gaming and alot of the thinking is new to me.
Touching, thrilling, and overall very immersive. If only the minor glitches didn't get in the way of the story.. Added realism of not being able to read without proper lighting was a neat touch, but the fact that I couldn't access the most intriguing notes of the "interloper" with the lights on or the final journal because I've picked up a puzzle piece first.. beyond frustrating. I really hope those get tweaked someday, because aside from that, it's a very neat game.
I purchase this game in the bundle for racial equality on itchio and I really don't regret it at all and I would'nt regret it even if I had purchased it at his full price. The story is awesome and really captivating
I love your game, thanks :D. t's interesting how you explore a subject many times in a game but in a totally different way, more narrative and with a lot of care. A view of the sects from a more human side.
The atmosphere is ideal, and it increases the narrative. The sound and the graphics are very awesome.
Excellent game. One of the few games to deal with a cult that shows some understanding and sympathy. Kinda goes off the rails about 2/3 through, but its still better than most. Gorgeous experience. Creepy in parts, but naturally so, not forced.
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!).
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I loved this game so much! The characters were set up so well, and story telling was awesome imo, and i specially loved how it got darker with time passing! I wonder how many extra tapes are in it though xD A reticle would have been helpful, but the overall atmosphere and storytelling of the game was wonderful.
This was good. Not often one see a truly realistic take on Cults. My only problem was a lack of a "quest log" to see what one has read and listened to before, and no arrow in the map to tell where you are going.
this was a really interesting game to play. i already knew a bit about cults, so i kind of understood how accurate this story is. one big point: desperately needs a reticle! every time i had to focus something in the exact center of the screen to highlight it, i would think, "argh, no reticle!" also if i hadn't noticed the run button i might have stopped playing because the movement is so slow. and this is just my personal bias talking, but i think a jump button would have been great too.
either way, it was worth playing, and the graphics and landscape were beautiful. thanks for making this.
I got this as part of the Racial Justice Bundle. I absolutely loved it! Short but such a great story. The art style really worked with the plot and made everything way more creepy imo.
Absolutely LOVED this. I got it in the Racial Justice Bundle, and it's been one of my favorites so far. Tight, compelling storytelling and a great aesthetic. Ended up finding all the tapes (I think).
Looking forward to stuff you put out in the future.
One of those games that has a sprint function, but it feels kind of wrong to use it. Sprinting seems to contrast with the more surreal atmosphere created by the game. Kind of seem to forget the outside world exists while playing this one. Fairly standard gameplay with exceptional storytelling and atmosphere with the perfect length imo. Great way to spend an hour and a half.
This was a fantastic game! The subject matter could ave been treated really shallowly but this is a game that resonates. The sound design and especially the lead actresses performance really make it.
Note: played this on Ubuntu with wine/Lutris and it worked perfectly well :)
Great atmosphere, the game succeeds in creating a creeping oppressive feeling, culminating at the end.
Very cool. The lo-fi graphics made for an uneasy atmosphere (or at least so I imagined), the daylight fading over the course of the game gave it a more real, immediate feeling, and due to the somber, rather down-to-earth tone the... break towards the end caught me off guard, which was pretty cool.
To clarify: the gate at the community building. After going thru the building, I am missing what is needed to open the gate to go to another building. I'm new to gaming and alot of the thinking is new to me.
Why is the gate not opening?
Spatial storytelling is wonderful and the story unfolds in an engaging way that is very immersive to follow.
Touching, thrilling, and overall very immersive. If only the minor glitches didn't get in the way of the story.. Added realism of not being able to read without proper lighting was a neat touch, but the fact that I couldn't access the most intriguing notes of the "interloper" with the lights on or the final journal because I've picked up a puzzle piece first.. beyond frustrating. I really hope those get tweaked someday, because aside from that, it's a very neat game.
I purchase this game in the bundle for racial equality on itchio and I really don't regret it at all and I would'nt regret it even if I had purchased it at his full price. The story is awesome and really captivating
I love your game, thanks :D. t's interesting how you explore a subject many times in a game but in a totally different way, more narrative and with a lot of care. A view of the sects from a more human side.
The atmosphere is ideal, and it increases the narrative. The sound and the graphics are very awesome.
i like this game a lot but the walking speed is sooooo slowwwww
i may be late by now, but you can run by holding shift
i am a fool
Excellent game. One of the few games to deal with a cult that shows some understanding and sympathy. Kinda goes off the rails about 2/3 through, but its still better than most. Gorgeous experience. Creepy in parts, but naturally so, not forced.
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!).