Hey, thanks so much for sharing that! It's always a treat to see my games represented in a medium other than videos. It was a lovely read, thank you for taking the time to write it!
Really nice. An impressive effort considering the timeframe given. The atmosphere was really thick. One funny thing though is that I cleared the labyrinth on basically my first route, just luck but it made it a bit less tense =P
Thank you! I designed this game with the intent that people would have varying experiences with it. Some people are absolutely terrorized by the monster and just give up, and some people squeak by effortlessly. In fact, one person never even saw this monster, which was absolutely mind boggling, but it's all possible! Either way, glad you made it through and enjoyed it!
Ok, I'ma try and keep this as brief long as possible.
This is the second horror game that I've played from you, and while it falls short in some aspects, it more than makes up for it with the story that is told via symbolism and the game's atmosphere and map design. So, first things first, what does this game fall short on? For me, it's just how long it took to complete the game due to map design. (Ironic, huh? Given how I just said that the map design was one of the game's good things, too. Don't worry. I'll explain.) While for the most part, it is my fault it took me so long to beat it, the city is quite literally a maze in some sense. However, I'd like to think it is designed in such a way for a reason, although I fail to understand why.
Now, while the map design is not desirable for those who want a quick 10-minute horror experience, (Unless some random Joe wings it and makes it to the end on his initial path of travel. Couldn't be me. I was running around like a chicken with his head cut off.) it is absolutely elevated when you see what the stairway, the one that initially appears to be The Stairway to Heaven, really leads to. It was just a cool sight to see and felt absolutely surreal. Definitely added to the unsettling atmosphere in its own unique way.
Now, I want to talk about the riddle and the conclusion that I came to/tried to come to. Spoiler alert, I most likely need another explanation for this game, haha.
'Two tender lines, carefully drawn.
Two for life.
Two for death.'
Of course, this is something that cannot be solved if you fail to make it to the end, so unless you want to watch me run around for a good amount of time, dodging homeboy who is trying to ask me how my days been, then I suggest you watch my YouTube video. (I'm not gonna post it here, I don't want to self-promote myself TO THAT EXTENT until I post content that I believe to be my best. I bolded the words above because, technically, I'm still self-promoting, just not to that extent, haha.) Anyway, I found the line: 'Two for life.' to be the most obvious if you actually 'LOOK FOR PINK.' Pregnancy = Life. Pretty self-explanatory, but still told in a symbolic way which is what I like about these games of yours, Matt. However, 'Two for death.' is giving me some trouble. Now, I'm gonna try and put out a few ideas on what I think it means, and you can tell me how close to the bullseye I got.
Obviously, I believe that the flipped city in the sky is there for a very good reason. While I don't know the reason, I can say that the apartment room that houses your own dead body is one line. And you wondering the city aimlessly is another. The body in the tub is quite simply death in its literal physical form, and you wondering the city aimlessly, lost, and empty is death in its metaphorical sense. (To be honest, I don't 100% understand how to utilize the word 'metaphorical', so if I used it incorrectly, that's why. So, chill. I'm an idiot who can actually think... Yeah.) This theory is a bit dodgy, but I wanted to put it out there.
Second, the two cities themselves. I can't really think of a reasonable theory, but I also can't help but think about how they may tie into the line of the riddle considerably.
Third, the "psycho" that follows you. At the very end of the game, he seemingly kills you twice, as you are obviously already dead at the very start proven by your dead body in the tub. He is a walking symbol of death that haunts and unrelentingly chases you as punishment for what you did. (Hinted by the lines, 'YOU KNOW THAT YOU DESERVE THIS.') You may have tried to run from your mistakes and find an escape through what you thought to be a quick death, but even DEATH won't let you go. Again, a bit of a stretch with this one, too, but whatever.
And that's all I've got. I recorded my gameplay of this, so if you want to see it, do what you will. Like I typed up earlier, I will self-promote to a certain extent, but not so much that I put the video up here. I don't believe my videos are at my best yet. Anyway, another great game, Matt! And like 'He Keeps Me Here', it is a game that doesn't seem too special until you grasp its purpose through the story that is told in a unique and creative fashion. I love it! Big-ups!
Great atmosphere, it's very creepy and haunting. An amazing thing that happens sometimes is when you don't see the enemy for a while then suddenly hear the clacking of his footsteps but don't see him. It immediately gave me a sense of panic. Awesome job on that. Also this is one of the few monsters I've seen that legit gave me creeps to look at. My only issue with the game is that it feels a lot like a maze. I'm just not a huge fan of maze games in general though so that's hardly a criticism. Thank you for making it!
Hi there! You know, I made this for a game jam, so I didn't have much time to optimize or test specifications. There's not a lot going on graphically in this one, so it won't be as intensive as some of my other games, but I honestly can't say how it will run on your specs. It's free though, so you can always give it a shot! Let me know if you or your friend decide to try it out, and if you have any luck!
Was a very environmentally stimulating game! The fog and the sounds really amped up the surrounds and the whole game. The sounds design choice was also good; you can here the shinigami dude walk up to the player, and the player has to dodge them by out-manoeuvring it. I think I broke my shinigami's AI and it didn't follow me after encountering it at the beginning.
The story and imagery that you've put into the game is done insanely well. How the stairs at the end seem like stairs that go up or down, and how the cities are inverted; makes it seem like one is real and the other one is the afterlife. Or one is death and the other is life. The story is pretty well explained in the last part where the player is in the room; there are simple objects that tell a very straightforward story (I think so at least), and it's really well done!
Even the puddles of blood that are left when the player is caught was pretty cool! So yeah, overall, it was a really fun game to play and a game that has so much thought and depth put into it!
Yes, that's a bug I never got around to fixing. Basically, if you take too long to check the bath tub, the creature hits the kill Z. I had intended to send him to a certain place on the map, but I think it clipped him through the floor, and left him falling :/ This was a jam game, so I left it as-is, with a plan to eventually do a proper remake. Anyway, thanks for letting me know! It's great to have Linux feedback!
Greetings from America! Thank you so much for playing! Man, I really thought you had it on your 3rd attempt. If you can get past the monster and put some distance between him, you have a good chance of making it. Once you get on the rooftops, you want to keep going up as much as you can, and avoid going back to the ground level. I don't know if you'll give it another try or not, but I think you would beat it with another attempt. Anyway, thanks again for playing! Be sure to check out some of my other games. If you want my best, definitely give NEMESES a run!
This game right here is what made my skin crawl. i was being chased by Eddy from ed, edd, and eddy. It was a fun experience and to whoever is reading this. YOU HAVE TO PLAY THIS!
Genius. Loved it. Ending was superb, final and only bit of dialogue at the end, they didn't deserve this you deserve this. Followed me unsettlingly into my dreams last night. So good! Want more. 😂
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it. My hope is always that my games follow people long after they play them, so that's great to hear. If you want more, I have several other games you can check out on my games page. If you haven't already, definitely give NEMESES a run!
I will do! I have become a big fan. Looking forward from this day onward to more of your work. I love horror games. The only true way to explore horror in all it's elements in my opinon. This is up there with Alan Wake and Silent Hill 2 for me. Amazing job. So glad I found these gems.
I had a good time running from a good villain while creepy dub step signaled my pending doom. I do wish the ending was different unless I just got the bad one.
Thank you so much for giving such an eloquent, in-depth review! It means a lot to me when someone takes the time to look more into my games and analyze them below surface level. There's always more there to dig up for those who want more than just a scary experience.
I'm so glad you guys find this to be one of the scariest games ever! My dream is to do just that, so I must be on the right track :) Thank you for appreciating the little nuances that collectively make the experience what it is. Making the Punisher was probably my favorite part, especially when I tested out his up close, shaky animation. It even terrified me, haha. I'm glad your experience went as intended; a lot of people just beeline it for the exit, and then complained that they didn't see him again. Taking more time to explore, and just having the Punisher constantly stalking you is what I was going for.
I agree with you that this game needs more to do. Since I made it for a jam, I decided to leave it as-is to maintain its integrity. I'm considering a remaster at some point though, because it would be fun to reimagine certain things without the time limitation. The goal would be to make it look better, be more fun to play, and definitely scarier :)
Thanks again for the lovely review! If you haven't checked out NEMESES yet, that's my bigger project, and you might even find it scarier!
Glad you enjoyed it! We'll see about making it mobile. I'm just getting into mobile development, but I haven't had a good experience with first person games on phones. Definitely possible for the future though!
I was lucky the character glitched ! but this is a fantastic game with a really dark hidden meaning (i do not know the full meaning but i have most of it right so far) a must play for sure!
You've done it again! One of the creepiest games I've played! your character design is flawless when it comes to genuinely creepy horror. I didn't find the hidden meaning whatsoever, but still thoroughly enjoyed my playthrough! Here's the video:
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Awesome game and aesthetic! Was one of my first indie horror games from itch
https://www.indiegamesjam.com/two-lines/
Hey, thanks so much for sharing that! It's always a treat to see my games represented in a medium other than videos. It was a lovely read, thank you for taking the time to write it!
No problem!
Thank you so much for playing and posting, I really appreciate it! Sorry for the late reply!
Really nice. An impressive effort considering the timeframe given. The atmosphere was really thick.
One funny thing though is that I cleared the labyrinth on basically my first route, just luck but it made it a bit less tense =P
Thank you! I designed this game with the intent that people would have varying experiences with it. Some people are absolutely terrorized by the monster and just give up, and some people squeak by effortlessly. In fact, one person never even saw this monster, which was absolutely mind boggling, but it's all possible! Either way, glad you made it through and enjoyed it!
When the reaper comes after you and the music with it - incredibly horrifying. Well done!
Thank you so much for posting!
Really nice game. :) 5/5
Thank you for playing! Glad you're enjoying my games :)
Ok, I'ma try and keep this as
brieflong as possible.This is the second horror game that I've played from you, and while it falls short in some aspects, it more than makes up for it with the story that is told via symbolism and the game's atmosphere and map design. So, first things first, what does this game fall short on? For me, it's just how long it took to complete the game due to map design. (Ironic, huh? Given how I just said that the map design was one of the game's good things, too. Don't worry. I'll explain.) While for the most part, it is my fault it took me so long to beat it, the city is quite literally a maze in some sense. However, I'd like to think it is designed in such a way for a reason, although I fail to understand why.
Now, while the map design is not desirable for those who want a quick 10-minute horror experience, (Unless some random Joe wings it and makes it to the end on his initial path of travel. Couldn't be me. I was running around like a chicken with his head cut off.) it is absolutely elevated when you see what the stairway, the one that initially appears to be The Stairway to Heaven, really leads to. It was just a cool sight to see and felt absolutely surreal. Definitely added to the unsettling atmosphere in its own unique way.
Now, I want to talk about the riddle and the conclusion that I came to/tried to come to. Spoiler alert, I most likely need another explanation for this game, haha.
'Two tender lines, carefully drawn.
Two for life.
Two for death.'
Of course, this is something that cannot be solved if you fail to make it to the end, so unless you want to watch me run around for a good amount of time, dodging homeboy who is trying to ask me how my days been, then I suggest you watch my YouTube video. (I'm not gonna post it here, I don't want to self-promote myself TO THAT EXTENT until I post content that I believe to be my best. I bolded the words above because, technically, I'm still self-promoting, just not to that extent, haha.) Anyway, I found the line: 'Two for life.' to be the most obvious if you actually 'LOOK FOR PINK.' Pregnancy = Life. Pretty self-explanatory, but still told in a symbolic way which is what I like about these games of yours, Matt. However, 'Two for death.' is giving me some trouble. Now, I'm gonna try and put out a few ideas on what I think it means, and you can tell me how close to the bullseye I got.
Obviously, I believe that the flipped city in the sky is there for a very good reason. While I don't know the reason, I can say that the apartment room that houses your own dead body is one line. And you wondering the city aimlessly is another. The body in the tub is quite simply death in its literal physical form, and you wondering the city aimlessly, lost, and empty is death in its metaphorical sense. (To be honest, I don't 100% understand how to utilize the word 'metaphorical', so if I used it incorrectly, that's why. So, chill. I'm an idiot who can actually think... Yeah.) This theory is a bit dodgy, but I wanted to put it out there.
Second, the two cities themselves. I can't really think of a reasonable theory, but I also can't help but think about how they may tie into the line of the riddle considerably.
Third, the "psycho" that follows you. At the very end of the game, he seemingly kills you twice, as you are obviously already dead at the very start proven by your dead body in the tub. He is a walking symbol of death that haunts and unrelentingly chases you as punishment for what you did. (Hinted by the lines, 'YOU KNOW THAT YOU DESERVE THIS.') You may have tried to run from your mistakes and find an escape through what you thought to be a quick death, but even DEATH won't let you go. Again, a bit of a stretch with this one, too, but whatever.
And that's all I've got. I recorded my gameplay of this, so if you want to see it, do what you will. Like I typed up earlier, I will self-promote to a certain extent, but not so much that I put the video up here. I don't believe my videos are at my best yet. Anyway, another great game, Matt! And like 'He Keeps Me Here', it is a game that doesn't seem too special until you grasp its purpose through the story that is told in a unique and creative fashion. I love it! Big-ups!
Great atmosphere, it's very creepy and haunting. An amazing thing that happens sometimes is when you don't see the enemy for a while then suddenly hear the clacking of his footsteps but don't see him. It immediately gave me a sense of panic. Awesome job on that. Also this is one of the few monsters I've seen that legit gave me creeps to look at. My only issue with the game is that it feels a lot like a maze. I'm just not a huge fan of maze games in general though so that's hardly a criticism. Thank you for making it!
Thanks so much for playing! Dropped you a comment and a sub if you want to check it out!
Hey Matt! What the system requirements of this game. (Note: my friend have a intel hd 3000 and i have a geforce gt 730)
Hi there! You know, I made this for a game jam, so I didn't have much time to optimize or test specifications. There's not a lot going on graphically in this one, so it won't be as intensive as some of my other games, but I honestly can't say how it will run on your specs. It's free though, so you can always give it a shot! Let me know if you or your friend decide to try it out, and if you have any luck!
Was a very environmentally stimulating game! The fog and the sounds really amped up the surrounds and the whole game. The sounds design choice was also good; you can here the shinigami dude walk up to the player, and the player has to dodge them by out-manoeuvring it. I think I broke my shinigami's AI and it didn't follow me after encountering it at the beginning.
The story and imagery that you've put into the game is done insanely well. How the stairs at the end seem like stairs that go up or down, and how the cities are inverted; makes it seem like one is real and the other one is the afterlife. Or one is death and the other is life. The story is pretty well explained in the last part where the player is in the room; there are simple objects that tell a very straightforward story (I think so at least), and it's really well done!
Even the puddles of blood that are left when the player is caught was pretty cool! So yeah, overall, it was a really fun game to play and a game that has so much thought and depth put into it!
Thank you for the kind words, I'm stoked you liked it! Left you a comment on your video :)
Thank you so much for playing!
Playing on Linux; I got trapped in the area with the dead body in the tub, the door shut behind me,
I couldn't progress any further.
The monster also didn't come to finish me off!
Had to force close.
Terminal output said something about the monster/killer being out of world bounds, most likely a glitch, will try again.
Thanks for this.
Yes, that's a bug I never got around to fixing. Basically, if you take too long to check the bath tub, the creature hits the kill Z. I had intended to send him to a certain place on the map, but I think it clipped him through the floor, and left him falling :/ This was a jam game, so I left it as-is, with a plan to eventually do a proper remake. Anyway, thanks for letting me know! It's great to have Linux feedback!
Good and Creepy as hell.
Greetings from Germany. :)Greetings from America! Thank you so much for playing! Man, I really thought you had it on your 3rd attempt. If you can get past the monster and put some distance between him, you have a good chance of making it. Once you get on the rooftops, you want to keep going up as much as you can, and avoid going back to the ground level. I don't know if you'll give it another try or not, but I think you would beat it with another attempt. Anyway, thanks again for playing! Be sure to check out some of my other games. If you want my best, definitely give NEMESES a run!
Great! I loved it! I'm a little behind, but I'm definitely gonna check out the rest of your stuff!
This game right here is what made my skin crawl. i was being chased by Eddy from ed, edd, and eddy. It was a fun experience and to whoever is reading this. YOU HAVE TO PLAY THIS!
PLEASE NOTIFY ME WHEN NEMESIS IS OUT.
FUCKING SCARY IS VERY BAD GAME!!!!
=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)==)=)=) 100% SERIOUS
This was without a doubt a phenomenal game and quite the experience 😱😱😱
Thank you for this amazing game, can't wait for NEMESES 💚
Thank you so much for posting! Can't wait to see more!
i enjoyed this :D very spooky and awsome soundtrack.
This was a great horror game. One of the better ones I have played in awhile!
Thank you so much for posting!
I have not enjoyed a horror experience as much as this in quite some time, thanks Matt for creating this gem :)
You're welcome! Thank you so much for posting, I'm so glad you enjoyed it :)
I really enjoyed thanks for ur creation
Awesome, thank you so much for posting!!
Genius. Loved it. Ending was superb, final and only bit of dialogue at the end, they didn't deserve this you deserve this. Followed me unsettlingly into my dreams last night. So good! Want more. 😂
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it. My hope is always that my games follow people long after they play them, so that's great to hear. If you want more, I have several other games you can check out on my games page. If you haven't already, definitely give NEMESES a run!
I will do! I have become a big fan. Looking forward from this day onward to more of your work. I love horror games. The only true way to explore horror in all it's elements in my opinon. This is up there with Alan Wake and Silent Hill 2 for me. Amazing job. So glad I found these gems.
Ah man, that is such a high compliment, thank you! Stoked to hear what you think of the others!
plz make for ma
I had a good time running from a good villain while creepy dub step signaled my pending doom. I do wish the ending was different unless I just got the bad one.
holy shite!! congrats on markiplier playing this game!! its been a while but super proud of your perseverance
Thank you so much for giving such an eloquent, in-depth review! It means a lot to me when someone takes the time to look more into my games and analyze them below surface level. There's always more there to dig up for those who want more than just a scary experience.
I'm so glad you guys find this to be one of the scariest games ever! My dream is to do just that, so I must be on the right track :) Thank you for appreciating the little nuances that collectively make the experience what it is. Making the Punisher was probably my favorite part, especially when I tested out his up close, shaky animation. It even terrified me, haha. I'm glad your experience went as intended; a lot of people just beeline it for the exit, and then complained that they didn't see him again. Taking more time to explore, and just having the Punisher constantly stalking you is what I was going for.
I agree with you that this game needs more to do. Since I made it for a jam, I decided to leave it as-is to maintain its integrity. I'm considering a remaster at some point though, because it would be fun to reimagine certain things without the time limitation. The goal would be to make it look better, be more fun to play, and definitely scarier :)
Thanks again for the lovely review! If you haven't checked out NEMESES yet, that's my bigger project, and you might even find it scarier!
Awesome! Stoked to hear your thoughts.
Game is very good. I'm doesn't see so good psychedelic horror. And please make this game for ANDROID!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! We'll see about making it mobile. I'm just getting into mobile development, but I haven't had a good experience with first person games on phones. Definitely possible for the future though!
2 years passed so quickly. I'd like to see your future works, thanks for reply!
It's really scary, I mean, so many stairs, oof...
Hey, watch it Mr.... if you want to start a fake rivalry with me, just remember you have more games posted :)
But imagine climbing so many stairs in real life, and there's a monster chasing you too, so you must climb, that's too scary for my legs
Easy leg day!
Very Very Well Done gave me the creeps and made me think alot. Very well made game can't wait to play others from you!
I was lucky the character glitched ! but this is a fantastic game with a really dark hidden meaning (i do not know the full meaning but i have most of it right so far) a must play for sure!
You've done it again! One of the creepiest games I've played! your character design is flawless when it comes to genuinely creepy horror. I didn't find the hidden meaning whatsoever, but still thoroughly enjoyed my playthrough! Here's the video: