In 2022, No Escape and friends will be keeping a close eye on some of the major game storefronts to look for free games that we think you should check out. As a rule, we’re going to try and avoid games with microtransactions, games that can only be played via a subscription service, and obvious asset flips – though sometimes this is unavoidable.
We don’t consider this to be a comprehensive look at “free-to-play” games across all the different platforms, as that would require a larger team with a larger budget, but hopefully by the end of next year we’ll have created a list of interesting games you can play that don’t require deep pockets or the most powerful hardware.
As a way of saying “happy holidays” and to give you a sneak peek into the kind of work we want to make this space, I’ve got something for y’all to check out. It’s a mobile game – iOS and Android – made by artist Matt DesLauriers and published by the National Film Board of Canada, called Wayfinder.
According to the store description, Wayfinder is “a generative art game that takes the user on a contemplative cause-and-effect journey with nature.” You control an avatar that is very reminiscent of Princess Ida from ustwo’s Monument Valley, creating procedurally-generated poetry by wandering through a forest. As you do this, the forest regains some of its “memories,” and becomes a little more lively over time.
The visual aesthetics, including illustrations by Tiffany Beucher, and sound design, from Drew Thomas and S. Quinn Hoodless at Boombox Sound, are gorgeous; it’s a really interesting game that doesn’t require much from the player. Even playing in short minutes-long bursts results in meaningful progress, though “progress” isn’t really the point as much as it is simply exploring the world you’re in. If you’re looking for some quick, low-impact, high-reward gaming, this is a great place to start.
Wayfinder is available on the iOS App Store and Google Play storefront, and is also a browser game you can play here.