Desktop Simulators (games like Hypnospace Outlaw)

[13BECC]

Desktop Simulators are exactly what they say on the tin, games that simulate computer desktops.

Of course, there's the classic Hypnospace Outlaw (and it's soon-to-be sequel), but there's plenty of other ones out there, like

GashiShachiNoSachi: Nauseatingly obscure, incredibly vague, and only has 1 English guide. The game is borderline labyrinthine with how the webpages expand out. Highly recommend.

Pony Island: While not strictly a Desktop Sim, some points in the game have you jumping through different user profiles and rummaging through files to find an unstable version of Pony Island. An absolute classic for youtube let's plays.

One Shot in the Dark, Now I'm Dead: Post-apocalyptic information gathering. It's better you go in blind.



What's your opinion on games like these? Love them? Despise them? Any other recommendations for good ones?

[wygolvillage]

One I played recently is like half desktop simulator, half surreal 3D levels, it's called Wrong Box. I thought it was really fun and I especially liked the 3D portions but I wish it was longer... Still I think the way it explores online spaces in a somewhat "abandoned" state and how time effected them is really interesting, since a lot of internet nostalgia stuff focuses on how it was back in the day when it was still alive. Like I said it's short but worth playing.

Also not quite on topic (it's not a desktop simulator but it is a game that uses the browser and the concept of link surfing as a tool/interface with which to play it) but I've been obsessed with Black Room over the past few days, especially after having spent some time reading the creator's commentary on the meanings behind it... I am taking any chance to recommend checking it out, it really resonated with me. It's longer though, make sure you have a nice evening to yourself to really immerse yourself in it... I guess it technically counts as a "simulator" (albeit through a distorted lens) since you're playing from the perspective of someone browsing their computer while slipping out of consciousness :P

I'll make sure to check out some of the games in the original post, they sound interesting :0

[arcus]

GachiSachiNoSachi: Nauseatingly obscure, incredibly vague, and only has 1 English guide. The game is borderline labyrinthine with how the webpages expand out. Highly recommend.

I tried this out after seeing this post. I finished it, and really enjoyed it. The puzzles were intuitive, though one is easier if you understand Japanese. I wouldn't call it labyrinthine though.

Spoilers

There's not many pages in the game, and halfway through the game shows you a branching map of all the sites.

[close]

[kurohaato]

I feel the Simulacra games and the Emily is Away games count as desktop simulators. Simulacra is a horror series about phones that make people disappear and it all takes place in a virtual phone os. I've played the demo/og concept Sarah is Missing and the spin-off Pipe Dreams and they're both pretty good. I've seen Let's Plays for the 3 main games too. I really liked 1 and 2 but I feel like the third game jumped the shark a little too much. 

On the other hand, Emily is Away is a visual novel series that takes place in AIM and later Facebook Messenger c. 2008. It's not really my thing but visual novels in general aren't my thing so that probably doesn't help. 

Also I remember there used to be some "slacker" flash games that could fall under the desktop simulator category too. There were some work ones that had you do everything in a desktop and some others that had a little typing minigame that displayed a virtual phone.

[shevek]

I like games like these a lot! I am still on my first run of Hypnospace Outlaw, and looking forward to the announced second game for it. Also played Emily Is Away

I recently finished Secret Little Haven, which is also similar to Emily Is Away. You log into the OS, chat with people, browse sites on the computer, play around with software on the PC (a tamagotchi clone, a Doll Maker etc.) and can write your own fanfiction in the word processor. The story also features some puzzles and passwords to figure out, and you learn to use the terminal of the OS. Takes about 5 hours to play.

If you ever want something like this but for a phone environment, I also liked "A Normal Lost Phone". You exclusively browse the phone to figure out who this phone belongs to. Takes about 2-3 hours.

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

GachiSachiNoSachi: Nauseatingly obscure, incredibly vague, and only has 1 English guide. The game is borderline labyrinthine with how the webpages expand out. Highly recommend.

I believe you that it is obscure.
Where to find it? :D

[13BECC]

I tried this out after seeing this post. I finished it, and really enjoyed it. The puzzles were intuitive, though one is easier if you understand Japanese. I wouldn't call it labyrinthine though.

Spoilers

There's not many pages in the game, and halfway through the game shows you a branching map of all the sites.

[close]

it probably just felt more labyrinthine to me because i was mapping webpages out by putting sticky notes on the wall behind me while i played 

I believe you that it is obscure.
Where to find it? :D

it's free on steam last i checked

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

it's free on steam last i checked

Can't find it on steam
https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=GachiSachiNoSach

neither on websearchengines. Am I missing smth?

[13BECC]

Can't find it on steam
https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=GachiSachiNoSach

neither on websearchengines. Am I missing smth?

oops! entirely my fault, sorry. i misspelled the name. It's actually spelt "GashiShachiNoSachi" Here's the actual link to it

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

nvm ;)
Ty!

[Còbra!]

My game actually tries to mimick Windows 3.1 on the website and the game's main menu.

[grovyle]

I recently finished Secret Little Haven, which is also similar to Emily Is Away. You log into the OS, chat with people, browse sites on the computer, play around with software on the PC (a tamagotchi clone, a Doll Maker etc.) and can write your own fanfiction in the word processor. The story also features some puzzles and passwords to figure out, and you learn to use the terminal of the OS. Takes about 5 hours to play.

If you ever want something like this but for a phone environment, I also liked "A Normal Lost Phone". You exclusively browse the phone to figure out who this phone belongs to. Takes about 2-3 hours.

I was coming here to make this exact same post, basically haha
Secret little haven is SO beautiful, and will resonate a lot with people who found refuge in forums from the 2000s, I think. A normal lost phone is more modern so there's no technology nostalgia factor, but it's equally moving.

[devils]

I'm glad Secret Little Haven was mentioned, it's one of my favorite games in the explore-a-computer-environment... genre. Is it a genre? I'd like it if it were.

Needy Streamer Overload is also in this «genre» though it functions more like a disturbing virtual care-taking/time management that just happens to be in a desktop environment. It's good, it feels like a fast-paced Tamagotchi, though I wouldn't recommend it to everyone as the subjects it covers are rather violent and off-putting. It's certainly not a game for all ages, ahah.

BTW, Slayers X came out recently and, despite being a FPS, it contains a lot of the humor present in Hypnospace (as you'd expect, it is a spin-off). It's super fun too!

[fizzylimesoda]

i remember having obsession with windows flash parodies

[wris]

Hacking classic Uplink. I used to be obsessed with this game!