To the Past
Indie developer Rusty Lake is well known for their eerie games like The Past Within and The Cube Escape Collection. The demo Underground Blossom Lite is here to give their player base a taste of their upcoming title. Rusty Lake’s games are all set in the same surreal and strange universe. This time, Underground Blossom takes us to Rusty Lake’s Subway as we journey through Laura Vanderbloom’s past. Solve puzzles to get a glimpse of her life in a standard point-and-click adventure.
First, a disclaimer. This is not a full game. Underground Blossom Lite is a chapter and a half, maybe two, of what is going to be the premium version. The Lite version intends to offer you a glimpse of the game, so you’ll know what to expect when it comes out. The chapters are divided by train stations. In the Lite version, we only manage to see the Crib Station and the Child Lane and explore a little about the beginnings of Laura’s life.
To the Future
The best thing about the Underground Blossom Lite is the atmosphere. From the music to the muted palette, everything is designed to give you the eerie vibes of a backroom. Matching that with what it hints about the story, certainly assures it’ll be a memorable game.
Having said that, Underground Blossom Lite was way too short. Even for a demo. I had just grasped the game mechanics and the trick to solve the puzzles when it ended, which was frustrating. I was intrigued by what was coming next, but the time I spent playing was not enough to leave a lasting impression. Too much of something leaves you with no desire for more, but too little doesn’t grip you as hard. I understand that they’re trying to not give much away, but if the point was to build anticipation for Underground Blossom’s release, one more chapter would have done the trick. Maybe not a full chapter, but a little more of something. However, that feeling bodes well for the finished product.
Despite the shortness of the demo, the glimpse we saw does set good expectations for Underground Blossom. The uncanny vibes are immaculate and the logic of the puzzles becomes clear once you get the gist of it. As for Laura Vanderbloom’s fate, we’ll have to wait for the full version to experience it completely.
