Browser... gaming?

[Igor-Rowan]

Here's a subgenre of PC gaming rarely talked about, if ever, free games that you play on your browser. Before Agar.io, The Impossible Quiz and Cat Mario I had forgotten this genre existed completely, if you can even call it that. I've recently went through some sites that feature browser games (mostly flash ones) and after some time wasted with non-sensical escape the room puzzles, multiplayer browser games devoid of other people, Dating Sims, and the Mario clones, I remembered exactly why this genre is so over-looked.

'Why this topic?', you might ask. Good question, I reply, followed by: There was a time I found some flash games that were the equivalent of a "real" gaming experience for me, games so good I simply did not forget and decided to share with anyone interested (since they're free, you're not missing out much if you turn down) and who knows, if you are looking for something different you also find some diamonds in the rough or have one you want to share. With that out of the way, here's a list of the games, I'll provide a link whenever I can.

Good Night Mr. Snoozleberg: It's a game with an interesting concept, clear an entire path so a sleepwalker won't wake up. This game uses mouse with various concepts introduced like drag n' drop, click at a precise time and experiment with movable objects. However its dificulty is a bit trial and error.

Trapped 5: A game that I can only describe as a 'Zelda dungeon clone' a game with very simple design and aesthetics, but deep if you're willing to go through the end. Think of it as the modern version of the Atari game 'Adventure'.
Link: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-puzzle-7/maze-games-26/trapped-5-3763.html

The Miller State & Arcane - Online Mystery Serial: These are seasons 1 and 2 from a series (yeah, you just read that right) of flash games that follow a narrative around a family's encounter with a mysterious cult. The Miller State is a 4-game series of this family's meeting said cult and Arcane is a 8-game series of them dealing with a force that can destroy the world as they know. These are a point-and-click adventures with a twist, click too much on the wrong stuff and a 'timer' goes down and you don't want to see when it runs out

The Miller State: Couldn't find them, but you can play season 2 with no problem, albeit with a minor lack of context.

Arcane:
Ep. 1: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-adventure-2/mystery-games-44/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-1-54608.html
Ep. 2: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-action-1/detective-games-244/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-2-39192.html
Ep. 3: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-action-1/detective-games-244/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-3-39582.html
Ep. 4: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-action-1/detective-games-244/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-4-54609.html
Ep. 5: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-puzzle-7/escape-games-6/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-5-54610.html
Ep. 6: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-action-1/detective-games-244/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-6-39194.html
Ep. 7: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-action-1/detective-games-244/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-7-48710.html
Ep. 8: http://www.gamesloon.com/free-action-1/detective-games-244/arcane-online-mystery-serial-the-stone-circle-episode-8-38259.html


Steppenwolf: The X-Creatures Project: The series of flash games that inspired me in doing this topic in the first place. Maybe I still have nostalgia goggles on, but I don't care this series of games is amazing, it has a deep narrative, likeable characters, action (for flash game standards), puzzle solving, and it deals with subjects that few games have touched upon. I'll admit the voice acting is a bit stiff and the plot takes its time to start, but then it's a story compelling from beginning to end. It has 24 episodes distributed in 6 chapters each episode more exciting than the last. I can't recommend this one enough.
http://www.gamesloon.com/free-cartoon-26/steppenwolf-games-219/index.html


These last ones were made by Sarbakan, a company that made a partnership with Warner Bros. (hence the high production values), but then they went on to make licensed games (many with really negative reviews), with their latest success being the mobile game Where's my Water after their partnership with Disney Interactive Studios.

So, what are your opinions on browser gaming? Have you played a flash game that you feel like sharing? Have any of the titles above interested you in any way?

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

The Company Of Myself
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2darray/the-company-of-myself

I can almost never talk about flash games without bringing this one up at least once.
A lovely little switch-puzzle platformer with a cloning mechanic. It's my personal favorite flash game, mostly due to it's somewhat subtle story-telling (it's pretty Thomas Was Alone-y) and it's music.

It's got a prequel with different mechanics, Fixation.
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2darray/fixation

I have less to say about this one, I remember less about it than TCOM but it's worth at least one go if you really like the Company Of Myself.

 

[Igor-Rowan]

The Company Of Myself
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2darray/the-company-of-myself

I can almost never talk about flash games without bringing this one up at least once.
A lovely little switch-puzzle platformer with a cloning mechanic. It's my personal favorite flash game, mostly due to it's somewhat subtle story-telling (it's pretty Thomas Was Alone-y) and it's music.

It's got a prequel with different mechanics, Fixation.
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2darray/fixation

I have less to say about this one, I remember less about it than TCOM but it's worth at least one go if you really like the Company Of Myself.

Wow, those were really good. The first one is almost like a poetry and the second has a full narrative, I finished the first one and I'll finish the second one later.

Gameplay-wise they are surprinsingly deep with the one or two mechanics they introduce, truly notable puzzle platformers.

Tell me, what are your experiences with flash games and how did you find these two?

 

[09philj]

Starwish is somewhat of a seminal work for me. It's a Gradius-like shmup with RPG and visual novel elements. It's not the most polished game and the shmup sections are basically fine. What makes it stand out are the bonkers but touching story and the utterly superlative score. Every time I hear the end theme it takes me back to when I first finished it.

The game. [http://www.kongregate.com/games/xdanond/rpg-shooter-starwish]
End theme [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFOVjME646M]

 

[MythicMatt]

If you ever went on Steam and found Epic Battle Fantasy 4, but wondered where the rest of them are, well here they are.

I'm pretty sure there's more games I could recommend, but these are the best in jRPGs made in Scotland by one man.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

The Company Of Myself
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2darray/the-company-of-myself

I can almost never talk about flash games without bringing this one up at least once.
A lovely little switch-puzzle platformer with a cloning mechanic. It's my personal favorite flash game, mostly due to it's somewhat subtle story-telling (it's pretty Thomas Was Alone-y) and it's music.

It's got a prequel with different mechanics, Fixation.
http://www.kongregate.com/games/2darray/fixation

I have less to say about this one, I remember less about it than TCOM but it's worth at least one go if you really like the Company Of Myself.

Wow, those were really good. The first one is almost like a poetry and the second has a full narrative, I finished the first one and I'll finish the second one later.

Gameplay-wise they are surprinsingly deep with the one or two mechanics they introduce, truly notable puzzle platformers.

Tell me, what are your experiences with flash games and how did you find these two?

Well, I'd say my experience with them is... limited, you might say. I don't typically go looking for them, I think The Company Of Myself was mentioned in an episode of Extra Credits and sometime after finding that, the prequel made itself known to me.
Other than those, every once in a while I go back to

Press Space To Win
http://www.notdoppler.com/superpressspacetowinactionrpg2009.php
A silly little pixelated RPG, if you could call it that. Obviously, you only press one button to play it (or rather have it play itself) but it's the humor of it's mechanics that's the draw, you know?

Spoiler: got an awesome review too

Seems the joke is lost on some.
And this review is what got me to play the game.

AND

You Have To Burn The Rope
http://www.kongregate.com/games/mazapan/you-have-to-burn-the-rope
A cute little pick-me-up. Gameplay's slightly less simple (really didn't want to say "more complex") than Press Space To Win, but it's practically just as easy to win. It's credits song is longer than the game itself but it's bouncy and not gonna lie, a little encouraging.
Funny thing, I had played this a long time ago and completely forgot about it. Then I got an itch to play it again and had to dive into the "Games you remember playing but can't remember the name of" Thread here in the Escapist to fish it out. You think it's be easier to remember a game whose title so finely encapsulates the whole game.

Anyway.

You understand why I typically lead with The Company Of Myself, it's a deeper experience. Typically, flash games are meant to be a short amount of arcade-y fun which is great sometimes, hence why I keep coming back to You Have To Burn The Rope and Press Space To Win, but that typically means you can drop them at any time and dedicate a very short amount of time to.
Games like The Company Of Myself and Fixation

Spoiler: as well as

One Chance
http://www.kongregate.com/games/lemmibeans/one-chance
A game about how you decide to live your last days as a deadly virus consumes the world.

AND

Every Day The Same Dream
http://www.molleindustria.org/everydaythesamedream/everydaythesamedream.html
A game about escaping the tediousness of every day life.

deliver deeper experiences through atmosphere, story, what have you and while they're also relatively short, you want to set aside a little bit of time for them because you want to see them through to the end.