I tend to prefer slower-paced Playdate games: They work well for the console’s strikingly monochrome display and ergonomics (though the latter may be specific to me and my hands/wrists). The Keyper is a good example.

Like EYELAND, this is an exploration-based game developed using Pulp. Also like EYELAND, I found it surprisingly compelling for its simplicity. The many varied rooms and hallways of the Winchester 21 building consistently sparked my curiosity, reminding me (in terms of vibes more than gameplay) of Elephantasy or Yume Nikki. Despite how non-linear the environment becomes, my pathing seemed to broaden organically, and I learned to navigate the map with relative ease.

There were a few hiccups along the way. The minimalistic visuals require some occasional trial and error to parse. Movement is very slow. The in-game hint shop usually works well, but I think I accidentally broke a sequence, as it kept directing me to a key I already had. (Thankfully, the developer published their own walkthrough that helped me out of that bind.)

Issues aside, I had more fun with The Keyper than many higher-priced games in Playdate’s Catalog. Great for a rainy day!