Pendula Swing - The Complete Journey

• Steam user Steam user …9588Steam reviews · Jun 20, 2021 · 6 h played

  I have to give this a thumbs down review for now (I'm willing to revise it if things change.) This is a very interesting game with a very neat premise, but there's one seemingly common game-breaking bug that hasn't been fixed in over a year and doesn't seem to be on the devs' priority list. Unfortunately, as someone who's played 5 hours (a lot of exploration, I'm a completionist) into the game, being completely unable to proceed & potentially needing to restart the game, I can't bring myself to…

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• Steam user Steam user …9801Steam reviews · Feb 23, 2021 · 17 h played

  I was looking forward to this game and I really tried to like it, but I just can’t, in good conscience, give it a good review. The concept is great, but sadly, was poorly executed in this game. Everything the dev tried to achieve with this game is just so half-a$$ed, to put it simply. It mixes American 1920s culture with a fantasy setting, but it doesn’t actually fully capture 1920s culture. It captured the essence and aesthetics of it that people like about it, but in reality, that’s such a…

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• Steam user Steam user …9793Steam reviews · Mar 18, 2020 · 4 h played

  I bought this game purely out of love for the fact that it mixed my two favorite things: Fantasy and 1920s. Tl;dr: This game is worth buying at full price for the world building. If you're reading this, you may be considering buying the complete journey or you've already bought the episodes and are considering getting the key for this (you definitely should btw). I'm the former, having bought this game only yesterday . I found this game after I was browsing steam and decided that it was…

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• Steam user Steam user …6860Steam reviews · Feb 25, 2023 · 4 h played

  Don't buy this. Glitches (some of which have been known about for years without being resolved), and no ability to save your game or have separate saves to protect against glitches. There is a reason that one of the two guides on steam is about how to save your game. I like the idea, and I think I would enjoy the game if it weren't for the frequent glitches. Like quests disappearing and having no way to continue the story, or conversations being unobtainable if you previously left the…

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• Steam user Steam user …8143Steam reviews · Aug 1, 2020 · 2 h played

  I think we all have played Fantasy Roleplay Games. We all created our partys and went to adventure, raising our levels, getting magical weapons on and on, until the big, bad Endboss lies in the Dirt. We all were cheering with our group of Heroes, mostly classical Charakters like Humans, Dwarfes and Elves, and enjoying the Endscreens and Credits. But did you ever …. EVER lost a thought about what comes after the Final Battle for your Victorious group? Did you ever think about what`s then?…

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• Steam user Steam user …9389Steam reviews · Mar 6, 2024 · 23 h played

  Pros Great worldbuilding and 1920s atmosphere Music and art help flesh out the world Game depicts a diverse population and addresses relevant social issues without being contrived Cons (mostly bugs) Keys may disappear from inventory. This was not a game-breaking bug for me since it only happened twice during my playthrough and I didn't need those keys to proceed, but some areas will be inaccessible. Players sometimes can't get back to the same dialogue option if they…

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• Steam user Steam user …5823Steam reviews · Jul 5, 2020 · 17 h played

  First off, this is by far the most effortlessly diverse narrative I have ever encountered in a game. The diversity doesn't feel forced - it's just there. And it is just so, so refreshing. Unfortunately, I did encounter a few bugs that meant I couldn't finish a few side errands (which irked me, since I was invested in all of the little side stories), and I couldn't romance anyone fully, which was a bummer. I also feel like the main story ended a bit early for me, but that's just because I…

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• Steam user Steam user …9516Steam reviews · Jul 14, 2024 · 23 h played

  I was expecting a fun, swinging adventure but found myself bored, understimulated and frustrated. This game is very buggy to the point that important objects suddenly disappear, npc's repeat themselves or do not talk at all, etc making it impossible to continue and to get all the achievements. Music score and scenery is good, but the characters are ugly and the story is dull. It feels half-done. -------------------------------------- Achievements/Completionist: FML :( Do Not play this game…

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• Steam user Steam user …4910Steam reviews · Mar 9, 2020 · 2 h played

  Follow our curator for similar games https://store.steampowered.com/curator/35180752-3-point-play/ 1920s fantasy point & click adventure + interesting characters + story rich = Top hero beginning a new adventure with dating options. Asked a cat and hedgehog to follow me to the ends of the earth.

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• Steam user Steam user …9093Steam reviews · Apr 12, 2020 · 20 h played

  Great atmosphere in this cosy exploration of the highs and lows of a fictional fantasy town inspired by the 20s New York. The gameplay is standard RPG quests, where every second character you meet have errends for you to run. But it rarely gets repetetive since the core of this game is getting to know people and scenery, and the quests take you there. Interestingly, you do not play as the standard RPG blank slate, but rather as a well known adventurer and hero who has gone down in history for…

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• Steam user Steam user …8633Steam reviews · Sep 26, 2021 · 10 h played

  I'll continue the game if they ever solve the millions of bugs and crashes :((

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• Steam user Steam user …5285Steam reviews · Dec 24, 2020 · 8 h played

  This was an interesting little game about what comes after the "happily ever after". You play as a dwarven adventurer who (with a party of friends) slew a great beast several hundred years ago, and has since settled down with the party's healer. Your wife has passed away before the game begins, and you are living on a remote island with your war relics and your talking cat. Then one day, your magic axe (yes, the one used to slay the beast) gets stolen, and in order to find it you need to…

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• Steam user Steam user …8607Steam reviews · Sep 13, 2021 · 7 h played

  A very underrated and charming gem of a game. The story is basically what happens after the big fantasy adventure. The main character is a retired adventurer who settles down on an island with her wife. The game takes place about a few hundred years after that and the world has changed a lot. The writing is very well done and provides a unique take in the fantasy genre. Great characters, fun writing, and an interesting world to explore. And so much to do in see so the world is utilized very…

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• Steam user Steam user …1305Steam reviews · Jun 12, 2021 · 6 h played

  So, I promised to update my review, so here we are. First things first: I have a love-hate-relationship with the fantasy genre. On one hand, it gives me life. But on the other, I've grown tired of the same old cliches and stereotypes in stories that lack true innovation or self-reflection. I'm also tired of the voices who claim that everything in fantasy is completely unrelated to real life, and diversifying the genre would be unnecessarily "political". Bleh. Tolkien, the father of our current…

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• Steam user Steam user …7296Steam reviews · Mar 11, 2020 · 3 h played

  Improved version of a game already beautiful! You can explore a unique world and create a wonderful and peculiar story with a dwarf who reconnects with a world that is deeply changed. Many links to our world and a game that allows us to meditate to social and cultural problems with a new prospective

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• Steam user Steam user …0798Steam reviews · Mar 10, 2020 · 4 h played

  I was one of the lucky persons who got to win a key to this game, and wow! Seriously, what's not to like? You play as an hero, and you don't have to do the fighting. Nice point and click adventure with awesome music. 10/10 would give autographs again in my backyard to the fans

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• Steam user Steam user …2892Steam reviews · Aug 5, 2024 · 12 h played

  I'd like to give it a recommendation cuz I really like the concept of being a retired female hero, also the world building and the music are above average. However, to be honest the overall playing experience wasn't very enjoyable. The quest lines are wayyy too straightforward, repetitive and plain. Sometimes almost feels as if the dialogue was AI generated based on the main script. me: Let me see the person who stole my stuff. NPC: NO! I shall protect him! me: I just want to talk. NPC:…

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• Steam user Steam user …2027Steam reviews · Nov 29, 2020 · 11 h played

  I do not usually write reviews, but in this case I will make an exception. This game, put simply, has some of the most heart I have ever encountered in a story driven game. It is not for everybody though. If fighting, gaining xp or pwning your way up through fast paced challenges is your jam, this isn't for you. If you enjoy a powerful story that explores "being different" from most games in the genre, then by all means, don't miss this gem. It is pretty slow paced, but thoroughly enjoyable.…

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• Valiant Game Studio ⭐ KreatureKind is OUT NOW! ⭐ @handle.invalidBluesky · Mar 3, 2025

  Both KreatureKind and Pendula Swing: The Complete Journey are part of the Women's Day Sale on Steam, with the latter being 60% off! ✨ Check it out: store.steampowered.com/app/1230200/... #gamedev #indiegames #womeningames

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• Steam user Steam user …9560Steam reviews · Feb 12, 2021 · 16 h played

  Hoo boy, that was a strange one! This is without a doubt the woke-est game I have ever played. Oddly, I didn't hate it. The graphics are quite good in that quasi-Infinity Engine way, and the play as such is a lot like a combat-less Planescape: Torment or more recently, Disco Elysium. The writing and characterization is not nearly as clever and provocative as those games, but creates a pleasant-enough world. Which is weird, because as I started with, this game is made of pure woke. The game…

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• Steam user Steam user …7866Steam reviews · Jul 21, 2020

  this game is painfully boring... I feel like I have been changed in some irrevocable way for the worst just having played it for a few minutes.

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• Steam user Steam user …3746Steam reviews · Apr 19, 2020 · 9 h played

  What a unique concept! I love the fantasy world inspired by the 1920s. I think the dialogue for this game is better than most. There are quite a few glitches, but I know it's new. For instance, I have the protest permit for the goblin, but I cannot give it to him, so I can't finish that mission. I'm sure things like this will get fixed soon.

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• Steam user Steam user …5911Steam reviews · Nov 26, 2020 · 26 h played

  Pendula Swing is a very beautiful game, and I really loved the way that it combined fantasy with the roaring 20s and how it delved into everything from sexuality and gender with datable male and female characters to disability issues and even class and race issues. I think my overall problem with the game, though, is that it does so very shallowly. It touches on and represents all of these different and important topics, yet never really goes in-depth related to any of them. Additionally,…

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• Steam user Steam user …2544Steam reviews · Nov 1, 2020 · 5 h played

  With the caveat that there are still a number of typos, bugs (vanishing wedding ring, infinite money exploit) and the occasional crash to desktop, there's a lot of heart and charm in this adventure game. Worth it for fans of the genre who want to see what a post-swords-and-sorcery fantasy society could look like.

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• Steam user Steam user …4958Steam reviews · Oct 19, 2020 · 16 h played

  So good. Worth the money. If you like point and click style, then its great. Gave me a good few weeks or more of immersive entertainment playing a few hours here and there. Was sad when I finished.

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• Steam user Steam user …8267Steam reviews · Oct 1, 2020 · 8 h played

  This game was beautiful. I couldn't put it down. There's something wonderful about an adventure games where conversation and talking with people is the main goal. The characters and worldbuilding is delightful and explores classic fantasy tropes through a critical eye. It's wonderful too to have a story that is so inclusive and representative of LGBTQ people and representing people with disabilities. The game brings forth discussions of racial and economic justice, with plenty of parallels with…

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• Steam user Steam user …2433Steam reviews · Mar 2, 2024 · 10 h played

  confesso que comprei esse sem esperar muita coisa e acabou sendo uma surpresa maravilhosa pois fiquei MUITO entretida!

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• Steam user Steam user …8810Steam reviews · Jan 18, 2023 · 6 h played

  Pendula Swing is an interesting game, imagine you're a dwarf from a legendary battle of old and society has evolved while you retired and all those orcs you killed were forced to live among humans in a flapper society? Put it does need some polish, most quests will give an item that helps you in another quest, or you get something useless. Food and clothes seemed to have no effect in the game although I didn't drink any alcohol, it does seem you can become drunk. The game is still enjoyable…

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• Steam user Steam user …2600Steam reviews · Mar 15, 2022 · 6 h played

  I fell asleep several times while playing this glorified fetch quest galore. Rather primitive 2.5D graphics that made my computer work harder than some newest AAA games. Imagine badly written RPG without RPG and combat. That's what you get. Boring and illogical story with bland characters with no personality. Since there is no combat dialogues and story should be main focus but... dialogues are extremely short, there is often only one allowed path (why multiple choices if you are, in the end…

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• Steam user Steam user …7379Steam reviews · Apr 8, 2021 · 17 h played

  This is one of my favourite games. I like RPGs but I don't really like violence so I was excited to discover this game existed. The graphics are beautiful, the music is lovely, the characters are interesting. Overall I really recommend it. also i think it's underpriced

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• Steam user Steam user …4073Steam reviews · Jun 18, 2020 · 14 h played

  I fell instantly in love with this game. It's so inclusive and has queer characters, people of color, disabled characters. it's even intersectional in places. And and doesn't shy away from parallels in the real world. The alternate history and fantasy theme make it that much more interesting. And I love that it relies entirely on roleplay, no combat whatsoever. I'm close to finishing my first playthrough of the story and I don't want it to be over.

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• Steam user Steam user …4011Steam reviews · Jun 3, 2020 · 12 h played

  Very enjoyable adventure game! (Keep in mind, this is not a fighting game but more of an exploration and talking game!)

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• Steam user Steam user …4482Steam reviews · Dec 20, 2025 · 3 h played

  ⋆˙⟡ Pendula Swing is a charming surprise. I absolutely love the 1920's fantasy setting! Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins, Elves and Humans all living in a beautiful stylized world. Exploring the town feels genuinely satisfying as you experience many 'firsts' together with the main character. The dialogue is witty, natural and fun to read. A cozy, story-rich experience with a lot of personality! ⋆˙⟡

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• Steam user Steam user …4603Steam reviews · Jan 9, 2023 · 7 h played

  I love how many sidequests there are!

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• Steam user Steam user …6726Steam reviews · Jun 20, 2021 · 9 h played

  A pretty cool point & click adventure game set in a 1920s style/prohibition-era fantasy world. You play as a dwarven hero from the middle ages who fought against a powerful magical foe and saved the world so to speak, but then went into retirement shortly after and have been a hermit ever since. Now your axe is stolen and you have to go back out into the world to find it, witnessing the industrial revolution and how much the world left you behind.

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• Steam user Steam user …2096Steam reviews · Apr 11, 2026 · 4 h played

  I thought I'd love this game but after a few hours of playing I realise it just feels like a chore. The game is pretty boring, the character designs are ugly and there aren't really any riddles to solve. Npcs just send you to talk to some other character or find something in order to advance the plot or win achievements and you're more of an errand girl than an explorer. There are a lot of characters to talk to - all text based and no voice acting - and for some reason or gaming logic, most of…

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• Steam user Steam user …3231Steam reviews · Nov 27, 2022 · 14 h played

  If your favorite thing to do in RPGs is walk around and talk to NPCs (and romance them) this is the game for you. I love the lore and the world building in this game, and how the creators mixed the 1920s with a fantasy setting. I also love how the main character is already an established hero (well at least to some races). It's nothing I've ever seen before and I found it super interesting! I highly recommend this game!

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• Steam user Steam user …2207Steam reviews · Jul 21, 2020 · 8 h played

  Pendula Swing takes what I tend to dislike most about typical fantasy settings and subverts it nicely, using the classic race stereotypes (human/elf/dwarf/orc/goblin) to comment on and interrogate the kinds of stories told and biases embedded in such narratives. The point-and-click adventuring is straightforward, but the fact that it mainly relies on exploring and talking to people means that it does not distract from the stories being told, and also works from a thematic standpoint (i.e.…

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• Steam user Steam user …7185Steam reviews · Jun 11, 2026 · 10 h played

  I have very mixed feelings on the game. I genuinly like it, it's very charming, I love the world that Pendula builds and love being able to change everything on you, the poly option etc But some stuff I was eh on. For example the elf on the cover is not a regular love interest or character, you can interact with him like once. And the game imo bites off a bit more than it can chew? Trying to talk about systemic racism in regards to orcs and goblins, talking about colonialism and how it would…

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• Steam user Steam user …6933Steam reviews · Mar 15, 2026 · 9 h played

  I really liked this game but mid way i encountered a bug that never allowed me to progress and finished the game. I can’t recommend this game being out with such big problem. And I won’t reply another 8hours to possibly encounter it again.

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• Steam user Steam user …0017Steam reviews · Jan 3, 2026 · 7 h played

  This is a recommendation with reservations. There is a lot to like about Pendula Swing; however, you should also know a couple of things going into it. We’ll start with the good. The lore and worldbuilding in this game is fantastic. It’s a mixture of typical fantasy fare (e.g. the hierarchical breakdown of the races, the clear social commentary, the various gods being a source of conflict among mortals, etc.) with some interesting twists and iterations. I enjoyed learning about this world’s…

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• Steam user Steam user …8197Steam reviews · Oct 12, 2025 · 7 h played

  Overall I would recommend simply because if there were more games set in the world I would play them. I've finished the game in one sitting but bare in mind I have apparently only completed 25%. My reason for not going back to it after finishing the main storyline is it's just too buggy. I had to use a 5 year old hotfix to get out of a frozen state, and even then there were certain characters that would lock up the game and not let me move around/chat to people. I was plagued by numerous…

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• Steam user Steam user …4568Steam reviews · Jan 29, 2023 · 2 h played

  Pros - Looks gorgeous. - Nice music from the era. - Great world building and lore. - Interesting characters - Solid controls, entirely playable with mouse. Navigate with mouse click, select items and characters with mouse click and there is on screen buttons for any other actions including exiting the game. - Pleasant game-play, very chill. Cons - The RPG tag might be a bit flattering; there is no experience system,character leveling nor skill trees. Also while you can change your characters…

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• Steam user Steam user …5864Steam reviews · Jun 25, 2021 · 9 h played

  This is a very charming game that shows a lot of heart and promise, though it could use a bit of polishing, which I hope happens in a future update! This game should appeal to RPG fans as well as VN fans, as it has elements from both. The 1920's/fantasy mashup was a clever and interesting way to present issues like class disparity, education access, prejudice, and queerness. I do think that some additional elements could have been incorporated to increase the 1920s flair - for example, a dress…

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• Steam user Steam user …5174Steam reviews · Oct 30, 2025 · 10 h played

  I LOVED this game. I cared about so many of the characters that fulfilling their quests felt so good. They're the kinds of quests I always wish I could do when I meet downtrodden NPCs in RPGs so it felt great to finally live out that bit of fantasy. I really hope you make something similar again but either way, thank you for the experience.

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• Steam user Steam user …1644Steam reviews · Aug 7, 2025 · 5 h played

  It starts a little boring and I almost gave up but once i entered the main city, it became a fun game. The main quest is very short but there's heaps of side quests to do, although all of them are fetch quests. If you take pets along with you they'll constantly get in the way, so it's better not to take them. They don't add anything anyway. There's no combat or puzzles. You can romance some characters.

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• Steam user Steam user …2587Steam reviews · Sep 24, 2024 · 1 h played

  https://youtu.be/O8M4wMgy-G0 Tackling the themes of post heroism is an under realized narrative hook that plays out well here, even with some rough elements in presentation.

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• Steam user Steam user …3286Steam reviews · Sep 14, 2024 · 3 h played

  Enjoying it thus far. This is a hidden gem and I will be recommending it to people!

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• Steam user Steam user …2947Steam reviews · Aug 13, 2023 · 2 h played

  just as interesting as the real 1920s

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• Steam user Steam user …9445Steam reviews · Jun 2, 2023 · 8 h played

  very fun and very good story line well done

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• GameSense.co @gamesenseMastodon · Feb 8, 2022

  RedDeerGames and Valiant have announced a final release date for Pendula Swing: The Complete Journey on Switch. #PendulaSwingTheCompleteJourney https://gamesense.co/game/pendula-swing-the-complete-journey/news/discuss/pendula-swing-the-complete-journey-release-date/

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• GameSense.co @gamesenseMastodon · Feb 8, 2022

  RedDeerGames and Valiant have announced a final release date for Pendula Swing: The Complete Journey on Switch. #PendulaSwingTheCompleteJourney https://gamesense.co/game/pendula-swing-the-complete-journey/news/discuss/pendula-swing-the-complete-journey-release-date/

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• Steam user Steam user …2093Steam reviews · Sep 11, 2021 · 9 h played

  This game is a lot of fun! I have really enjoyed playing through it multiple times. It has many different ways to play and the story is very interesting.

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• Steam user Steam user …6418Steam reviews · Aug 12, 2021 · 6 h played

  Jolly old time running around.

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