What started out resembling a pointless clicker transforms into an oddball RPG. But amass enough sugary treats and Candy Box 2 rapidly goes a bit weird. A candy counter ticks upwards, and you can eat all your candies, or lob some to the ground. The beginning of Candy Box 2 is as minimal as can be. The mix of genres keeps you on your toes: you’ll need brainpower and fast reactions to have a ghost of a chance of winning. Only things aren’t that simple, because your every move is being mirrored by a phantom twin.įortunately, said twin isn’t evil nor out to get you – it helps you escape enemies and grab out-of-reach gems, by way of limited swaps you can perform. You dart about single-screen set-ups featuring platforms and ladders, avoiding enemies and scooping up gems. Not to be confused with the other – and much older – Alter Ego game you probably just read about, this Alter Ego is a platform puzzler. It’s as far from The Sims as you can imagine, too – instead of cute little idiots blundering about, you get stark icons and multiple-choice text.īut there’s depth, with a clever (if admittedly slightly conservative) script written by a psychologist, which offers branching progress that could lead you to a happy old age or abruptly dying as a toddler, having necked some bleach found under the sink. This browser-based remake of an ancient PC game deals with progress through everyday life. It’ll also wallop your ego should you arrogantly think you can keep going indefinitely.Īlter Ego isn’t pretty – visually or in terms of content. It’s like the concept behind Flappy Bird was caught in the TARDIS’s wake and hurled back to 1972, right into Atari’s lap. Over time, the bats shrink and the game speeds up. Space (or tap) makes the minimalist protagonist jump a bit. And rather than controlling the bat, you control the ball. Instead of two players, there’s you alone. Well, this game is, as its moniker suggests, ‘almost’ Pong. Endless frustration when both players realised how inept they were at returning said ball. Fortunately, you can save progress in your browser and continue at a later date. Logistics and supply management are as important as surviving animal attacks, and the adventure can be long and gruelling. It’s a text- and menu-driven adventure in which you build up and maintain a successful community in a harsh wilderness.

Coming from the same developer as Gridland (also in this list) and supplying a similar ‘thrive ‘n’ survive’ challenge, A Dark Room nevertheless takes a very different tack.

Best free single player games for pc