Underground Blossom

***The latest update that adds the Lab as a waypoint on the underground station is a welcome one! The puzzles are much more challenging than the original Underground Blossom game and more reminiscent of the old Rusty Lake games I first fell in love with. I really like this cliffhanger concept of releasing stations as updates when they are developed. With the RL universe being as large and diverse as it is, I can imagine an underground equally expansive with many stations! I'm really looking forward to the Hotel and the foreboding "Day of the Lake!"*** It really pains me to say that I was a little disappointed in the full version release of this game. I think it may have been overhyped and underdelivered. For one thing, it was too short. Most RL fans had already played the lite version (at least once) as we waited impatiently for the full version to come out. Then, when it finally released, nothing at all had been added to the lite version to make it different or more robust - you just had to play those same puzzles again until you got to the new release. I felt like that was a missed opportunity. In addition, except for only a couple of semi-challenging puzzles and one just downright annoying puzzle, most of the puzzles were so simple they didn't even feel like they belonged in the Rusty Lake universe. On the positive side, the graphics and artwork were really good. The storyline was signature Rusty Lake - haunting, creepy, weird, with a dash of hope (or is it dashed hopes?) And the music score was excellent. But this game probably won't be one I return to again and again like some of the others.

My kids and I have been playing all the Rusty Lake games over the years together. The games are perfect for screen sharing to a TV so everyone can participate and enjoy, and occasionally laugh at together. The ‘weirdness’ in these games, all with reappearing themes, characters and objects is just sublime. The puzzles are just the right level of difficulty- we’ve never walked away feeling unchallenged or that they are frustratingly difficult and esoteric, as some puzzle games are. We only began Underground Blossom last night but all of us got pulled in right away, can’t wait to spend a little after dinner time in coming evenings to play the rest. What I especially like about these games, and a note to the developers- is that each game is that they are complete on their own; we don’t get bombarded with adds or needing to make in all purchases for more content. I would even be willing to pay a little more for a single title to keep it this way. Please continue with more great releases in the future!

Love the game! Especially the ending. Huge fan of all Rusty Lake games. I have played them repeatedly over the years and I’ve recommended them to my nephews who also love them. One of my favorite things about the Rusty Lake collection has always been the excellent and atmospheric sound design . With Underground Blossom, while I really enjoyed the evocative music in between stations and the voice acting, the sound effects of say, obtaining a key, are slightly tinny compared to the more solid and satisfying sounds in their other games. I did not really like the background train station noises, it felt like something was missing. The music that played when Laura‘s mother was taken by the deer skull was like nails on a chalkboard! I found it anxiety inducing. Ditto for the screeching and slamming noises throughout the Soul station segment. It was unnerving. I will be sure to shut the music off in the settings next time I play it. Of course, I was still thrilled for a new installation in this wonderful series and highly recommend this game along with entire superb collection.