Drowning in Problems (Ludum Dare 29 submission)

How:

Web browser, mouse only, with a little reading and a lot of deep thought about the meaning of life. Mobile friendly.

What:

Meditative contemplation of existence... Simple and artistic story game... Parody of human suffering... I'm not sure what it is.

Who:

If you like games that make you think, or like philosophy, you should try it; it's very short!

Where:

Online (phone friendly too)

Why:

Notch has made some other awesome games, and this is one of the few games in recent memory that made me think both while playing and after playing. It's clearly a sort of essay and contemplation, in simple game form.

Fallen London (aka Echo Bazaar), from Failbetter Games

(First, how awesome is Failbetter Games as a company name?)

I'm taking this in the order of "What am I playing right now?" so you'll hear about the things I play as I play them, if they are awesome enough that YOU should play them too. I'm also experimenting with my template, and would love feedback. If you're asking When? the answer is Now!

How:

Web browser, mouse only, mostly just text.

What:
Turn based, supernatural, narrative game with novel mechanics, long story arcs, and cooperative or competitive social interactions. Freemium in very good ways.

Who:
You should play this game if you like filling in narrative gaps and a deep story taken in small pieces. Play if you enjoy a casual yet long-term game, which you can pick up for 5 minutes throughout the day. Play to explore a novel, creative world that is spooky and funny and adventurous.

Where:
Online at Fallen London

Why:
Their storytelling mechanism allows you to fill in many details and interstitial gaps for your own character's narrative while giving you all kinds of fun choices to make. Rarely have games made me pause and think for a minute about my next action, but this one has multiple times.