cypher-market-online

Indie devs made a haunted chain of free games that feed into each other—a videogame exquisite corp

By Dr. Evelyn Reed | January 01, 0001 | 7 min read

In holy rummy the early 20th Century, bored Surrealists created a parlor game where one would draw part of a figure, fold paper so only a bit is shown, then pass it to the next person to continue. In this way a weird, multipart monster would be created in a game royally rummy now called Exquisite Corpse.

Now a collective of indie devs working (mostly) in the lo-fi PSX aesthetic have created a chain of free games based on a collective story—with a twist. Each game in C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. (Chainged) ends with a choice, and that choice feeds into a separate game, creating a branching series of games with their own endings. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this: In true exquisite corpse fashion, developers only knew about games before them in their own branch.

Other branches developed entirely on their own, ending with radically different games on radically different storylines—or not, as the case may be. It's a case of some weirdos going wild and doing great stuff, as you'd expect from this crew.

Because much of "this crew" are the same people behind and affiliated with 2020's Haunted PS1 Demo Disc, a free collection of oddities, demos, and one-off projects which our Fraser Brown called "a good way to shine a spotlight on indie dev projects, which might normally fall through the cracks."  

A similar crew followed up with another round of Haunted demos in 2021, titled, uh, Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2021

But the real connection comes from a different experiment, C.H.A.I.N., or Chronological Haunted Anomalous Interconnected Narrative, which was a series of different games linked together to tell one story. Chainged adds the GED—Guide Each Decision—by making Chain's linear sequence into a rummy 365 nonlinear one.

You can find Chainged for free on itch. Thanks for the tipoff, RPS.

Discussion (3)

JackpotHero7398

The promotions and bonuses offered are very generous. I especially love the daily free spins and deposit bonuses. They make playing even more enjoyable and increase my chances of winning big. The platform keeps me engaged for hours every day. The progressive jackpots are thrilling, and it's exciting to watch the jackpot amounts grow as more players spin the reels. I hope they add even more jackpot slots because it adds a lot of excitement to the gameplay. The mobile interface is smooth and intuitive. I can play all my favorite slots on the go without experiencing any lag or glitches. The design is responsive and user-friendly, which makes gaming on my phone just as enjoyable as on my computer.

BetGuru7003

The payout process is generally smooth and reliable, though occasionally it takes longer than expected. Overall, I feel confident that my winnings are safe and will be credited properly. Sometimes I wish there were more ways to earn rewards through loyalty programs or frequent player bonuses. Adding seasonal events or special challenges could enhance the excitement even further.

HighRoller7681

I love the overall aesthetic of the platform. The animations, visual effects, and sound design make the gaming experience more dynamic and immersive. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back. Customer support has been outstanding whenever I had any issues. They respond quickly and professionally, ensuring that any concerns with deposits, withdrawals, or gameplay are addressed immediately, which makes me trust the platform more. The progressive jackpots are thrilling, and it's exciting to watch the jackpot amounts grow as more players spin the reels. I hope they add even more jackpot slots because it adds a lot of excitement to the gameplay.

Recommended Reading

Microsoft Surveys NXE Avatar Changes, Including Wearable Achievements

The addition of the Rare-designed Avatars in the New Xbox Experience hasn’t amounted to much beyond an increasingly expanding virtual wardrobe. But Microsoft may have grander plans for the [[link]] little guys...

More Nazi Undead Coming To World At War

You like shooting zombies. You love shooting Nazis. It’s the [[link]] first-person shooter equivalent of peanut butter and chocolate, more of which you’re getting in the upcoming Call of Duty: World at War Map...

New Dead Rising And Lost Planet Mentioned, Might Be Multi-Platform

In an interview in the upcoming issue of Famitsu, Capcom exec Keiji Inafune mentioned new Dead Rising and Lost Planet games. More [[link]] importantly, he talked about the games going multi-platform. According...