A perfect example of a good idea done right, The Past Within might not impress on a technical level, but the puzzle gameplay is solid and the asymmetrical gameplay concept simply works. The biggest hurdles to overcome are the limited gameplay time and that you’d ideally need to convince a friend to pick up the game as well -unless you’re willing to team up with a stranger on Discord. That said, there are plenty of solo games set in the Rusty Lake universe, and The Past Within left us curious about exploring those as well.
The Past Within
Rusty Lake · Nov 2, 2022
About
The Past Within is the new co-op experience from Rusty Lake! Play together with someone you deem trustworthy: one in The Past, the other in The Future. Observe and communicate what you see around you. Solve the puzzles and uncover Albert Vanderboom’s plan.
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Critic reviews
- 8.5We’ve been wanting to see more co-op puzzle titles and The Past Within is a fantastic entry to the genre. Smart pacing and an interesting premise and set-up make for an evening well spent with a friend.
- 5.0Overall, at the price of only a few dollars, Rusty Lake: The Past Within will likely be a worthwhile enough experience for long-time fans of the series, but players not familiar with the story or those seeking a challenge should look elsewhere.
- 8.0On top of that, the game has a replayability system so you can do it all over again, changing roles with the same partner or even roping in someone entirely new if you're looking to grow your own puzzle-fiend cult. However you choose to enjoy, one thing is for certain. Through the highs and lows shared with others along the way, this is an experience that will carve a space, past and future, in your memory.
- 8.0Dungeon Merchant is a 2D management game about running a shop for dungeon adventurers to pay off the debt from their own adventure. It's active and varied, with a pace that keeps you moving. It does depend a fair amount on RNG to improve your chances and could use more in terms of expansion. After all, being a dungeon merchant can be a hard and fast life.
- 8.0A short, sharp cooperative puzzler with a fun time-spanning twist. The Past Within sees Rusty Lake go all out to make the purest kind of cooperative experience possible, and ends up doing a fine job.
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