ESTIGMA is a wonderfully grotesque arcade game that plays like a blend of Pac-Man and Q-Bert as you navigate its fleshy mazes and then unravel its multi-layered secrets.
The core gameplay in ESTIGMA is fairly simple – you need to stand on all the black tiles in each level at least once to turn them red. If you stand on them twice then they will turn solid red and you won’t be able to pass through them, so you need to plan your route – however there’s also an assortment of hazards and fleshy abominations that attack and distract you, so you need to have your wits about you.
It takes around 20 minutes to play through ESTIGMA, but that’s when you’re just getting started. There’s also a multilayered mystery to unravel that leads to some very unexpected places, features some excellent easter eggs and requires some real code-cracking skills.
Even if you don’t venture into the enigma of ESTIGMA though, the core game is a fantastic experience. The grotesque fleshy pixel art visuals are a sight to behold and the retro arcade gameplay is a lot of fun. It’s one hell of a trip and it just gets better the more you delve into it. Highly recommended.
Controls: WASD – Movement, Shift – Run
Available On: Windows
Gameplay Video: Here