iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A player spent 10 hours in Once Before Us with a partner, then left this: "The best puzzles for co-op playthroughs." - Steam player CraX That one line made my week 💛 store.steampowered.com/app/3849930?utm_source=bluesky #CoOpGame #IndieGame

Steam review by CraX, Recommended, 10.0 hours on record: "The best puzzles for co-op playthroughs. At first it seems like the game is bad, but if you want to warm up your brain, I recommend it for a playthrough."

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

do it in one week, looks great! :)

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

the mushroom and flower stacking is hilarious. did it ever get too chaotic to read the level?

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It still feels unreal that people are playing something I spent years making. Every chapter is its own world, and none can be solved alone. If there's someone you'd play it with, a repost would mean the world to me 💛 store.steampowered.com/app/3849930?utm_source=bluesky #CoOpGame #IndieGame

Two players crossing a rope bridge into thick white fog.

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5,000 downloads with browser plays almost catching up is a great split - people trying it without even committing to a download first. Is the browser version the same build as the Itch download, or a lighter version?

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Gravity mechanics in puzzles are intimidating because they touch every other system at once - collision, camera, sometimes even the win condition. Glad the fear didn't stop you long-term. Did the character select scene end up easier or harder than expected, now that Godot has it?

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Being able to pick your own anniversary date a year later is a pretty great consolation prize for something that infuriating at the time. Glad it turned into a fun series instead of just a sore memory - going to go check out Fact #3.

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Five elements with room to combine up to five per card is a lot of emergent space, and "partly wrong theories that don't agree between schools" is such a good justification for surprises instead of bugs. Sounds like a fun one to keep experimenting in.

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A mine that's already gone off but still has a five-second undo window is such a fun subversion of the genre's usual "one wrong click, game over" tension. Would love to see how that changes the pacing of a normal round.

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Real atmospheric scattering over a faked gradient is such a satisfying upgrade - the kind of detail most players won't consciously clock but will absolutely feel. Does the Rayleigh model also drive your sunrise/sunset colors, or is that a separate pass?

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A Steam curator called Once Before Us "a true friendship test" and I can't stop smiling 💛 "Co-op where shouting 'Look left!' solves everything." - IndieSight store.steampowered.com/app/3849930?utm_source=bluesky #CoOpGame #IndieGame

Steam curator review by IndieSight, Recommended: "Co-op where shouting Look left! solves everything. Abandoned places and two-player riddles. A true friendship test."

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Hard agree, especially for co-op puzzles - a pretty room doesn't tell you if the puzzle actually forces both players to talk. I greybox every puzzle first and only add polish once two people solving it blind actually communicate the way I want them to.

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Order-dependent effects that flip an attack into a heal is such a clean way to make players think about sequencing instead of just stacking the biggest number. How many elements are in the base set right now - is discovery mostly through experimentation, or do you hint at interactions anywhere?

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Thank you! That's exactly the feeling I was hoping for - the portal above that castle is where the whole story is pulling them. Means a lot coming from a fellow dev 💛

Thank you so much for the push! Quick note for anyone reading: it's the full game now, no demo anymore. Grab a friend and give it a go 💛

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Solo dev here. For years I dreamed of sharing a game I made, and now it's out. Still feels unreal. Once Before Us needs two players - got someone to play with? I'd love for you to take a look 💛 store.steampowered.com/app/3849930?utm_source=bluesky #ScreenshotSaturday #CoOpGame #IndieGame

Two characters, one in a blue hoodie and one in a red jacket, looking up at a castle under a bright sun.

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Indie dev here, always curious what else is coming – GamesRadar's running list of upcoming indie games for 2026 has real range, horror to cozy to narrative adventures. Worth a scroll: www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-indie-g…

gamesradar.com

Upcoming indie games for 2026 and beyond

The most exciting upcoming indie games that should be on your radar in 2026

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Love this - turning a missed release date into something fun instead of something sad. Looking forward to the rest of the facts.

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

That's the best kind of growth - people recommending it because they actually liked it. Congrats, and happy belated birthday! 10 days since my own launch and every new player still feels unreal.

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Big Walk (Untitled Goose Game's studio) hit 1M sales in a week - a co-op game built around talking to each other, including moments you can't. Different scale than mine, same belief: communication is the game. store.steampowered.com/app/1478500/... #CoOpGame #IndieGame

Hang out and get lost with close friends in a big world. A cooperative online walker-talker from the creators of Untitled Goose Game.

Big Walk on Steam

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Masks in a multiplayer horror game is such a good call. Do they do anything gameplay-wise, like hiding who's who from the other players, or are they purely cosmetic?

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Interesting idea. One thing I noticed after launching at full price: a lot of wishlisters wait for a discount anyway, since Steam emails them when it happens. So in practice the launch discount already works a bit like that believer tier. My worry with $5 EA would be anchoring the price too low.

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I launched my 2-player co-op puzzle game 8 days ago. Steam hides the review score until 10 reviews - we're at 1. Played Once Before Us with someone? A one-line review would genuinely help a solo dev. store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/... #CoOpGame #IndieGame

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Rivage launched this week — a solo sci-fi puzzle game trapped on a space station where time's gone wrong. Different flavor than mine (Once Before Us needs two people), but happy to see more story-first puzzle games getting real love. www.rivagethegame.com #CoOpGame #IndieGame

rivagethegame.com

RIVAGE

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Awesome Games Review Group on Once Before Us: "Broke an ancient mechanism and hugged it out. Best relationship test since IKEA 🧩" Out now, 2-player co-op only. store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/...

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

TheGamer's 2026 puzzle games list includes Chants of Sennaar — learning a language just to survive. Resonates: half of Once Before Us is players learning to read each other, not just solve the puzzle. www.thegamer.com/best-puzzle-...

thegamer.com

10 Brilliant Puzzle Games You Absolutely Need To Play In 2026

Whether it's an escape room, platforming puzzle, horror title, detective mystery, or something in between, these puzzle games are all must-plays!

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Gaming Grandma on Once Before Us: "Real communication or you won't get far here - one spots the clue, the other figures out what to do with it. The puzzles test both logic and your ability to work as a team." store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/...

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Love the character design here - that little turtle with the sword is doing a lot of personality work in one shot. Wishlisted, good luck with the launch!

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Xbox's Indie Selects picks for September 2026 are worth a look between co-op sessions — always fun to see how differently small teams reinvent familiar genres. Good rabbit hole if you're between games: news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...

news.xbox.com

Indie Selects for September 2026: Genre Mashups & Fresh Takes

Every Wednesday, dive into the Indie Select Hub — your gateway to a fresh, curated indie collection plus four themed spotlights that rotate weekly! You can always find this collection hub in the XBOX ...

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

GameSpot just put together their picks for the best PC co-op games to play in 2026 — a good list to raid next if you and your partner just finished Once Before Us: www.gamespot.com/gallery/pc-c...

gamespot.com

The Best PC Co-Op Games To Play In 2026

10 of the best co-op games on PC, from roguelikes and FPS games to indie horror gems and strategy sims.

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

3 days left to grab Once Before Us at launch price before it goes back up. .99 -> .29 (10% off), ends Sept 22. Co-op narrative puzzle-adventure for two, no solo mode. store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/...

Save 10% on Once Before Us on Steam

Once Before Us is a cooperative puzzle adventure for two players. Communication and observation are the only ways forward - every riddle, mechanism, and clue requires teamwork. Together you’ll explore...

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

CBR put together a list of the best co-op games announced or releasing in 2026, and it's a good one to bookmark if you're already thinking about what to play with your co-op partner after Once Before Us: www.cbr.com/best-co-op-g...

cbr.com

10 Best Co-Op Games Announced or Releasing in 2026

Co-op gaming is having its biggest year yet. These are the best games to play with friends in 2026, from RuneScape to Elden Ring.

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Once you find the right rhythm together, it just clicks. #ScreenshotSaturday #IndieGameDev #CoOp store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/...

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Checkpoint Gaming's September indie round-up has WheelMates in it — co-op as two tiny RC cars solving puzzles around an oversized house. Great pick if you're between co-op sessions. checkpointgaming.net/features/202...

checkpointgaming.net

10 sensational indies to check out in September 2026

September 2026 indies! This month's indies include a creepy RPG farming sim, an Aussie doggy that doesn't care, and a Cyberpunk life sim!

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

GameSpot rounded up the best new co-op games from the last 6 months and it's a solid list if you want something to play with your Once Before Us partner next: www.gamespot.com/gallery/best...

gamespot.com

The Best New Co-Op Games From The Last 6 Months

These are 11 of our favourite co-op games from the second half of 2025, from chilled out coloring games to frantic speed racing, it's been a busy few months in…

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Adding this to my own list post-launch — TheGamer's picks for brilliant puzzle games worth playing right now. Good if you're between co-op sessions and want something to untangle solo: www.thegamer.com/best-puzzle-...

thegamer.com

10 Brilliant Puzzle Games You Absolutely Need To Play In 2026

Whether it's an escape room, platforming puzzle, horror title, detective mystery, or something in between, these puzzle games are all must-plays!

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Spent this week on a puzzle that only works if both players stay quiet for a second. Sounds simple, but I had to redesign the hint system so it never interrupts that silence - the game had to learn when NOT to help. Small fix, weirdly satisfying.

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ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

One more day. Tomorrow, Once Before Us goes live - my 2-player co-op narrative puzzle-adventure. If you've got a co-op partner lined up, now's the time to wishlist: store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/...

ratzikdev @ratzikdev.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Once Before Us on Steam

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2 days until launch! Once Before Us is a co-op puzzle-adventure for two — you need a real second player to see the whole story. Haven't wishlisted yet%3F Now's the time: store.steampowered.com/app/3849930/...