Helpless

Must play!

For a completely free product, [b][i]Helpless[/i][/b] is a fine game, with a surprisingly short runtime and very limited replayability. Its premise is basic: a child and his respirator-reliant mother are stranded in a hostile desert, and have to get back on the road. The child scavenges for parts for their RV, and on the way tries to piece together what happened to the world around them. As implied by the playtime by the majority of players, and indeed by my playtime, the game is extremely short. Even on the difficulty setting that allows for failure by death, a competent player can reach the end credits within an hour. The difficulty is on the easy side, with no real way to change it. While the sun is a deadly lazer and will kill you if you remain exposed for around three seconds, shade is plentiful, and your stamina is generous enough to make it through to the shadows. Actual gameplay barely constitutes as a platformer, and better befits the "Walking Simulator" tag from the store. The levels are overwhelmingly linear; alternate paths either are shallow and meaningless, or merely give you trinkets that unlock dialog and achievements. There's no need to backtrack or platform. Even…

Atmospheric and story driven, reminiscent of point and click games of old. A cozy melancholic gem.

The game drops you into a post-apocalyptic world where the sun itself is lethal—burning you in seconds, much like Riddick. It aims for minimalism in design and atmosphere, but that simplicity often slips into forgettability. The two central figures lack uniqueness. Their strained relationship is obvious from the start—one refuses help, clinging to the illusion of independence—but the writing doesn’t flesh out their inner lives. Playing as a child adds intrigue, yet the age feels inconsistent: a supposed 10-year-old who somehow drives a crane, despite not even knowing what a store is. This disconnect undermines believability. Backstory exists, but the emotional core is missing. We never learn what truly happened to the parents or why the sun became deadly. Without these anchors, the story struggles to resonate as a reflection of modern life. The mysterious dog, while interactive, fails to become a meaningful companion—more prop than partner, unlike a Scooby-Doo-style ally. Despite narrative flaws, the game succeeds in atmosphere. Its uncanny, minimalistic tone creates a short but immersive experience. The world feels oppressive yet oddly light, a contradiction that keeps you curi…

A great little game about stepping up, whether your mother likes it or not, to take responsibility and be helpful. Helpless is a game set in a world where something cataclysmic has obviously happened. You don't know what it is but the evidence is everywhere. You, a young boy and his mother travel to some unknown somewhere and you're forced to take over from your mother. It's also a game about a possible future where, we as humans can no longer enjoy our long days in the sun, in Helpless, the sun will kill you! The graphics are pretty good, the storyline is touching and close to a reality that our current one is coming ever closer and closer to bing exactly like. All in all, it's a pretty neat little game and the option of exploration or survivor mode makes it interesting, although neither mode is really any different except for the achievement that comes only with survivor mode.

Nice game with a short story that keeps you interested. I would say the only negatives are the camera and not knowing enough background info about the story although this might also be exactly what the developer was going for. A great, fun, short game altogether though!