Locke(d)

Locke(d)

KigyoDev · January 23, 2023 · Visual Novel, Philosophical, Mystery, Anime, Dialogue Heavy

Locke(d) is free to play — no purchase needed. We track it so you know if that ever changes.

PC
Very Positive92% · 1,118
This game is free to play. Get it on Steam →

Screenshots

Locke(d) price

Locke(d) is free to play — there is no purchase price, on Steam or anywhere else we track. We keep watching it, so if it ever stops being free the price history on this page will show when that happened and what it changed to.

About Locke(d)

✦ AI summary

Locke(d) is a short visual novel where you wake up to talk with a mysterious stranger across a table, unfolding a brief 3000-word conversation through reading and occasional point-and-click exploration. Its atmospheric mystery and philosophical underpinnings, drawn from John Locke's epistemology, create an intimate and thought-provoking experience you can complete in under 30 minutes.


You wake up sitting across from a beautiful stranger.

"There is nothing I want more than to talk to you right now."

And so you talk.

Locke(d) is a short, mysterious and atmospheric visual novel with brief point-and-click segments.
  • Linear visual novel
  • ~3000 words
  • 10-30 minutes of reading

The game was originally made within 2 weeks, and was heavily inspired by a passage in John Locke's "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding".

Locke(d) — game info

Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux / SteamOS
Player modes
Single-player
PC Game Pass
Not included
More games like this:Mac gamesLinux games

DLC & expansions

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

✦ AI summary

Locke(d) is a brief philosophical visual novel that attempts to explore concepts of free will, identity, and human-technology relationships through dialogue and atmosphere rather than traditional gameplay. Players appreciate its short length and free price point, though opinions diverge sharply on whether its philosophical ambitions land, with some finding it an interesting thought experiment while others feel it oversimplifies complex ideas that are better explored elsewhere.

Recommended Jun 1, 2026
Developed and published by KigyoDev, Locke(d) is an unconventional visual novel that blends psychological horror, philosophical inquiry, science fiction, and interactive storytelling into a compact yet thought-provoking experience. Rather than relying on dramatic action sequences or traditional gameplay mechanics, the game focuses almost entirely on atmosphere, dialogue, and ideas. It presents players with a narrative that constantly questions perception, identity, and the growing relationship between humanity and technology. The result is an experience that feels less like a conventional visual novel and more like an interactive philosophical experiment. From the moment the game begins, it establishes a sense of uncertainty. The premise appears simple on the surface, but the story quickly reveals layers of mystery that encourage players to question everything they encounter. Instead of presenting a straightforward narrative with clearly defined goals, Locke(d) slowly unfolds through conversations, observations, and increasingly strange situations. The game is designed to keep players uncertain about what is real, what is artificial, and what role they themselves play within the u…
3 found this helpful
Recommended May 12, 2026
An interesting short story inspired by a philosophical concept. Can't really go wrong with free and 15 minutes long.
2 found this helpful
Recommended Oct 16, 2026
I opening experience
Not recommended Sep 7, 2026
philosophy major took a game design course but it was kinda half ass
Not recommended Sep 3, 2026
A very basic introduction to some philosophical concepts that are better explored in countless other narratives, essays and, I assume, John Locke's own work. I can't stand a ten minute game trying to make grand statements about free will, I'm sorry, but I know the woman in the visual novel isn't real. Her "making eye contact" with me does not make me more inclined to engage with what she says.
Recommended May 27, 2026
She didn't manage to hurt me, but I respect the attempt.

Community reviews

—

0 reviews

Sign in to write a review.

No reviews yet. Be the first to review this game.

More like Locke(d)

News

All news →
Games like Borderlands 3: guns that roll, trees that branchPC

Games like Borderlands 3: guns that roll, trees that branch

Games like Borderlands 3 have to do two things at once: roll a new gun every few minutes and make a skill tree worth planning. These manage both, and one asks you to craft instead.

Nov 6, 2026
Games like Dragon Age 2: one city, ten years, three actsPC

Games like Dragon Age 2: one city, ten years, three acts

Games like Dragon Age 2 are hard to find because almost no RPG keeps you in one city while it rots. These come close, from Neketaka to the streets of Serene.

Nov 6, 2026
Games like Remember Me, for the memory remix more than the cityPC

Games like Remember Me, for the memory remix more than the city

Games like Remember Me, picked for the Memory Remix rather than the neon: minds you can break into, a vertical city to climb, and combos you build yourself.

Nov 5, 2026
Games like Noita, where the physics is the real enemyPC

Games like Noita, where the physics is the real enemy

Games like Noita for the two things it really does: spells you assemble yourself, and a simulated world that takes nobody's side. Seven picks, from a slugcat to a dwarf fortress.

Nov 5, 2026
No Rest for the Wicked price: buy in Early Access, or wait?PC

No Rest for the Wicked price: buy in Early Access, or wait?

No Rest for the Wicked price: Moon Studios says it goes to $60 at 1.0 in March 2027. Our record shows one discount window since late September, bottoming at $25.44 on 15 October.

Nov 5, 2026
Flotsam free on Epic: claim the garbage-sea builder by 12 NovFreebies

Flotsam free on Epic: claim the garbage-sea builder by 12 Nov

Flotsam free on Epic until 12 November. The cheapest we had logged it at since late September was $10.45 on 15 October, and the market had moved back up before this offer opened.

Nov 5, 2026
Games like Clair Obscur Expedition 33 that keep you in the fightPC

Games like Clair Obscur Expedition 33 that keep you in the fight

Games like Clair Obscur Expedition 33, sorted by how much each one asks of your hands, from timed inputs on every action to turns won purely on preparation.

Nov 4, 2026
Games like Subnautica, where the map opens when you earn itPC

Games like Subnautica, where the map opens when you earn it

Games like Subnautica that keep the depth gate: a wall you cannot pass, a workbench, and more map opening only once the equipment does.

Nov 4, 2026

Top games right now

All rankings →
  1. 1Counter-Strike 2Free
  2. 2Dota 2Free
  3. 3PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDSFree
  4. 4Grand Theft Auto V Legacy—
  5. 5Terraria$2.15
  6. 6Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six SiegeFree
  7. 7Rust$19.99
  8. 8Garry's Mod$5.00
  9. 9Team Fortress 2Free
  10. 10Black Myth: Wukong$36.49
  11. 11HELLDIVERS™ 2$23.99
  12. 12ELDEN RING$38.88
  13. 13Apex Legends™Free
  14. 14Left 4 Dead 2$9.99
  15. 15Stardew Valley$13.79
  16. 16Wallpaper Engine$3.99
  17. 17Cyberpunk 2077$23.92
  18. 18Euro Truck Simulator 2$9.69
  19. 19Dead by Daylight$6.73
  20. 20Red Dead Redemption 2$13.33
  21. 21The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt$18.55
  22. 22Baldur's Gate 3$57.49
  23. 23Phasmophobia$13.64
  24. 24War ThunderFree