With the likes of Unity and Unreal Engine at our fingertips, game development has undergone a major transformation since its early days. While we've become accustomed to the sleek graphics of AAA games, retro-inspired pixel art still has a special place in my heart, and nothing has captured it quite like Roche Limit – a surrealist horror made entirely in PowerPoint.
While it may sound obscure, Roche Limit's brooding sound design and ominous game art create a surprisingly foreboding atmosphere – so much so that its humble Microsoft Office origins are completely masked. A shining example of the creative prowess of indie game development, Roche Limit is a perfect short-form point-and-click horror to add to your Halloween game roster.
Created by developer Jack Strait, the game consists of over 1,500 PowerPoint slides each with a unique immersive design. With expertly crafted dialogue, UI and animation, it's far from your typical office slideshow, pushing the creative capabilities of the program. What's more, Jack had no previous experience in game development, using the design experience from his architecture degree and the r/PixelArt subreddit to hone his skills during the project.
With intricate details like character customisation and multiple-choice options, the game functions like any typical point-and-click, immersing the player with its surrealist pixel art, sleek motion graphics and haunting sound design. With depth, mystery and spine-chilling tension, it's a prime example of how simple graphics can pack a serious punch.
"The reason why PowerPoint was my next go-to was probably because of how familiar I already was with it," Jack says in an interview with Game Developer. "It was fun though getting to ask myself the question not of 'What do I want this game to be' but instead 'What does PowerPoint want this game to be?'" he adds.
The game is free to play but it should come as no surprise that it's only available on PowerPoint – you can download it here via MediaFire. For more indie game news, check out the wholesome How It Started vs. How It's Going trend where devs showcase the progression of their latest projects or take a look at the challenges of being an indie dev according to the award-winning creator, Stepford.
