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Demo charts an early path to Desktop Explorer 

Demo charts an early path to Desktop Explorer 
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Complete version of retro-OS-based mystery adventure coming soon to Steam on Windows and Mac


Remember the days of Windows 95 with its simple aesthetic and annoying virtual assistant? It really wasn't that long ago and was a major technological leap forward at the time, but already it feels downright quaint in comparison to today's slick-looking, hi-speed computers. If you're feeling a pang of nostalgia for the olden days, however, you should get more than your fill in Recurring Dream's upcoming OS-based mystery adventure, Desktop Explorer.

While some game protagonists are lucky enough to inherit family mansions, your big windfall from the death of your uncle is an old PC still running a "very retro-looking OS." Why would he bequeath you something so antiquated and already partly damaged? The only way to find out is to begin poking around its files, and sure enough, you soon come across a letter addressed to you from your uncle before his ailing memory failed him completely, imploring you to continue his investigation into a "mysterious application named Desktop Explorer." Inspired to probe deeper to find out what was so important to him, you begin to "unravel the narrative of the computer's previous users," but as you "progressively uncover [its] secrets you might find that some files are meant to stay hidden."

Although entirely fictional, Desktop Explorer looks and sounds so much like an old computer that it's like being transported back in time, presenting a "fully interactive 90s desktop experience" that lets you "manage files, customize your desktop" and snoop through every folder you find. Not everything is fully functional, mind you, so you can expect "corrupted and glitched files ... scattered across the file system." In order to progress, you'll need to solve puzzles by "deciphering hidden passwords," renaming files, even changing your screensaver, among other "creative" tasks as needed. If you require help, you can always click on the ever-eager Clippy-like hint system that introduces himself as "Pizarro." With or without his assistance, what begins as a "fairly innocent narrative" gradually reveals that there is "more than meets the eye with this machine, as you slowly see its familiar façade fade away in favor of something darker." 

The full version of Desktop Explorer is expected soon for Windows and Mac, but you can sample its wares right away through the playable demo available on Steam, throwing you straight into the mysterious old operating system with no hand-holding to get you started. 



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