ENCODYA

Nice game. Point-n-click puzzle solver. Pleasing graphics, character design. Haven't completed the game, but the story seems promising. There are some nice hidden gems in the game, from social commentary, to meme references.

Streamed here, Encodya

For me it's an "OK" game and I've played some adventures and like the genre. The story, atmosphere and music are nice. I think, some solutions are a bit strange and sometimes hard to find/guess. Not all solutions are logical. Sometimes you have to find a small thing/stone on the ground to progress with story. When it comes to the end there are some quite annoying parts where you have to do some dialogues over and over again until you have all the answers right. If you have one answer wrong, the dialogue is starting completely over. My playtime was 12 hours. There are better adventures out there but didn't regret buying it on Sale or playing it.

The game needs an option for FPS cap.
It makes no sense to play point-and-click adventure running 1000FPS on 5060, when default monitor cap would be enough.

Encodya, developed by Chaosmonger Studio and published by Assemble Entertainment, is a thoughtful homage to classic point-and-click adventures, wrapped in a melancholic cyberpunk shell. Set in a neon-drenched Neo-Berlin in 2062, the world immediately introduces itself as broken, commercialized, and spiritually numb—a future where corporate messaging dictates thought and technology has become both lifeline and prison. Into this setting steps Tina, a nine-year-old orphan surviving in a makeshift rooftop shelter with her assigned robot guardian, SAM-53. Their companionship forms the emotional core of the story, and much of the game’s heart lies in how these two interact with the world and with each other. Tina’s resilience and SAM’s literal-minded but devoted protectiveness create an endearing dynamic that makes the journey feel personal rather than merely dystopian.
Encodya’s artistic identity is undeniably one of its greatest strengths. The environments are painted with cinematic lighting, layered cityscapes, and an attention to visual storytelling that conveys socioeconomic disparity without lengthy exposition. Streets are cluttered with VR addicts escaping reality, corporate propaganda screens blare from every surface, and rain slicks the metal architecture until the city looks like it’s slowly dissolving. Each area feels handcrafted, with details tucked into alleys, storefronts, and interior rooms that reward curiosity. Character designs, especially Tina and SAM-53, strike a balance between stylized charm and believable presence, ensuring that even secondary NPCs have a distinct silhouette or personality trait. The soundscape complements this aesthetic beautifully, blending moody ambient music with subdued mechanical hums, urban echoes, and subtle emotional cues.
Gameplay adheres closely to traditional adventure design—inventory puzzles, environmental interaction, dialogue branching, and exploration across multiple urban districts. You alternate between controlling Tina and SAM-53, a mechanical choice that adds variety to puzzle-solving since each character has different strengths and social abilities. Sometimes only Tina can connect with certain characters, while SAM’s strength or database knowledge becomes essential elsewhere. The pacing is leisurely, encouraging players to observe, experiment, and speak to everyone rather than rush through objectives. For longtime fans of the genre, this familiarity can feel comforting, like an intentional throwback to the LucasArts era of adventure games.
However, with that nostalgia comes some inherited drawbacks. Puzzle design can occasionally slip into guesswork, requiring unusual item combinations or environmental interactions that feel unintuitive. Certain objects blend into backgrounds too well, encouraging pixel hunting rather than problem-solving. There are moments where the narrative momentum stalls because the next action isn’t clearly telegraphed, pushing players toward trial and error instead of deductive discovery. While this won’t deter genre purists who expect a bit of friction, new or casual players may feel the pacing slow unnecessarily. The story also leans on familiar cyberpunk commentary—corporate oppression, media manipulation, tech addiction—and while it raises meaningful points, it doesn’t always explore them with fresh insight.
Despite these issues, Encodya remains emotionally compelling, largely due to its protagonists. Watching Tina’s determination grow as she uncovers secrets about her parents and her city gives the narrative a gentle coming-of-age arc. SAM-53’s robotic literalism slowly softens into something resembling empathy, creating humorous and touching moments that break up the bleakness of the setting. Side characters, though sometimes archetypal, help flesh out Neo-Berlin’s societal decay and serve as mirrors to Tina’s innocence and SAM’s unwavering loyalty. By the time the story turns more introspective and surreal—particularly during its journey into consciousness and memory—the emotional investment feels earned.
As a complete package, Encodya offers a curated, self-contained adventure rather than an expansive open-world experience, and its roughly eight-hour length suits that intention. It knows when to conclude rather than stretching its mystery for the sake of length. Players seeking a relaxing but atmospheric experience, something to sink into rather than conquer, will likely appreciate its pacing and tone. It’s also technically accessible, running smoothly on modest hardware, making it welcoming to players who don’t have high-end systems but still crave a visually rich adventure.
Encodya succeeds not because it reinvents the point-and-click genre, but because it treats its world and characters with sincerity. It asks the player to slow down, absorb the city’s sadness and beauty, and care about the small bond at the heart of it all. Its flaws—occasional puzzle opacity, restrained thematic depth, familiar genre conventions—never overshadow its sense of atmosphere, warmth, and visual identity. For fans of narrative-driven indie games, classic adventure formats, or melancholic sci-fi worlds, Encodya offers a memorable, gentle, and surprisingly human journey through a future that has forgotten how to feel.
Rating: 7/10

The secrets are the best part of this game.

Highly recommended!