Schastye

Schastye
N/A
Metacritic
67
Steam
59.666
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$0.99
Release date
27 August 2020
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
67 (282 votes)

A miniature frozen between the atmosphere of a small room and Castaneda with Lovecraft. The story of radical spiritual practices in the search for truth among panels and stacks.

Show detailed description

Schastye system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows 7
  • Processor: Intel i3
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Any
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 500 MB available space
Similar games
Popularity
Reviews
Write a new review
leadfoilhat
leadfoilhat

This game is literally not worth the physical effort it takes to play. It'll leave you with sore wrists, an extremely 'meh' story to show for it, and has a tendency to crash and lost you 15-20 minutes of effort.

StarGraj
StarGraj

I think the appreciation for the game comes mostly form how you approach it. If you're coming to it with a mindset of playing a game, you're probably gonna be bored quite quickly, because it's not really a "game", rather an enhanced book, in which field it succeeds greatly, I would say. It's a great story with a great atmospere, that multiplies through the connection of your surroundings to the story itself. After a few pages I was very involved in the plot and how it was gonna unfold itself. I loved it, and you may too!

Michi
Michi

A small game but was lots of fun.
hint is circles (:

fizzy_tones
fizzy_tones

was literally horrible i didnt even pay attention to the story for the second half of it at all because i was so bored and the typing sucked so much that i just downloaded a auto typer. a waste of time. i bought it in a bundle and its original price was 99 cents so it was probably less than that and even at that price it was way too much money for it. horrible. dont get it unless you wanna waste your time and be bored out of your mind.

lumens
lumens

i like experimental games, and understand that interaction is more often than not crucial to feeling immersed in something, but i did not particularly enjoy schastye's execution of that concept. basically just a glorified button-mashing simulator.

MaxDD
MaxDD

Very strange game in a good way. Scientists try to solve the context, philosophers are wondering what's next.

Anything Gaming
Anything Gaming

Weird one this one the good ending took about 20 seconds to get, however pressing random keys to type a story took bloody ages.
I did like the pixel graphics in this game and the weather changing as your typing the story on your pc.

I made a video if you wanna check it out.
https://youtu.be/mO4u8hjsrF4

Wessy
Wessy

The game technically: As the anthropologist and spiritualist Carlos Castaneda said in one of his brilliant passages, "(...) the aim is to balance the terror of being alive with the wonder of being alive". Mixing the exploration of the sensorial and the experimental, Schastye, aims at the balance between the terror of spiritual/existencial awareness with the wonder of spiritual/existencial awareness, using a pixelated and dithering aesthetic, something like a revival or "lost game" from the PSX era or early 2000s PC games. In Schastye you wake up in a small bedroom, with few elements beyond of a radio, a burning incense and an old computer with Word 97 opened. The only substantial progress action you can take is to sit in front of the computer and randomly press keys on keyboard to see the story being written automatically... Yes, all you can do is read an interactive story on a computer screen, a metalinguistic gameplay where the sounds around you alternate between children playing in the street, raindrops and noise from neighbors. During the reading we come across with quotes from Chapayev and Void by Victor Pelevin, Necronomicon by H. P. Lovecraft and the ambience of a journey through the studies of Marcel Griaule. Writing and narrative are close to the Lovecraftian epistle style with Carlos Castaneda's oneirism, and his pioneering spiritualism full of hallucinogenic teas/drugs.

The game on me: At some point in my life, I was in similar situation as the protagonist. I lost and was betrayed by people I loved, I lost a job, I had to go back to the small town where I grew up and live with my parents, and finally, I saw my mental health decline while drink and smoke seemed the only escape from reality which I do not understanded at the time. I even had drinked the same brand of vodka (Talka) as the character. It's important to say it, the great and true key to comprehend Schastye's philosophy is in its own name: the russian word schastye means "happiness" in English. Starting from its name, and crossing its tale, this is a game about the lonely and idealistic pursuit of happiness, using elements of the unconscious and spiritual elevation with use of hallucinogens, we read about lost working class characters, empty and bitter by circumstances of life, the conjecture of "happiness" here only materializes with the withdrawal of the ego and the substance from the body and denial of its own existence, leading to a understanding... Only from the perspective of the lowest point in our lives we can look upwards with confidence and determination, seeing clearly the path where we need to go.

The game at the conclusion: Schastye is more of a visual novel than a game itself, blending with walking simulator elements. The pixelated art is beautiful and the sounds of the game put you in a perfect ambience for what is the main mechanics: looking at the computer screen and reading a story about hallucinogens and existence. It is a short shot, you can finish it in less than an hour, but the experience is pleasant and meaningful enough to leave a simple question: What is existence, when the most important parts of us cease to exist?

zapfinger
zapfinger

More of a short "visual" novel than a game, but worth the tiny price.

Haaaaaybriel_Knight
Haaaaaybriel_Knight

This is not a game. It's a long story that you are required type yourself by manically mashing the keyboard for a solid 10 minutes until the credits abruptly start. There might be more to the program somehow, but I no longer care. My hands are tired and I hate this.

Giu
Giu

Meh. Not much more to say. Button mashing for ten minutes made my hands sore for a short story that wasn't all that interesting. Hard pass.

RightThere
RightThere

True name of this game is short simulator of writer, Yeah I finished this game in 40 minutes.
Imagine someone writing a long story about their life....this game is all about tapping on your keyboard....tapping a very long story.... (about 25 min hectic tapping xD)
What else you can do: turn on radio (only in russian language) and light incense sticks....
I wanna tell you that you are just buying a story...thats all. Is it a good story? No, its nothing special.

jeromocles
jeromocles

An allegory about battling the existential despair of creative angst. Thumbs down though because the typing mechanic is for the birds.

HaHannah
HaHannah

Pro tip- press multiple keys under each hand and the letters go much faster which is a blessing given how ungodly slow the typing is.

This was an interesting game. It was also a very short game. I think recommending this is sort of subjective because you're either going to like it or hate it. There's not a lot of in-between since it's pretty condensed regarding gameplay and story. You're totally immersed- for better or worse.

A few things:
1. That "good ending" was cheeky.
2. I ran into problems when restarting the computer before sitting down to type- Unity crashed on me. It was a pretty consistent bug.

I'd recommend this because I thought it was a blurb of an interesting topic. I'm curious about the dev's other games now and I think that's the highest compliment to someone's artistic perspective.

Steppewalker
Steppewalker

Smiling God, Nameless One, but the most prevailing idea: Sore Hands

I love experimental games! Games that prove why video gaming is worth artistic investment. However, Schastye could have just as easily been a film or a book, and the primary reason for that is the infernal gameplay, which boils down to mindless mashing of keys. The core idea behind the game is brilliant, and I love the graphics and the space in the apartment. But the gameplay...

The setting of the game is a small Russian apartment, decorated with a few bits and bobs. The core gameplay of the game is sitting down at a singular desktop and "typing" a story. But there's no prompt to see the next letter you have to type. If it had been a typing game even, the game would have been far more entertaining. The story itself is decent enough, as Lovecraftian short stories go, but the actual act of writing out the short story is painful. Since you don't know what letter is coming next, and guessing is almost pointless, you are left to frantically mash the keyboard or run your hands over the letters - which just serves to give the player physical pain. This must be why the somewhat mischievous "good ending" is just leaving the apartment before typing the story.

All in all, a decent experiment, but the "game" elements were poorly thought out. Physical pain from gaming, while perhaps a new sensation for me, was really just dissatisfactory in the end. Not a game that's worth the pain, sadly. Other experimental games have done more - but I must admit I will keep tabs on the developer, who showed a lot of promise with this game! A simple refinement of the gameplay would make the game an instant recommendation for this price.

Muckelchen
Muckelchen

I expected someting good looking at the reviews. I also expected pretty much a walking simulator with a low poly look.
Boy I was wrong. First: this is not really a walking simulator. At the start you are in a very small room, you can walk around there and interact with a handful of boring items. Then you have to interact with your computer and type for about 15 minutes anything on your keyboard, your character will then write a "story".
This "game concept" is repetetive, exhausting, tedious, stupid and boring. And then the story is some boring bs.
"Great" game.

Fred Frooby
Fred Frooby

average homosexual psychedelics enjoyer

Big Bill
Big Bill

It is hell trying to read the story. You have to continiously mash the keyboard, and it takes forever.
that, is the main. gameplay.
I have no issues wiith games that are 90% story, and don't have a spcecially interesting gameplay,
but this gamepaly, hurts. it is not even neutral.

AigisABC
AigisABC

There was more "gameplay" from typing out this review than there was in the entirety of Schastye. I'm getting my .54 cents back.

Uzumaki
Uzumaki

Very dedicated to the story in all things.

Nerokaii
Nerokaii

What i expected: a horror game
What i got: injured hands
Nice story though

big slappy
big slappy

after typing for something like 15 minutes or so, probably about to complete the story, the game crashed and i found out i had to start all over again so that blows pretty hard and made me lose my motivation to complete this within seconds after typing again but i guess the game figured that i wouldn't wanna play either way since it just started crashing every single time i would type for more than 5 minutes afterwards
i thought the overall concept/story seemed pretty cool but the typing was a huge drag (while immersive and cool in theory, was not very great in practice and fell very short)
i'd like to maybe go back to this one day after forgetting about it entirely, i just hope by then the crashing problem is solved

Vampirefl3sh
Vampirefl3sh

WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL OF A GAME. I can´t please my hands hurt. After a few pages I stopped reading and just wanted it to be over. The end was NOTHING it was suddenly just black wtf. I mean ok less than 1$ but PLEASE ITS JUST TERRIBLE. Maybe the story is good idk I couldn´t even payed attention to it. It was just a pain in the ass game. Play it if you want to but I regret paying for that shit.

bees
bees

First of all, this game nails the mood and atmosphere instantly. The art wonderfully conveys the characters emotions and I love the fact you can just leave anytime you want and get the one of two endings. and i like other endings a lot

The bad: there is so much mindless typing. I got what they wanted to do. Make it feel like you are typing it but im not writing it im spamming the spacebar over and over to move the plot along. And that all there is! This guy’s writing is good but he needs to be making a book not a game. It is so tedious is takes you out of the actually good story because you just want all the spamming to be done

i hope the artist the best of luck. he did make the amazing satire of wifu and trophy hunter culture: T-Gotchi. but this one is not good. he should honestly consider writing a book though. i would read it and it would likely be great.

Morethan3letters
Morethan3letters

Its just 20 minutes of typing on a word doc.

andrew weng
andrew weng

I play a lot of "non-games", but this one presents an example of how to execute that genre in a bad way. While the atmosphere is pleasant, it quickly becomes apparent that the player is just the subject of a narrative that unravels in a mechanically unpleasing way: every letter of the story is a key press. While such a mechanic may work for a paragraph or even a page, after several pages, it becomes quite tiresome and after several more, pretty insufferable. In short, this game has a great concept, but a terrible execution.

Luna
Luna

If you are a chill vibing soul, just play it. Totally woth it.

Seth_Venoda
Seth_Venoda

A very interesting experience (involving a lot of tpying though). But definetly worth a try given the price!

killua holding two guns
killua holding…

Strange explanations came to mind -- mostly homoerotic in nature.

Rage Racer
Rage Racer

weirdest BL scenario i've read in awhile

Niep
Niep

I played for 16 minutes and finished it + got all achievements. For such a low price It's worth it if you like this kind of games - experimental experiences.
You mostly just sit at a computer and type out a story which I'd say is pretty good.

With a dollar you could buy 2 bananas or a short game for 15 minutes. Make you choice

johntohill
johntohill

I enjoyed this.
It's a 15 minute ride but it does some clever playing with the conventions of gaming that I found quite impressive.
The tale it weaves is intriguing, and I'd urge everyone to read/watch no more and just get it.

< Tsuki 3
< Tsuki 3

boring? yes very much. but its kinda cool im a slow reader so ig this took me more then its supposed to anyways 5/10

Saiije
Saiije

An interesting little experience about trying to find a deeper meaning for our painful existence.

SH!N
SH!N

I don't really get it, but enjoyed it enough, it's fine for 80p ...

@Random_Person_69420
@Random_Person_69420

I never thought there is a game with nothing good in it... but here we are.

Breadgar
Breadgar

This game was quite interesting, I just picked it up randomly and spent the first few minutes looking around wondering why the whole world was pixelated and trying to make out what there was confused as to the statue and just interacting with anything I could, then I started the "story" it was pretty depressing at first and the background sounds added more to it especially if you have the radio on it adds a depressing feeling to it as if you were writing out your suicide note, which I thought it was, but then it got quite interesting and the further I read into the story that's when I started to realize IT, I was pretty turned around by that, when it ended I was a little shocked and went back to see everything again now that I understood it.

eelcakes
eelcakes

my keyboard smoked a cigarette after i vigorously fingered it for 20 minutes straight

ChoccyEclair
ChoccyEclair

If the game works as intended, it's sorta meh at best. If you're as unlucky as me, however, the 20 minute long game will crash and you will have to start over.

Orange
Orange

I always appreciate stories of psychedelic experiences, and whilst I do to here, to a degree, as well, I can't really recommend this game to anyone. It's not fun to play (which is fine, not every game necessarily /has/ to be, but it fails to deliver a worthwhile ending to justify this), and its narrative seems like a mixed hodgepodge that darts between pointlessly confusing to actually quite engaging, although usually the former. I left the game thinking "oh, so that's what that statue is", and that's it, really. If the game was going for a trip report with a disturbing twist at the end, then I think that's a good idea on the drafting paper, but the game does not stick around long enough for me to care about any of these unmet characters. An important takeaway is to always practice set and setting, friends, or you could end up like our protagonist - merely a (metaphorical) blood splatter on the walls of Erowid to serve as a warning for those who come after.

4/10.

Kittyswords
Kittyswords

This is the worst non-game i have ever played in my life. It hurts to type, it's boring, no cares about your story, this should not be on Steam or it should be free. Horrible. Almost a scam, save your dollar/euro or whatever and go give it to a homeless person. I HATE this. ew.

Gory Tundra
Gory Tundra

This is a short interactive"ish" VN. I bought the bundle of the developer at a very low price, and as I have recommended most of the other games due to the achievements or the art style, I cannot recommend a game that has a bug. After about 15 minutes of button smashing on the CRT monitor, my game crashed. The achievement did not unlock and I had to do it again. The second time around button smashing is not ideal. I really do hope that the developer is still active in that he fixes this big bug, as it is annoying.

I personally did not like the blurry art style, however the developer has weird art style in all his VN's so I cannot fault that as it is personal preference.

Overall, I did not enjoy the button smashing and having a bug in the game. I think that if there were an option to auto type the letter on the monitor and then the bug fix, this would be better.

Iubar
Iubar

I dont have a problem with games where you have not too much decisions and i also like the idea of this game. The art is beautiful, however after less than a minute you really only have the story the character writes on the computer left to do, since every other aspect of the game you have done then. And to be honest the story was kind of boring to me, while the mood was there i gained little interest in the story itself. There was nothing to think about for me. I like the concept but i wish there were some more game-elements. At least the story should be more catching. However for the price try it and maybe you like the story :)

Trapezoid
Trapezoid

For a dollar, yeah absolutely. For any more than that I'd question it but this is good for what it is at the price it is sold for.

Sataka:
Sataka:

Did not enjoy the way the text was displayed on the computer by spamming keys of my own.

Plutia
Plutia

My Fingers hurt now and my ears from the Monkey hammering on my mechanical Keyboard

As for the Story, i think its about enlightenment? No clue honestly, had me feeling a bit "homo'd" though

Can't really recommend it due to the Pain in my Fingers and Wrists, if you get it in the collection then eh, try it out i'd say.
You should use an Auto clicker though if you aren't a Masochist

AllieTheUnicat
AllieTheUnicat

Good for when you skip fingie day- lots of typing

Handicapper♿
Handicapper♿

MY FINGERS ACTUALLY HURT THE GAME WAS WAY TO LONG

cool graphics tho

chemcult
chemcult

a v interesting story. being the one 'typing' the story helps w investment. the story itself reminds me of doors of perception by aldous huxley. i would recommend for anybody looking for a quick and interesting story, if your looking for something w dynamic gameplay it may not be for you though

Willy471554
Willy471554

https://youtu.be/oQ0wldvLzc0
в мире не осталось искренних чувств
я теперь иду и тут каждую боюсь

это ли счастье ?
тут все погасло
это не счастье
не счастье

это ли счастье ?
тут все погасло
это не счастье
не счастье

ты мне говоришь люблю
на это в голове много мыслей у меня
что если тебе не даю
я не даю то что хочешь от меня
в мире только подлость грусть
тебе важны мои деньги бери мои деньги
я тебя не люблю уходи от меня
не возвращайся сюда

в мире не осталось искренних чувств
я теперь иду и тут каждую боюсь

ты мне говоришь люблю
на это в голове много мыслей у меня
что если тебе не даю
я не даю то что хочешь от меня
в мире только подлость грусть
тебе важны мои деньги бери мои деньги
я тебя не люблю уходи от меня
не возвращайся сюда

ты мне говоришь люблю
на это в голове много мыслей у меня
что если тебе не даю
я не даю то что хочешь от меня
в мире только подлость грусть
тебе важны мои деньги бери мои деньги
я тебя не люблю уходи от меня
не возвращайся сюда
https://lyricstranslate.com

Kitty Is Decaying
Kitty Is Decaying

man this guy really hates his wife i stg

󠁳󠁳⁧⁧ 󠁳⁧⁧ 󠀡
󠁳󠁳⁧⁧ 󠁳⁧⁧ 󠀡

weak finger mfs hate this game

emter
emter

My hand still hurts from typing but it was worth it as I discovered the Prophecy and now I know the meaning of life!

3n7r0pY
3n7r0pY

The typing mechanic got old pretty quickly, but the story and atmosphere were good.

CakesInAPan
CakesInAPan

I feel like Schastye is certainly "experimental", as defined in the tags. You sit in a room and type.. honestly you can mash one button over and over if you'd like, but either way, whatever you hit on the keyboard registers as the story in-game on a word document.

It's interesting enough, I suppose, as I did end up reading the whole thing. I bought this game for 49 cents and it gave me 49 cents of entertainment. Far from enthralling, but I did like the game audio and style of "writing" a story as I'm reading it.

MasterionX
MasterionX

You click a bit, you mash buttons a lot, you press 'E' - end of game.

dylaNPC
dylaNPC

this was the most exhausting visual novel i've ever played, moving on the graphics were just bad, but i did genuinely think the story was pretty decent.

DrRayenstein
DrRayenstein

Though weird, this game was a good use of my 30 odd mins.
Would recommend, its only 1 dollar you damn cheap asses

GuyOnASkateboard
GuyOnASkateboard

"This game fucking sucks" these are the only letters I typed while playing through this waste of time. It would've been infinitely better if I just downloaded a text file. Don't waste a dollar here

WeetieTheGreat
WeetieTheGreat

Schastye, in my opinion, is quite an enjoyable experience. All though the game is quite short, it really knew how to build it's atmosphere. It does require quite a bit of typing but it had such an interesting story, that it just kept me wanting to keep writing out their story.
Overall, the playing space is quite small with a few things to interact with but other than that, I would definitely recommend this game. And with the one dollar price tag, you aren't losing too much in the long run. I would recommend playing this game with headphones, helps build the atmosphere.

TheKapster
TheKapster

my hands hurt, worth it tho. Loved it

tovar
tovar

you just sit there at your desk mashing your keyboard typing something i didnt want to read. this is the worst. huge waste of time. dont bother, not worth any money. not even 1 dollar.