News: MotionRec Launches a Mind-Bending Puzzle Adventure on Steam
Japan's oldest indie publisher PLAYISM, renowned for genre-blending titles like The Exit 8, Gnosia, and Touhou Luna Nights, has launched MotionRec, the first entry in its fall lineup. Developed by indie studio HANDSUM, this cassette tape-themed puzzle adventure blends rhythm, action, and puzzling mechanics. Players control Rec, a robot on a quest to record the remnants of human civilization in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by machines. The game's core revolves around recording and replaying movements to navigate devastated landscapes, offering creative solutions to environmental challenges. Priced at $9.99 with a -10% introductory discount until November 10th, MotionRec is available now on Steam for Windows PC.
The gameplay emphasizes innovative use of the MotionRec ability: record trajectories from simple walks to complex jumps enhanced by stage gimmicks, then playback these motions in new locations to access high platforms or traverse voids. Midair playbacks are limited but refresh upon landing, encouraging strategic planning and experimentation. This mechanic unravels the mysteries of the machine-ruled world, where endless interaction possibilities arise in unique levels. HANDSUM's team, including developer shoma, pixel artist m7kenji, and composer Kyohei Fujita, crafts a calm, reflective atmosphere through lo-fi aesthetics. To complement the experience, the original soundtrack—featuring 21 melodic tracks—is available for $6.99, with a bundled option at a -10% discount for both.
Celebrating the launch, PLAYISM offers bundles highlighting HANDSUM's admired indies: the MotionReCATĂ–oo package includes MotionRec alongside CATO: Buttered Cat, an adorable puzzle platformer inspired by the buttered-cat paradox, and Ă–oo, a charming exploration game involving creative bomb usage. Following MotionRec, PLAYISM's fall slate continues with Cling to Blindness, an audio-only horror experience from Lizardry relying on sound cues for survival, and Million Depth, an action-strategy title that manipulates time and reality. PLAYISM's track record includes Nuovo Awards finalist The Exit 8 and IGF honorable mention Refind Self: The Personality Test at GDC 2025, underscoring its commitment to innovative indies. MotionRec invites players into a thoughtful journey of preservation and puzzle-solving, perfect for fans of cerebral adventures.