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windowframe (PC)
BY DANIEL LINSSEN

You’re reading this inside a window. Practically every interaction with a piece of software takes place inside one. This has been the norm for computer use since around 1990, which is when Microsoft’s Windows 3.0 arrived and engulfed all other graphical interfaces. It’s reasonable to say, then, that having us reconsider the windows we peer into our computer files and the internet with every day isn’t an easy task. But, in only 48 hours, game designer Daniel Linssen has managed exactly that. In his Ludum Dare 35 entry, windowframe, you are tasked with killing six vampires, carrying a stake for each. This lethal use of the stakes is, however, secondary to their ability to pin the sides of the game’s window. To explain: Without throwing a stake into the sides of the square the game is contained in, the tiny window follows the character across the screen. Playing like this makes some puzzles impossible. To progress, you’ll occasionally need to keep the sides of the window in place and use them as a surface to walk and jump on. It’s a game about resizing windows. And a clever one at that.

Perfect for: Vampire killers, puzzle game addicts, software developers

Playtime: 20 minutes