Universe for Sale – Game Review – Indie Game Reviewer – The Best Indie Games
Universe for Sale by Tmesis Studio
Universe for Sale, developed by Tmesis Studio, is set in a space station within the clouds of Jupiter a thousand or so years into the future. Occupying the planet are alien species, talking monkeys, robotics, and mysterious beings known as cultists.
I knew I’d enjoy my time with Master and Lila within the first five minutes of settling into their world.
I love visual novels and I’ve always been a sucker for an embellished narrative. Give me something with a little bit of pizazz and aesthetically pleasing to boot, and I’m hooked. Universe for Sale enhances generic features of the genre and animates diverse characters and their journeys seamlessly.
Cult of Personality
Personally, whenever I hear the word “cult”, I’m a bit skeptical. However, in Universe for Sale, following the path as a cultist appears to be a remarkable undertaking. Limbs and flesh are disconnected from their bodies, symbolizing enlightenment for their souls.
The nameless Master, who happens to be a cultist, is one of our main “playable” characters. I add quotations to “playable” only because playable is a bit of a reach. Universe for Sale is merely a point-and-click adventure with very elementary puzzles (if you can even call them that) and what kids like to call ‘cozy” gameplay.
A Universe of Wonders
Lila is quite the extraordinaire herself, engineering entire mini universes with her bare hands and selling them to customers at a bizarrely low price. Master is, rightfully so, intrigued by Lila and her capabilities of creating universes from thin air. Lila’s introverted and humble persona works so well with her character. She doesn’t take well to strangers, but finds a friend in Master.
Master and Lila have many interactions, some of them questioning the reliability of Master’s recollections. Master is unsure of who he is, why he is where he is, and honestly anything that is going on ever. There are moments of dialogue choice responses, but they hardly make an impact on the overall story. Dialogue options are more to make players feel like they have something to contribute.
I was hooked on crafting universes with Lila. Customers approach her booth and present her with what they desire their universe to be. The mini game can be challenging at times, but guidance is provided through picture instructions. If you don’t fulfill their wishes within four tries, they give up and you lose out on a sale. You can then spend the currency you receive from creating universes to decorate Lila’s pad.
The Verdict
Though the timeline is ambiguous at times and you’re constantly clicking through dialogue, Universe for Sale’s storytelling is fascinating and earnest. The humor, diverse character dynamics, and hand-drawn animations swept me off my feet. Universe for Sale is meant to be a laidback experience, so get comfy, brew your favorite flavor of tea, and get ready for a beautiful sci-fi-esque journey.
Universe for Sale is available via Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, iOS, and Google Play.
Watch the official gameplay trailer for Universe for Sale
