Summary
Yesterday was a pretty big day for game announcements.Microsofthosted its latest developer direct, revealingNinja Gaiden 4andshadow-dropping Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, plus sharing more information onSouth of Midnight,Doom: The Dark Ages, andClair Obscur: Expedition 33.
One game that almost definitely slipped under your radar, though, is The Bench, which looks like the next viral hit, somewhere betweenThe WitnessandUntitled Goose Game.
The Bench Is Untitled Goose Game With Pigeons, And The Witness Looking Puzzles
Untitled Goose Game is one of the most viral indies of the last few years. Playing as a mischievous goose, it’s your job to wreak havoc by completing a variety of tasks.
The Bench looks like it takes a leaf out of Untitled Goose Game’s book, except with a few more puzzles. And a flock of pigeons.
In a short trailer, an old man, which this “old man at the park” simulator is based on, is seen sitting on a bench. It’s here that he controls a flock of pigeons to find hidden objects and complete a range of dastardly tasks, much akin to the aforementioned Goose Game.
The pigeons are tasked with stealing a shovel, ruining a garden, taking swimming lessons, and finding three fish, as well as seemingly flying themselves into a powerline to disrupt a repairman’s work.
The game’s official description reads: “The Bench is an upcoming “old man at the park” simulator. Yes, you play an elderly gentleman hanging out on a park bench controlling flocks of pigeons, fending off hungry wildlife, annoying park staff, and solving puzzles in the newspaper in this casual sim/puzzle game with a wholesome twist.”
On the game’sSteam page, it’s also confirmed that The Bench will have Twitch integration, allowing viewers to “influence your gameplay live in a variety of ways, such as spawning pigeons, raccoons, and NPCs to change the flow of the game.”
It certainly seems like the type of game designed to go viral on Twitch and social media, and with a demo coming out in next month’s Steam Next Fest, we won’t have long to wait to see just how hilarious things can get.
Steam
Owned by Valve, Steam is a digital storefront and library for PC games. With many sales, updates, account functionality, and compatibility with many different platforms — as well as streaming options and its own Steam Deck handheld - it remains one of the biggest storefronts for PC gamers.
