Bold and Bizarre Games Bulletin - December 2025
It is our last Bold and Bizarre Games Bulletin of the year. So sad. But it's ok - we still have our time together in the hear and now; a precious five minutes where you're probably on a train or waiting for an appointment or sat on your porcelain throne. We treasure this special time with you.
After our usual sew of little reminders, we then have five bold and bizarre games for December for you. If you're looking for this month's puzzle - it's already live! Fret not, however, you still have until December 29 to get it done, and guarantee yourself one of this month's games in partnership with Critical Reflex. GL!
#1 RUIN Chapter 0
Out Now, Itch.io | Official Electric
I discovered RUIN Chapter 0 the other week and immediately became obsessed with everything about it. The 35 years (!) of (fictional) lore, the branding and website of its developer, Official Electric, the art, the music, every meta aspect to its Itch page and surrounding comms. RUIN is a ZX Spectrum-esque interactive fiction meets point-and-click game, but with all the trappings of a fantasy RPG; a modern day re-release of a game that never existed in the first place. I've no idea what form the full game will take, if there's one planned at all, but I'll be following very closely.
#2 Nippets
#2 | Coming Soon, Steam, Itch.io | Blink Industries, Uwu Biz
People watching is my favourite thing to do; packing your deck chair and setting up camp in a park or shopping centre or cemetery or something, and just watching the world go by; coning up with little stories for people as they go about their lives. Nippets, then (which we featured in a Bulletin last year), is that very game! A point-and-click hidden object game with all these little narratives playing out at once as part of a densely packed canvas of everyday life. After going on to become the most played hidden-object game on Itch, the team are now bringing it to Steam - where it'll launch later this year.
#3 Dead Format
Out Now, Steam | katanalevy, Oro Interactive
A horror rooted in iconic film eras - Dead Format mixes old VHS footage (all shot by the game's solo developer) with its survival-horroring to create a pleasing meld of the two horror mediums. Set in 90s Scotland, the game has you searching for your missing brother who was last seen obsessing over a mysterious VHS format. With your apartment as a hub of sorts, you'll pop cursed VHS tapes into the recorder to enter various cinematic worlds, including Silent Era Cinema, Italian Giallo films, and 80s Body Horror.
#4 About Fishing
Coming Soon, Steam | The Water Museum, PlayStack
I've always been a big fan of Hieronymus Bosch; The Garden of Earthly Delights is one of my favourite pieces of art - Mother says it's because my own sins are reflected in the scene. ANYWAY. Demon Stick taps into a similar aesthetic, combining the Dutch painter's distinct visual style with rage mechanics and a silliness at odds with the art. There's a new Demo, and I reckon you should give it a go.
#5 Tingus Goose
Out Now, Steam | Sweaty Chair, Playsaurus
Ok, right, so you plant these seeds in the tummy of your patient, ok, out of which (after a bit of watering, obviously) grows a goose-tree, which will then sprout little babies which fall from the tree, and generate cash when they land. Look it's all very simple and sensible and straight forward, but if you want the full picture here I suggest you just play it tbh.
Reminder! Pantaloon's partnered games for December are…
Mouthwashing! Arctic Eggs! THRESHOLD! Buckshot Roulette!
Yes, four games to close out 2025. Mad
And our puzzle for this month is already live, if you hadn't seen. Agatha's ARG runs until Dec 29th at 23:59 GMT. Oh, and if the puzzle is too much work, we also have an extra chance at a key via our little Bluesky giveaway.
Otherwise, though, you can late fate do it's thing, perhaps you'll get lucky; if you haven't told us you want in this month, make sure you do so.
That's the last Bulletin of the year, then. We'll be back on Dec 30th with keys for this month's partnership. Please have a very melly crimbus x
pantaloon.