Okay, so imagine you’re a lighthouse. You wake up one day because a bird crash-lands on your dome, and suddenly you’re off on a journey through a decaying, post-human world. That’s Keeper, Double Fine’s latest indie fever dream, and it’s kind of incredible. It’s also included with Game Pass. No drugs in the game, but I wonder how many were used while creating it.
There’s no dialogue, no combat, no UI clutter. Just vibes. You and this bird (Twig, who’s adorable and mildly chaotic) wander through surreal landscapes—glowing forests, haunted beaches, ruins that feel like they were built by ancient space druids. It’s all wordless, but somehow it hits harder than most story-driven games.
Keeper plays like a slow-motion hug. You solve puzzles by redirecting light beams, waking up weird flora, and occasionally scaring off shadow creatures called The Wither. But it’s not really about the puzzles. It’s about the moments: when Twig perches on your shoulder, when the music swells just right, when you realize this rusted old lighthouse is learning how to move again.
Visually, it’s stunning. Think Journey meets Inside, but with a color palette that feels like someone spilled oil paint on a dream (drugs?). The Keeper animation is clunky in the best way—like your character is relearning how to exist. And the soundtrack? Adds to the feeling. Ambient, emotional, and just the right amount of weird.
Honestly, Keeper feels like it was made for people who’ve cried during a Pixar movies and have a soft spot for games that don’t rush you. It’s not trying to be epic. It’s trying to be intimate. And it nails it. There are those rare games that may not sell a lot or last long, but will stick with you long after. Keeper is definitely one of those.
If you’re into games that make you feel things without spelling them out—if you like wandering, wondering, and occasionally whispering “what the hell is that?”—Keeper is worth your time. It’s on Game Pass, so you’ve got no excuse. Go be a lighthouse. You’ll get it once you’re in it.