This is also absolutely the feeling one gets from <\/strong>MyDear.exe<\/em> so the description is definitely fitting. I also read how it was described as a \u201cFoldervania\u201d\u2014which, of course, is a fun little play on words regarding the popular Metroidvania style of games. In short, this is about experiencing a life story between the characters Ellie and Lucien. The former logs onto her computer (where the entire game takes place) where Lucien has created a small game for her that summarizes their life together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything thus takes place on the desktop; among folders and their files that you are to search through. There are text documents, images, programs, and mini-games that constitute the actual gameplay experience alongside the story you are taking part in. The \u201cFoldervania\u201d concept lies in the fact that these documents contain passwords that allow you to open other files, there are images that must be pieced together, and there are mini-games that must be completed. That is roughly what it is all about\u2014clicking your way forward to find the right things so that you can… click your way further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The various mini-games that exist then serve as a break from the detective work of searching for passwords. These consist of a game where you jump over obstacles on a bicycle, a game where you, as the family cat, fight birds, a dog, and a boy in a propeller cap, as well as a Pokemon<\/strong>-inspired game where you, as the newly acquired dog, must make the right choices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything in this little game is very stripped-back and simple, and the various levels require at most a try or two to complete. When you succeed, a new folder opens so you can proceed. Most often, however, a password is required to gain access to new folders. These passwords are along the lines of \u201cWhat year did we meet<\/em>\u201d or something similar, so it is important that you have read all documents carefully. The game also has a function with Post-it notes that appear on the side of the screen so you can write down all the clues and other things you come across. In other words, you have usually already written down the answer by the time you encounter the prompt. Or hopefully so\u2014because otherwise, there will be a fair amount of backtracking, which I find is perhaps the game’s greatest weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because where the Metroidvania\/Foldervania concept both intersects and clashes a bit here is in how it works as a whole. Where we are used to quickly reaching a place on the map in the former type of game where we then need a certain item to proceed\u2014only to then explore what we can\u2014it works essentially the same way here. Quite quickly, we encounter a folder or something that needs to be \u201cunlocked\u201d with a password. The big problem arises in that we don’t exactly have a map, or any way to sort or clearly distinguish between \u201cenvironments\/folders\u201d to explore, but instead have to go back, look around, read, and try to find the password. It simply becomes a bit messy and without any direct sense of offering more distinct exploration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the map itself here is just a mess of folders that open, close, go back, check again\u2014without the game telling you what is finished or having any direct way to show what has been searched\u2014you quickly end up just sitting there clicking your way through. A password might be \u201cWhat did it say on that note?\u201d Hopefully, as mentioned, you have been diligent and written down everything of value on one of your Post-its, but it still happens quite often that you have to search around again. Especially when you later install a program that allows certain files to be read. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because where the previous things could not be opened, you now have to click back to them. It becomes a type of \u201cbacktracking\u201d that, in a pure Metroidvania, can of course also be frustrating at times. But where those games have environments, enemies, platforming, and other things that offer entertainment, all such things disappear here for obvious reasons. I don’t really know how one could get around that, though. But there is a structure in how folders and files are laid out that contributes a bit to this frustration. You don’t really know when you are completely finished with a part of something, and the game doesn’t really tell you where you are. The story is certainly linear in how the two characters meet, fall in love, and create a life together\u2014all in the form of text boxes like a visual novel. But the storytelling becomes a bit messy and loses its impact when it becomes choppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone who has rooted around in folders on an unorganized computer\u2014their own or perhaps, heaven forbid, someone else’s\u2014knows how messy it can actually get. I think MyDear.exe <\/em>would have benefited a bit from things like images or mini-games being more structured so you always knew where to return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I like the idea as a whole, however. Sitting at the desktop of the little retro PC feels nostalgic and cozy. And when the classic Minesweeper <\/strong>appears as a mini-game, it’s hard not to smile for all of us who were around back in the day. The other mini-games are also quite pleasant, and there is something genuinely interesting here about building a life story around the concept of searching for memories and stories among folders and files. It is not entirely successful in terms of the interface\u2014but the short playtime of just over two hours also means that it is over before any direct frustration has time to truly set in. Ultimately, however, it remains a more interesting concept than it is a truly fun execution.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"MyDear.exe\"](\"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/ss-b7016d32acc4b023dbafd494f3eaa50d0e09112a1920x1080.jpg\")
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