Open Roads
Open Roads
Game
Game2021
The Rewinder
Developer MistyMountainStudio
The Rewinder is an adventure puzzle game based on Chinese mythology. You play as Yun, the last known Rewinder, who can communicate with spirits and explore other people's memories to alter the past. From the Steam store page
202 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Oct 24, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
90
LovedLoved
149 positive · 16 negative
95% range 85–94%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 149 | 16 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
396 of 426 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
90% recommend · 161 yes, 17 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 178 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (7,071 of 7,378 positive).
Players praise the game's engaging story, beautiful pixel art, and creative time-rewind mechanics. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note that the game is short but sweet, with a compact narrative and enjoyable puzzles. [1][4][5] A few players criticize the inclusion of real-time action sequences and non-skippable cutscenes. [6][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [16]
The graphics are impressive, and the puzzle design meets acceptable standards. However, the narrative, which I consider the most important aspect, falls short.
- [2]
This game was AWESOME! An engaging story, fun and sometimes challenging puzzles, creative game mechanics, and endearing characters. Short and sweet, but with some twists I was very pleasantly surprised by. I can't wait for the second game, to see more of these characters, and become even more immersed. Pros: - Well crafted atmosphere & music that immerses the story - Charming characters - Memorable puzzles and mini …
- [6]
This game has several real-time action sequences implemented in a 2D point-n-click engine; a horrifying, criminal design choice. Don't buy this unless you're willing and able to grind past those. The rest of the game is great!
- [4]
A neat puzzler inspired by Chinese mythology. The story is compact yet complete, and the character development is handled well within a relatively short gameplay time (around 5 hours). The best feature of this game is the chapter select option, which allows players to jump back to specific parts to collect any missing collectibles—a feature that should be standard in every linear narrative game.
- [17]
A unique adventure game about Chinese mythology. Deep and emotional, nice atmosphere, very captivating. Definitely a must-play if you like the genre. 10/10
Summarised from 34 of the 217 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked The Rewinder talk about engaging story based on Chinese mythology; those who didn't talk about frustrating real-time action sequences in a point-and-click game. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 202 · most liked first14 Exciting New Games Coming to Nintendo Switch - August 2023. These lists are rarely complete, but it's a good way to get a glimpse of some games. - Adore - August 3rd, 2023 - A Guidebook Of Babel - August 3rd, 2023 - GigaBash - August 3rd, 2023 - The Rewinder - August 10th, 2023 - Moving Out 2 - August 15th, 2023 - Die After Sunset - August 17th, 2023 - Vampire Survivors - August 17th, 2023 - Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - August 18th, 2023 - Blasphemous II - August 24th, 2023 - Sea Of Stars - August…
neutral · AI labelView post →Fairly short and enjoyable game. I wanted something that would help me feel a little more tied to my roots while being fun, and this was definitely that. The plot, art, and music were enjoyable; good way to spend a weekend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Game Pass Games: 11/5 Metal Slug Tactics StarCraft: Remastered StarCraft II 11/7 Goat Simulator Remastered 11/19 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Standard: Go Mecha Ball Harold Halibut The Rewinder Turnip Boy Robs a Bank Botany Manor news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/1...
neutral · AI labelView post →This game was AWESOME! An engaging story, fun and sometimes challenging puzzles, creative game mechanics, and endearing characters. Short and sweet, but with some twists I was very pleasantly surprised by. I can't wait for the second game, to see more of these characters, and become even more immersed. Pros: - Well crafted atmosphere & music that immerses the story - Charming characters - Memorable puzzles and mini games - Creative time-travel / puzzle mechanic - Lovely pixel art…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm a complete sucker for time manipulation mechanics and point and click puzzlers, and this one does both brilliantly all while telling a story that I didn't expect to find as affecting and emotional as I did.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The graphics are impressive, and the puzzle design meets acceptable standards. However, the narrative, which I consider the most important aspect, falls short.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don’t remember when and how I heard about Misty Mountain Studio’s The Rewinder, but I’m glad I did. It is a very good point-and-click adventure game, and is definitely one of the best in the genre that I’ve played to date. Although it is made by a Chinese indie game studio, and is based on Chinese mythology and folklore, this game has been well localized for English-speaking audience to broaden its appeal. In this game, you play as Qi Yun, a novice Rewinder who happens to be the last of his…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has several real-time action sequences implemented in a 2D point-n-click engine; a horrifying, criminal design choice. Don't buy this unless you're willing and able to grind past those. The rest of the game is great!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →while almost scared away by its challenging puzzles, this game presented an intelligent story, emotional drama, and expansive world-building that drew me right back in. the base game is incredible. however, the dlc lacks the same emotional core and story density, mainly serving as prequel exposition. ultimately, left me craving more. also, achievement hunting was fun and not mind-shattering.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Rewinder was…. fine I guess. It's a pretty short puzzle game that revolves around rewinding to an earlier point in time and trying to influence the actions of people there by manipulating their thoughts. Beyond that, there are a number of simple one-off puzzles that don’t really merit much attention and some art and story details that are a little interesting but hardly enough to carry the experience on their own. The core puzzle experience, the rewinding ability, has some neat aspects but…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Found it boring for the most part. Guess you can't trust the reviews.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →if you like solving puzzle with a bit of chinese myth and urban legend u are in the right game to play try this game! its amazing with their soundtrack as well.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I decided to try out The Rewinder today! It's leaving Game Pass at the end of the month and I wasn't aware of it It's a puzzle adventure mystery game based on Chinese mythology. So far the story, puzzles, and time mechanic are all fantastic. I'm loving the pixel artstyle as well.
positive · AI labelView post →Well written point-and-click adventure. Good world-building, the rewind mechanic is fairly novel and fun, though maybe a little under utilized. Fast and enjoyable, puzzles are on the easy side but not too easy-- right at the sweet spot where you have to think enough to feel smart but want no frustration.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A neat puzzler inspired by Chinese mythology. The story is compact yet complete, and the character development is handled well within a relatively short gameplay time (around 5 hours). The best feature of this game is the chapter select option, which allows players to jump back to specific parts to collect any missing collectibles—a feature that should be standard in every linear narrative game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The pros: beautiful art-style, soundtrack, etc. Core concept is a neat idea, and the setting is certainly original. The cons: it's... really dull. Like, I'm not sure quite why but I couldn't get into the story at all. Maybe it's just me, but I just wasn't hooked and was kinda bored to be honest. The rewind puzzles where nice, when present, but most of everything around it just didn't click for me. The characters are kinda flat and one-dimensional so it's hard to be emotionally invested in…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game plan for today - Food - The Rewinder: Root of Evil DLC ( I am here) - Real world nonsense that I have to do for several hours bc capitalism - Food - South of Midnight
neutral · AI labelView post →Well clearly people are loving this game but I hated it and never finished chapter 4. I will be deleting it. Music is VERY repetitive and annoying as it plays on the shortest loop one can think of and the scenes drag on. Every time I wanted to restart from the last checkpoint, it made me watch everything all over again. Personally I did not enjoy any of the puzzles in this game but then, that's a personal thing. Music and the slow replay of each scene is what made me lose my interest and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game has an interesting story, fascinating moments - all these criteria would make it a great game. Yet, gameplay is not at all, what I would expect in such a game. QTE's are difficult, when you have just a small part of the screen - any actionlike movements are no good with that kind of gameplay, I find here. The new controller option is a bit helpful, but not really. So, sadly, I am not so sure, but still recommend it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →5/10 -> then I don't recommend it for non-Chinese players. The good side of this game is its visual and sound design. Very unique style - They are inspired by Chinese mythology but at the same time it is pixel style, so it is very special combination of strong cultural features and modern game style. But I think this also creates a bar for non-Chinese players to fully sense the uniqueness and understand those subtle elements. The bad side is the playability. Very poor design on the guidance -…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game #16 The Rewinder Such a fantastic puzzle adventure game! The setting and use of Chinese mythology were refreshing, and the puzzles and time mechanics were fun to figure out. The story is heart-wrenching at times, and much deeper than I anticipated given the play time.
positive · AI labelView post →What a beautiful, gently haunting game. I'll admit I have a bit of a soft spot for Eastern Asian inspired horror, there is just something about it, that makes the stories stick with me longer. Maybe because usually they are tied closely to some form of mysticism and complex beliefs, or maybe because of the fascinating aesthetics. No idea, all I know is that this "something" means I was interested in The Rewinder since I saw it. Looks great, I thought. And you know what? It is great.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →gave me both point and click nostalgia and made me feel something entirely new :3 i love the chinese folklore and unique gameplay, many suprise moments... the characters are wonderful and the style is effortless :D! this was great to play with my girlfriend and drink tea :) the classic point and click i have been craving <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Xbox Game Pass November line-up announced. >Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass titles for November are: >Metal Slug Tactics (Cloud, Console, and PC) - 5th November (Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass) >Go Mecha Ball (Console) - 6th November (Now with Game Pass Standard) >Harold Halibut (Xbox Series X S) - 6th November (Now with Game Pass Standard) >The Rewinder (Console) - 6th November (Now with Game Pass Standard) >Turnip Boy Robs a Bank (Console) - 6th November (Now with Game Pass Standard) >Goat…
neutral · AI labelView post →A unique adventure game about Chinese mythology. Deep and emotional, nice atmosphere, very captivating. Definitely a must-play if you like the genre. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ehhh it was alright Im always a fan of time rewind mechanic in games, which was executed quite well IMO The story was interesting, but a bit slow at the start The setting was also cool, DLC was good too BUT When you restart from a checkpoint the cutscenes arent skippable, having to recollect the memory things was also eh Either I missed something or some of the puzzles were explained poorly (got stuck on the scale one for way too long because I didnt realize the heavy one goes 5/10/15/20…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ancient Chinese Ghost Detective with Time Powers. If that sentence didn't immediately bring you on board, I suspect you are a resentful ghost in need of exorcism.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A Chinese indie game studio is broken after releasing a sequel of their very successful first game, The Rewinder. They wanted to add too many things in the sequel, then came with more problems. For small indie devs, being safe is better than being aggressive, maybe. #indiegame #indiedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Beautiful art and story. I love Chinese mythology and this game uses it very well. The rewind mechanic is good, but I wish we could skip the cutscenes completely when we restart. I highly recommend it if you love puzzle.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is truly an artistic masterpiece. The story line is barely flawed and has a few unpredictable surprises. It has a lot of puzzles, which are pretty straight forward because you automatically write them down in a notebook. It's a chilling game with a complicated love story. As The Rewinder.. you must face what happens at this specific village and do all you can to change the past to correct the future. I loved this game and wish it could have offered a longer gameplay, but it's…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Rewinder ends up being most comparable to classic point and click adventures. It is quite puzzle heavy and the puzzles tend to be pattern or maths based. Most are fairly simple but a couple can leave you a little stumped (or googling how a Chinese abacus works). The standard of puzzle design is pretty high and I feel the game always gives enough clues that you should be able to work them out with some persistence and patience. The story was the real highlight for me. A very unique…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →u helped everyone except my boi Willow, my Willow and Faith shippp, NOOOOO good F***ing puzzle and incorporation of Chinese tradition really hits
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New game(s) for the "Stream your own game" feature on #XboxCloudGaming - Have a Nice Death - Kona II: Brume - Sniper Elite 5 - The Last Case of Benedict Fox - The Rewinder - Thirsty Suitors
neutral · AI labelView post →Love the story, the asian culture and the philosophical view of the underworld.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very well made game with very interesting rewind mechanics but the main focus on the game is the narrative and they made it very good as well, I can't wait for the next game from this awesome developer!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh what a beautiful game, how is pixel art this emotional and dynamic possible! And it completely fulfilled my need for xianxia content, there is absolutely not enough content in the English-speaking world involving cultivation, heavenly deities vs the underworld, murder mysteries with plenty of spooky undead creatures, demons etc.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[Dinkum](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1062520/Dinkum/) (Early Access) $15.99 at -20% [Necesse](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1169040/Necesse/) (Early Access) $6.69 at -33% [The Rewinder](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1161170/The_Rewinder/) (2021) $7.45 at -53% [Grim Fandango Remastered](https://store.steampowered.com/app/316790/Grim_Fandango_Remastered/) (1998) $3.74 at -75%
neutral · AI labelView post →I picked up **Dinkum**. I thought maybe it will be the Minecrafty Animal Crossing-like that I hoped would be made one day. I didn't play it yet, but it looks like what I want out of a Deck game (besides the DeckSwitch thing). I also got **Necesse**, a game with similar themes. I picked up **The Rewinder** as well, which looks like my idea of a quintessential indie game. Besides, after a decade of only buying things on deep [1] after they're out of the zeitgeist, I think it's about time I play…
neutral · AI labelView post →Cute, short, gorgeous pixel art, satisfying puzzles and time mechanic. I cherish this game, a sweet gift from a dear friend
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Highly recommend this game! Especially if you are into pixel arts, beautiful and poetic musics and puzzle solving!! The Chinese folklore were told in such a romantic way. I was really touched during some of the scenes and was sooo impressed how well the storyline got carried out by the developing team!! T ^ T Overall an incredible gaming experience! Please give it a try if you happened to find the game on your steam page. You won't regret it!! <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story was pleasant to go through. The base game had a nice sort of linearity to it where you don't get lost too much. Characters were okay, but felt like their dialogue and personalities could have been a bit more polished. One complaint I'd give is that most of the puzzles feel like they don't serve much of a purpose and instead they're just there to waste some time. I would also say that the DLC Roots of Evil felt comparably worse to the base game. The story wasn't as interesting, you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really liked the game (am yet to play the Root of Evil DLC). The story is engaging and the characters are interesting. Kind of wish we had more time with them, but at the same time i think the game is of perfect length. I am not a puzzle game fan so some puzzles were a bit too hard for me, especially the very first one and the furnace ones. One issue i noticed was that some buttons were untranslated as of May 2026, so i needed to consult the youtube walkthrough to understand what to do…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was neat, but felt short. Also wish there was more silliness one could iterate through with the main mechanic of the game. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hqD... #VoD #TheRewinder
neutral · AI labelView post →So good. Two minutes into the demo I immediately knew it was going to be worth the purchase. Simple mechanics, challenging puzzles, forgiving, achievable. Well-rounded characters, touching stories, and very satisfying full-circle moments. The music and graphics also fantastic. I can't say enough good stuff, I really loved this game!! Thanks so much and cheers to MistyMountainStudio! Will definitely complete DLC and II, and looking forward to other works by this team.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →How could I forget The Rewinder 2 was releasing today?!?!! 😱 I have plans already, but hopefully I might get chance to play some tonight 🤞 store.steampowered.com/app/2915490/...
neutral · AI labelView post →A cool little point and click adventure game, with just enough difficulty in the puzzles to make you feel accomplished when you solve them. The art style is beautiful, writing is solid/tight and it doesn't overstay its welcome. Puzzles are usually one-off, or if re-used they're different in some meaningful way. Definite buy if it's on sale, even if you don't usually play this kind of game, just for the vibes and story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Rewinder 2 has a release date set for the 26th of May! That's less than 2 weeks away!! 😱 I absolutely loved the first game, and although this looks really different, I'm still super excited to play it 😍 store.steampowered.com/app/2915490/...
positive · AI labelView post →A great game with interesting mechanics. The puzzles are satisfying, and just hard enough for me. The DLC is also a ton of fun. My only issue is the translated names, like Amber. They were constantly taking me out from the experience and destroying the atmosphere, so meticulously build with the gorgeous graphics and beautiful music
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Looks cool! The way you describe it made me think of the best game I played last year: The Rewinder. Heard of it?
neutral · AI labelView post →Added to Game Pass TODAY! - Metal Slug Tactics - StarCraft: Remastered - StarCraft II - Go Mecha Ball - The Rewinder - Turnip Boy Robs a Bank - Harold Halibut
neutral · AI labelView post →Coming to Game Pass https://lbabi.nz/Hpt4LV Nov 5 - Metal Slug Tactics Nov 6 - Go Mecha Ball - Harold Halibut - The Rewinder - Turnip Boy Robs a Bank Nov 7 - Goat Simulator Remastered Nov 19 - Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and leaving Nov 15
neutral · AI labelView post →I know nothing about Dragon Ball Sparkling Zero so I cannot put my thoughts on that But I recommend The Rewinder, I love The Rewinder it's my favorite game ever!!
positive · AI labelView post →a sweet lil experience~ The artwork is just fantastic, i was constantly taking space to just marvel at how pretty and lovingly detailed everything is. overall it just has this chill, ethereal and often spooky vibe that i really enjoyed. even just walking, watching the multiple layers of the backgrounds scroll past one another, seeing little birds and butterflies and listening to the sound of the rain is so luvely; meditative, at times. the sound effects are great, and the music is wonderful!…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the only game I've ever played that made me cry.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really good. Would recommend playing it if you enjoy little puzzle games. Sadly DLC was only okay.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, though I felt it could've been more episodic and longer as we explore across the land solving mysteries and meeting new companions. A sequel is a must imo, there is so much potential to expand upon.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played the demo and the ending of the demo made me think that the story is going to be complex and connected. Instead, I was met with stories and sequences that very much felt like separate levels where I just solved people's problems. Outside the rewinding I just got tedious puzzles that were embedded into normal working objects that made no sense.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Rewinder is an absolute gem of a game! I love how loaded it is with different puzzles, great art, interesting story and trivia and the Rewind mechanic is unique and really fun to play with. Different outcomes of the Rewinds already make me want to play the game again even tho I haven't finished it yet! Can't wait to continue playing! 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fantastic game, great storytelling and nice puzzles. 10/10 would recommend! Now I just need something exactly like this to fill the hole finishing this game has left in me....
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like this game a lot, but the save files keep getting corrupted and erasing. I haven't had this problem with other games, and it's not quite good enough to make me invested in running down the fix.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
Posts are quoted from public profiles with links to the original. Want yours removed? Contact us.