Two hard to find games....

Hi everyone, I know there is a specific "whats the name of...." thread, but I've got a potentially harder request because what I'm trying to find aren't retro, unless you count the past 10 years enough time to go retro. Hell, I'm not even sure if these games even ever launched. There are two games I recall seeing in previews that I thought looked intriguing, but never really heard much of after that.

The first was a game set in a industrial-era, London-like town (may actually be London). It had an isometric, hand-drawn style to it, I think it was black and white, or at least very muted colors. The premise, if I recall correctly, was a bit like Majora's Mask or Pathalogic: all the people in the town were simulated to go about their business, and you could affect them with your actions, changing their stories, and cascading into other characters stories. If I recall correctly, your character looks a bit like a cartoony Sigmund Fraud. It was definitely an indie game. I think it was set to release withing the past three years or so. It's not super old, I know that much.

The second one I have almost no info one other than the premise. I remember reading about it on Rock, Paper, Shotgun maybe 5-7 years ago, maybe even longer. It was a game where you are an old dwarf that lost his ax, and you are trying to track it down. I think the article mentioned it had an almost detective noir vibe, but something I definitely remember was that your character is a full blown fantasy racist. Hate humans, hate elves, hate gnomes, etc, and I believe depending on how you play, the character can change, learn tolerance or double down on racial phobias. I can't find anything on it, even the original article is drown in a billion Dwarf Fortress posts on RPS.

It's totally possible these are vaporware, but even so, if anyone recalls anything about them, especially their names, I've be eternally grateful as they have been in the back of my mind for ages.

Victory on the first one! I as thinking of "A Place for the Unwilling!" It only took three hours of combing through google image searches.

So, that second one with the Dwarf. That's still a mystery and has been rooting in my brain longer too.

For the second game, are you sure that was a full game where you play as the old dwarf and not a sidequest in a bigger RPG?

I am not 100% on that, no. However, I'm fairly sure the dwarf was the protagonist, which you would think would narrow it down more than it does.

The second game might be one of the Dark Eye adventure games from about 2012 or so. That, or maybe Of Orcs and Men?

I don't remember a dwarf as main character in the Dark Eye games. There was sort of a hobbit-like guy named Wilbur in that, but he was young and kind. I think at some point you make him learn magic from a wizard.

This is what I am thinking as well. Either that or a game that was never released. There are racist dwarf characters in some rpgs. The Witcher series is full of them, as is Dragon Age. I'm trying to remember if any of the dwarf companions in the Dragon Age games fit your description but can't remember. Beyond that, though, I can't think of any adventure game or narrative game that has that premise.

That is a thing about my hazy memory too, I feel like it was an adventure game or mini-rpg, narrative driven with little or no combat. And if it turns out this game was never made, then I'd like to announce opening my new studio making the dwarf-themed Disco Elysium.

Tried to google and find the racist dwarf game for you... it did not go well.

For the dwarf game, do you recall if it was fully 3D, or more of a sprite-based point-and-click style?

I don't remember screenshots with any certainty. I vaguely recall a screenshot that was isometric, like infinity engine style camera, that was at a harbor, but I might be mixing that up with another game. If that is right, I assume it's point and click.

You and I had the same experience, I think.

The second game sounds a bit like Pendula Swing (https://store.steampowered.com/app/1230200/Pendula_Swing__The_Complete_Journey/). The protagonist is female, though.

@drakecaiman: I don't think that's it, but holy shit, Pendula Swing looks fantastic! Thank you for bringing that to my attention, I'll check it out.

@drakecaiman Correction: Pendula Swing is totally it! I even found the original RPS article, a lot more recent than I thought. Here it is, for the curious:

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/pendula-swing-episodic-adventure-out

As always, the GB community is an amazing resource for tracking these things down. Thank you to everyone that helped out!