Within the first paragraph of the Steam description, readers are informed "this was made by a 15-year-old." Don't let that alter any perceptions, however, as this quickly becomes more of a bragging point than a caveat to what the game has to offer.

The Designer's Curse actually has quite a bit of renown, with composer Mikko Tarmia (of Amnesia and Soma fame) on board, and a lot of genuine nods to other classic works like Penumbra in terms of gameplay and visuals. Much like us, the game's Steam audience was pleasantly surprised to find that The Designer's Curse offers a good amount of content for its nonexistent price tag and promises more to come with future chapters and updates. The story and puzzles are also well-thought-out, and the whole package becomes a lot more impressive when remembering the designer is half the age of most industry beginners.