Solodev Sam Agten, the creative force behind the acclaimed studio SixtyFour, has officially pulled back the curtain on Stip, a deceptively minimalist number puzzle game with a dark, "Metroidbrainia" heart. Fresh off a win at the Belgian Game Awards for Most Anticipated Game of 2026, the title is slated for a Steam release later this year.
More Than a Number Game
The word "Stip" is Dutch for "dot," and on the surface, that is exactly what the game offers. Players enter maze-like rooms to solve logic puzzles by assigning numbers to dots based on specific constraints. However, as the game’s unsettling meta-narrative takes hold, the experience shifts from relaxing deduction to psychological intrigue.
The game’s persona—a polite but firm narrator—encourages you to "ignore any odd behavior" and "refrain from touching anything else." As you progress, the puzzles begin to "misbehave," revealing that the game itself may be a virus or parasite craving your undivided attention. It showers the player with "motivational confetti" and random number facts, seemingly to distract from the fraying edges of its reality.
Key Gameplay Features
Intricate Puzzle Boxes: Beyond the individual number grids, the rooms themselves act as environmental puzzles. Players must manipulate their surroundings and use items to peel back layers of the world.
Rule Discovery: Lateral thinking is a requirement. You won’t just solve puzzles; you’ll deduce the hidden constraints and rules that the game actively tries to keep from you.
Transmedia Secrets: In a nod to ARG (Alternate Reality Game) mechanics, clues are hidden everywhere—from social media and trailers to the Steam store page itself.
A Pedigree of Innovation
Sam Agten and SixtyFour are no strangers to subverting genres. Their previous title, Midnight Protocol, was a tactical hacking RPG praised for its unique keyboard-only control scheme. With Stip, supported by the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Agten aims to combine board-game-inspired logic with a haunting, fourth-wall-breaking narrative.
A demo is expected to launch on Steam later this year. Prospective players are encouraged to watch the announcement trailer carefully—there is reportedly a secret code hidden in the footage that will provide a "nice surprise" upon the game's release.
