Games developed by Philip J. Reed
We provide a list of companies that developed abandonware games.
Select a company to view its games.
To make searching easier, use pagination by number or letter.
Larry Vales III: Time Heals All 'Burns
Larry Vales III: Time Heals All 'Burns, released in 2001, stands as a curious artifact from the early Windows era. It invites players into a noir tinted city where wisecracks outnumber streetlights, and every corner hides a riddle. The game plays as a traditional point and click adventure, eschewing glossy sheen for a rough-edged charm that feels both retrospective and unexpected. Its creator orchestrates a brisk pace, guiding a seasoned protagonist through a story that mixes humor with a dash of surreal time travel.
From the opening cutscenes, the mood is clear: time itself might be a loose puzzle. Larry Vales III is the kind of hardboiled optimist who lives on coffee and one-liners, chasing a conspiracy that threads through past and present. The plot centers on a mysterious device that can rearrange events, forcing the hero to revisit old cases and correct misfired consequences. The title's punning sting underlines a theme: memories heal wounds, yet they also complicate the present.
Gameplay wise, the title leans on inventory juggling, dialogue options, and logic puzzles that reward patience and careful observation. Interactions unfold through clickable hotspots and textual descriptions rather than flashy action. The humor lands in verbal gags, eccentric NPCs, and incidental parodies of pop culture from the era. The pacing alternates between quiet investigative sequences and brisk, riddle-heavy segments, encouraging exploration without punishing curiosity.
Visually, the game wears a pragmatic, late 90s aesthetic: chunky sprites, tiled backdrops, and a color scheme that feels vintage rather than polished. Sound design emphasizes voice snippets and ambient city noises, with a quirky jazz oriented score that evokes late night drives and smoky rooms. The user interface remains deliberately uncluttered, letting the narrative breathe yet providing enough cues to keep players oriented in a maze of testimonies and timelines.
Reception among enthusiasts tends toward the cult end of the spectrum. While it never ascended to mainstream fame, the title earned praise for witty writing, inventive time bending puzzles, and a memorable cast. Fans recall its mix of affectionate parody and earnest mystery as a high watermark for its niche. In the years since, it has surfaced in discussions about retro adventure design and has inspired a handful of indie developers to experiment with non linear storytelling and humorous noir atmospheres. Some collectors still hunt for physical copies with marginalia and glossy manuals, cherishing its stubborn charm amid a flood of modern epics today.
