Total Reload blends witty sci fi storytelling with puzzle driven gameplay where an AI attempts to reset the universe
Total Reload is one of those indie games that instantly grabs attention with its wild premise. It is a sci fi puzzle adventure where you play as HAWKING, an artificial intelligence that has accidentally triggered a universal reboot and now has to fix the mess before reality collapses. It is quirky, dramatic and playful at the same time, and that unusual mix already sets it apart from most puzzle games coming out right now.
The game leans hard into its concept. You explore strange environments filled with machines, terminals and cosmic mechanisms designed to literally reload the universe. It is not your typical puzzle design where you just flip switches or match patterns. Total Reload tries to make you feel like you are interacting with technology that sits somewhere between sci fi engineering and cosmic magic, and the early materials TORSHOCK shared definitely point in that direction.
What also makes Total Reload interesting is its tone. Puzzle games often go super serious or completely abstract, but this one looks like it wants to have fun with its own universe. The writing and presentation carry a slightly sarcastic, self aware flavour where huge cosmic stakes are delivered with a smile. If the narrative lands, it could give the gameplay much more personality than the genre usually gets.
Mechanically, Total Reload combines environmental puzzles with exploration and logical problem solving. The team has a lot of room to experiment since the theme gives them freedom to create unusual machines and logic challenges. The challenge for the developers will be keeping things varied and making each puzzle feel meaningful instead of repetitive. With a premise this big, the puzzles need to back it up with good pacing and rewarding moments.
From what we have seen so far, this looks like one of those indie projects with a bold idea and a clear identity. The art style is stylised and atmospheric, the puzzles seem tied to the world in a natural way, and the whole concept of reloading the universe is just straight up fun. If TORSHOCK manages to deliver puzzles that feel clever and satisfying, this could easily become a cult favourite among sci fi and indie fans.
Total Reload is definitely a game worth checking. If this looks interesting to you, take a look at the game's official Steam page.
