Keeper

In Keeper, the player controls an animated lighthouse, with the ability to move and uses its lamp to light the way forward or to focus its light to interact with the environment, such as to remove obstacles that block forward progress. The lighthouse is accompanied by a bird-like creature named Twig; the lighthouse helps protect Twig, and in return, Twig can also perform interactions with the world to help the lighthouse to proceed forward, such as pulling vines off a target to be lit. Together, the two travel through a surreal, post-apocalyptic environment guided by a beacon from a nearby mountain, while avoiding a parasitic-like species known as the Wither that is attempting to consume life.

In a post-apocalyptic desolate world, a parasite-like swarm of creatures called the Wither chase a flock of a bird-like species. One, named Twig, lands on a run-down lighthouse. A beacon from a distant mountain shines on the lighthouse, causing it to become animated with the ability to walk. The lighthouse helps to protect Twig with its light, while they move towards the mountain top.

During their travel, they find shrines that speak on past automations, the Elders, that used their light to keep the Wither at bay, but they have long since disappeared. The lighthouse tumbles into an abyss, filled with the ruins of numerous other lighthouses that were attacked and destroyed by the Wither. The lighthouse reaches the surface and reunites with Twig. As they continue higher, Twig finds an abandoned egg of its species and watches over it.

Keeper was the idea of Lee Petty which bore out from the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, Petty spent a good deal of time backpacking through the wilderness and caving areas in California, which led to thoughts about how the world would develop without the impact of humans. These thoughts led to the concept of a post-humanity game world to expand upon. In expanding the world, Petty was inspired by surreal artists Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí, and films such as The Dark Crystal and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind that explored strange, unusual places. Keeper was developed over a four year period.

Petty designed the game as a short adventure game, designed as a "palate cleanser". He opted to not include any written or spoken narration for the game, and instead have the player take in the world without having to worry about failure. Puzzles were designed to be part of the environment, with Petty expecting some players to wander into a puzzle and spending time to figure out its mechanics, compared to games where dialog would direct the player towards exactly what they must do. As part of the wordless nature of the game, Petty's team worked to develop the visual interactions between the lighthouse and Twig to convey emotions.

Keeper received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.

The game was nominated for "Statue of Liberty Award for Best World" at the 15th New York Game Awards and "Best Visual Art" at the 26th Game Developers Choice Awards.