A Firm Handshake for Mac

Say hi and greet new friends

A Firm Handshake is a free funny single-player action video game wherein shaking hands is the only goal. Developed by Torfi, this is a low-poly 3D indie game that features wacky walking physics and a single goal for each of the levels you face.

With a concept and execution similar to Plug & Play and KIDS, this game is set in a surreal world that’s infinitely looping as you explore. Its gameplay is quite easy but due to how short it is, there’s not much reason to play it again afterward. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting experience.

Make acquaintances

In A Firm Handshake, you play as a man in a business suit. At the start, you immediately walk up to a clone of your character. Coming close to him will automatically extend your hand and meet for a handshake. Afterward, he’ll join you as you walk—and now you must shake hands with everyone you come across. You’ll soon find other challenges ahead, though.

The controls are simple enough despite the lack of text on the screen. You’ll see symbols pertaining to your directional arrow keys at the start of the game—signaling that those are your movement controls. The WASD keys work, as well. There’s no need to control the handshake as they’re automatic cutscenes. The only issue you’ll face here is the wonky walking controls as it’s not as responsive as it should be. 

The game is quite short and can be finished in under five minutes. There’s no text or narration—even a proper tutorial—but it’s not actually hard to follow and quickly master the controls. However, due to its length and the lack of any other action you could take during the game, the replay value is pretty much nonexistent. This is the kind of game that’s just meant to be experienced once. 

A one-time experience

Overall, A Firm Handshake is a great option if you’re looking for a surreal game that’s not too lengthy and doesn’t require a lot of controls. While the movements are a bit hard to fully control, watching your character shake hands as you progress through the game can be a satisfying thing—even if you don’t know why you’re doing it, exactly.