Free · Point-and-click · Story puzzles
Diner in the Storm: one roadside diner, six strangers, one way out
Diner in the Storm is a point-and-click mystery adventure by Maxim Tsai in which you shelter from a sudden storm inside a roadside diner and slowly learn that the danger is not only outside. It is drawn in plain stick-figure art, written by Rowa Skipson, and told through conversations: the waitress Maggie, a jittery customer named Ethan who swears he saw lights in the sky, the unimpressed Edith, a hostile man called Juan, the social-media star Bruna Starr, and a quiet older man, Csapar. What you ask them and what you find in the diner open up puzzles and new information. According to CrazyGames, the story can play out in several ways, and the goal is to get everyone out of the diner to a nearby town called Hope Springs.
Quick facts
- Developer: Maxim Tsai (programming and stick-figure art)
- Writer: Rowa Skipson
- Genre: point-and-click mystery with dialogue choices
- Setting: the Wayside Diner on a stormy night
- Input: mouse, with optional A/D, arrow keys and space
- Released: January 2024, per CrazyGames
How to play Diner in the Storm
Most of the game is talking and noticing. Puzzles grow out of what the other guests say and what you find around the room.
- 1
Press Begin
The title screen shows your stick figure driving, with Begin, Credits, an Achievements tab and a sound button. It recommends playing with audio.
- 2
Watch or skip the drive
The intro follows your car through the rain to the diner. A "Click to skip intro" label in the corner jumps straight inside.
- 3
Talk to everyone
Maggie greets you at the counter. Click characters to start a conversation, and use the arrow on each dialogue box to move it along.
- 4
Pick your questions
Some lines give you a choice of reply. Asking the right thing can make a guest reveal more, while others, like Juan, make it plain they want to be left alone.
- 5
Solve the way out
Collect what you need, work through the puzzles, and persuade the others so that the whole group can leave for Hope Springs.
Controls
Desktop
- Left-click characters and objects to interact
- A and D, or the left and right arrow keys, walk sideways (optional)
- CrazyGames also lists the space bar among the optional movement keys
- Arrow button on a dialogue box advances the conversation
Phone & tablet
- Tap people and objects in place of clicking
- CrazyGames lists the game for iOS and Android browsers
- The frame on this page is landscape, so turn the phone sideways
What sets Diner in the Storm apart
A cast with secrets
Six named characters share the diner with you, and each conversation can hand you a clue about the storm or about them.
Stick figures, full story
The art is drawn with simple lines, while the writing carries the mystery. The credits list a separate writer, Rowa Skipson.
Everyone has to get out
Escaping alone is not the aim. The goal CrazyGames describes is getting the whole group safely to Hope Springs.
Achievements tab
An Achievements tab sits in the top-left corner of the title screen, next to the sound toggle in the opposite corner.
Tips for Diner in the Storm
- Listen to Maggie. Her early remark that you can change the music on the radio is worth following up.
- Sit down with Csapar. The older man at the booth says he has stories; the quiet characters are worth a conversation too.
- Think about motives. GamePix's hint is that understanding what each character wants opens the chances to escape.
- Keep the sound on. The title screen asks for audio, and the radio is part of the diner.
- Replay for other outcomes. Multiple scenarios can happen, so a second run with different choices can end differently.
Who is Diner in the Storm for?
Mystery and escape-game players
You gather clues from a closed room and a small cast, then act on them.
Fans of dialogue-driven games
Most progress comes from what you say and whom you say it to.
Players who liked Exhibit of Sorrows
It comes from the same creator, Maxim Tsai, and the credits also list Theresa Kao for the final scene art.
How the night is judged
There is no point score. CrazyGames describes the aim as getting everyone out of the diner and to Hope Springs, with several scenarios possible along the way, so the result of a run is who makes it out. The title screen also has an Achievements tab, which we did not explore. CrazyGames tags the game as horror; the opening we played is a calm scene of a waitress welcoming you in from the rain.
Frequently asked questions
What is Diner in the Storm?+
Diner in the Storm is a point-and-click mystery game by Maxim Tsai. You shelter in a roadside diner during a storm and have to get every guest out safely.
How do you play Diner in the Storm?+
Click characters to talk, pick replies, and click objects to use them. You can also walk with A and D or the arrow keys, though the mouse alone is enough.
Who are the characters in Diner in the Storm?+
The diner holds the waitress Maggie and five guests: Ethan, Edith, Juan, influencer Bruna Starr and an older man named Csapar. Each has something to add to the mystery.
What is the goal in Diner in the Storm?+
The goal is to lead the whole group out of the diner to safety in a nearby town called Hope Springs. Different choices can lead to different scenarios.
Can I play Diner in the Storm on my phone?+
Yes. CrazyGames lists it as mobile-friendly on iOS and Android, and taps replace mouse clicks. The version embedded here is landscape, so hold the phone sideways.
Privacy
Diner in the Storm is streamed from GamePix and displayed here inside an embedded frame. Any ads are GamePix's, placed and run by them; What Games Play does not control them. No login or account is required.
Maggie has coffee on
Step out of the rain into the Wayside Diner and start asking questions.
↑ Play Diner in the Storm
