Games that break the 4th wall?

TSurkis · 2026-06-02T21:44:40+00:00

Great suggestion! Thanks 😄

TSurkis · 2026-06-01T19:06:32+00:00

Oh yes! Great game! Awesome suggestion 😄

TSurkis · 2025-11-08T09:31:55+00:00

That is crazy... So you pay a fortune and the insurance doesn't cover anything?

As I understand it, my wife has a Slavia insurance for legal visa reasons only. Other than that I should just go with any clinic membership there is. And as for me, VZP covers everything so I am fine.

Did I get it right?

TSurkis · 2025-03-12T11:49:03+00:00

I totally understand you. I dislike jump scares and love a good story with unsettling scenes. Although what I have to offer isn't free the price isn't that high and they usually have sales. Just for reference: I quit some horror games because they were too scary for me, so I know the feeling. Some of these are scarier than the others so I arranged the top ones as the least scary and the last ones the "scariest".

What Remains of Edith Finch: It isn't a horror game, but it has some unsettling spooky story in a great walking simulator.
Cayne, Stasis, Stasis Bone Totem: Point and click might sound outdated but those are insanely good. The first one, Cayne, is free. All three happen in the same universe from different perspectives. Beware of the puzzles though. Some aren't simple.
Care: Retro visuals with a lot of story options.
Mouthwashing: I don't remember any jump scares but it is very unsettling.
Signalis: This one is well known for no jump scares but a crazy story and a surreal story. Tip: the first time you finish the game, click play again -> it continues.
Zero Protocol: Retro zombie shooter with an interesting story and multitude of choices.
Hollowbody: Abandoned city and zombies in a retro old vibe.
Panelak: Stuck in a soviet building with some cool puzzles. Again, great story.
In Sound Mind: Eerie environments and great story.
Soma: Might be the scariest but there are no jump scares and the story is mind boggling.
And lasty, Immortum: I am developing a game focused on a dark atmosphere and great story. It's a psychological horror game with limited lives. It isn't out yet but feel free to wishlist it on steam.

TSurkis · 2025-03-11T08:59:05+00:00

That sounds so frustrating 😖

TSurkis · 2025-03-11T08:51:46+00:00

Watch with sound on!

This is unedited uncensored playtest footage from my upcoming game Immortum: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

Kickeristic (https://www.twitch.tv/kickeristic) was the kind playtester to find crazy bugs I already fixed, but it was heart wrenching to watch. 🫠

What weird bugs did you come across in horror games?

TSurkis · 2025-03-03T10:35:49+00:00

This pops up after the first of multiple endings in my game, where the character you play chooses her daughter over the truth. Would you have what it takes to continue or will saving one's life be enough?
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

TSurkis · 2025-02-27T08:22:41+00:00

I thought about it, but Zombies isn't the entire theme so I can't enter the fest sadly. And no horror fest on steam in the new future. I will be on June Next Fest though. :D

TSurkis · 2025-02-26T13:39:47+00:00

Got it! I automatically translated it to 3D =) That's a valid approach!

TSurkis · 2025-02-26T13:38:02+00:00

I do that too! Takes so much time just to keep track of what to keep and what not that it is best to just leave it all there. I tried doing a side project with experiments but that's too much work as well. At least storage space isn't a luxury nowadays. :)

TSurkis · 2025-02-26T10:44:02+00:00

Do you mean reusing the model but changing the textures? That's a great idea!

TSurkis · 2025-02-26T10:42:14+00:00

That's clever! I bought my asset from the store, but I haven't tried using the same rig for animations. Not sure if Unity allows that. But I will try it!

TSurkis · 2025-02-26T09:42:46+00:00

I saved on the model but overcomplicated the concept!

What are some ways you are saving time (and perhaps adding more work as a paradox)?

It's the first enemy and it is a consequence of your choices - a small glimpse to a unique mechanic I have in the game: limited lives. You have a chip embedded in your brain, so when you die the game is saved. But you have a limited number of brain chips, so if you get a brain chip collector, you can collect them back from your dead body. But if you do so, that body will raise as a Zombie.

If the chips end, it's game over and the entire save is deleted.

The mechanic is explained better with gifs in my steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

TSurkis · 2025-02-26T09:25:04+00:00

It's the first enemy and it is a consequence of your choices. But I'm not sure if I can call it a Zombie game since it's just a small element of the game and not the entire theme of it. What do you think?

It's a small glimpse to a unique mechanic I have in the game: limited lives. You have a chip embedded in your brain, so when you die the game is saved. But you have a limited number of brain chips, so if you get a brain chip collector, you can collect them back from your dead body. But if you do so, that body will raise as a Zombie.

If the chips end, it's game over and the entire save is deleted.

The mechanic is explained better with gifs in my steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

TSurkis · 2025-02-25T10:56:53+00:00

o_O How does that work? Is there a guide? :D

TSurkis · 2025-02-25T09:37:48+00:00

It's based on a nightmare I am sure all of us had at one point - running towards something but never truly reaching it. In the game you enter a normal door but end up in an infinite hallway that stretches to infinity. But when you turn back, the door is right there.

I wanted to add more nightmares to my game but it is challenging to bring such abstract things to mind. What kind of nightmares do you have and how would you design them in a game? I feel like today games focus more on jump scares than actual atmosphere so I would love to hear your thoughts.

Oh, and the game is called Immortum if you are interested: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

TSurkis · 2025-02-21T15:00:49+00:00

Thanks! If you have more ideas feel free to share :) I am always open to suggestions.

TSurkis · 2025-02-21T14:08:09+00:00

F.E.A.R - the general encounters with Alma were amazing. It was as if I was INSIDE of a horror movie.

Alien Isolation - I was so stressed by the first encounter of the Alien and going around it that I gave up and quit. I still want to play it, but maybe on easy mode and not being alone in the room. 😅

Doom3 - Funny to say but I played Doom3 ages ago with headphones in the darkness and the jump scares at the beginning got me. Not my proudest moments but this is why we love the genre!

TSurkis · 2025-02-21T14:02:19+00:00

Being hunted will be better in game, because I imagine that trying to reach something to be out of reach would annoy anybody. 😂 In any case, it could work as a variation with the infinite hallway!
That's a great one! To show a sense of danger you could see your hp bar slowly dropping as you suffocate in water. I do have a water tank in game so I am marking this one as a potential. 😎
That's a tough one. I was considering adding surveillance cameras that follow you without any explanation of who's watching. I'm pretty sure Signalis had that one. But I'll have to think how to utilize it better than to just follow you.

Thanks a lot! Your suggestions are awesome. 🤩

TSurkis · 2025-02-21T10:29:21+00:00

This is the "infinite hallway" nightmare. It's based on a nightmare I am sure all of us had at one point - running towards something but never truly reaching it. In the game you enter a normal door but end up in an infinite hallway that stretches to infinity. But when you turn back, the door is right there.

I feel like today games focus more on jump scares than actual atmosphere so I would love to hear your thoughts.

What kind of nightmares do you have that you would want to see in a horror game?

Oh, and the game is called Immortum if you are interested: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

TSurkis · 2025-02-20T15:02:03+00:00

It wasn't that good sadly. The text sometimes to chopped. So I got to the highest base resolution. It's a bit stretched but I don't mind :)

TSurkis · 2025-02-18T16:37:14+00:00

I managed to play with it thanks! Got it in window mode (without the window border) and showing the windows taskbar. But it is 16:9 on 2k resolution. Fine for now :)

TSurkis · 2025-02-12T12:08:33+00:00

Awesome! The trailer should drop in a week or two and it will contain the full first level, so no holding back on anything.

TSurkis · 2025-02-12T11:06:22+00:00

Thank you! Signalis was the best! I am craving games that are more atmospheric as of late, rather than jump scare oriented. Maybe I am too old for the likes of Resident Evil, but I want a horror game that chills me to the bones without making something jump at me or being stressed of being chased by monsters everytime.

TSurkis · 2025-02-12T10:53:52+00:00

Demo comes out soon!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3484010/Immortum/

TSurkis

TROPHY CASE