Welcome to our weekend segment, where we showcase recent or upcoming Japanese indie games that share a specific theme. Though we have covered scary games in the past, this week we’re focusing on psychological horror titles specifically. Because there’s no better horror than the kind that won’t leave your mind.
Kodoku: As the Moon Mourns
Based on Japanese folklore, Kodoku: As the Moon Mourns puts you in the shoes of university folklore professor Urohoshi as he searches for his missing friend. Drawn deep into the mountains by a statue of Kannon, the Japanese Bodhisattva of Compassion, he jumps into a massive jar and finds himself in a monster-filled otherworld built on a person’s regrets and trauma.
In this world filled with jar-headed men and massive skeletons, the only non-hostile seems to be a young girl who asks Urohoshi to gather souls within a jar. With no other way out, Urohoshi channels his inner Legend of Zelda and gets to carrying pots.
The core gameplay loop revolves around collecting souls strewn throughout the environment. Once the required number of souls has been gathered in a jar, a nearby torii gate opens, allowing you to escape.
Blocking your progress are a myriad of monsters and puzzles. Though unkillable, the monsters can be distracted by throwing a jar filled with souls to create a distraction (this does not seem to deduct the required souls needed to open a torii gate). You will still need to stealth your way past them, however, as being spotted will render your distractions useless.
The game’s puzzles also require you to make use of your jar-throwing abilities. By tossing a jar onto unreachable switches, you can activate mechanisms that will allow you to progress forward.
Sister Other Paranoia
Developed and published by Needy Streamer Overload writer Nyalra’s new company, HazeDenki, Sister Other Paranoia is a visual novel that explores what happens when two people become overly dependent on each other. As an unnamed light novel writer who can read minds, you find yourself withdrawing from society and finding comfort in your younger sister.
After winning an upcoming writer’s award, the writer discovers that those closest to him are, in fact, jealous of his recent success. While he spends his days as an unwilling eavesdropper on their negative thoughts, his sister is there to welcome him home and ease his burdens.
As if having the power to read minds wasn’t taxing enough, the writer soon discovers that he can use his power to drive people to suicide. While the bulk of the narrative is being kept under wraps, it’s hard to imagine a happy ending for anyone.
With over 10,000 Steam wishlists on its first day, Sister Other Paranoia is a highly anticipated title set to release in August for Windows and macOS (Steam).
※This Game Is Not Real.
Another visual novel, ※This Game Is Not Real. casts you not as a person, but as the game itself. As an unfinished horror visual novel, you must converse with your slightly delusional game developer master so that they can quash any remaining bugs and glitches before the inevitable deadline in three days.
Tasked with exploring the in-game world for project data, you discover that the game is a twisted reflection of the creator’s mind. With content warnings for bodily harm, self-harm, murder, suicide, and scenes that may induce trypophobia (fear of closely-packed holes), ※This Game Is Not Real. is not for the faint of heart.
Developed and published by Viv, ※This Game Is Not Real. is set to release in Q2 2006 for Windows and macOS (Steam).
0.0035％
Set in modern Japan, 0.0035% is a 3D adventure title that asks how far you are willing to go for a loved one. As a husband, you are told that the probability of losing your pregnant wife during childbirth is 0.0035%. Unfortunately, that little possibility comes true, as your wife and unborn child die during the operation. Convinced that something else caused your loved ones’ demise, you decide to break into the hospital and discover the truth.
Aside from the hospital (which seems to be home to another uninvited guest), 0,0035% has you exploring the neighborhood to interact with the locals. No matter where you are, however, it is in your best interest to gather whatever clues you can find about your wife and her unfortunate death. Piecing together the clues unravels their secrets, but they won’t explicitly tell everything that happened. Much like Silent Hill 2 and other similar titles, a lot of the narrative, including the game’s multiple endings, is left to your interpretation.
Developed and published by Mania Productions, 0.0035% is set to release in January for Windows (Steam).
Cling to Blindness
What could be scarier than your own imagination? That is the question Cling to Blindness, the last game on this list, constantly asks you. In addition to most of the game being a blank screen, it is highly recommended that you play the game blindfolded. As a girl named Satsuki, you must hear your way through an abandoned village to complete a ritual.
The ritual has three rules:
1. You must never take off your blindfold.
2. Do not let Ashioto (an unknown entity) catch you.
3. Collect all five ofuda talismans.
Two types of sounds help you find your way. The first are the sounds of wind chimes, which pinpoint the locations of the ofuda talismans you must gather. The second are the sounds of Ashioto’s footsteps, which get louder the closer it gets to you. Only by making your way to the ofuda and avoiding Ashioto will you be able to complete the ritual and escape.
Featuring iconic Japanese voice actors like Mariya Isa as Satsuki (she also plays Himeno in Chainsaw Man and Serie in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End) and Kotono Mitsuishi as an ominous character known as “The Guide” (Misato in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Mei Mei in Jujutsu Kaisen, and Boa Hancock in One Piece), Cling to Blindness sounds like a feast for the ears.
Cling to Blindness is developed by Lizardry, creator of 7 Days to End with You and Refind Self: The Personality Test Game. It is available on Windows (Steam).
Those were five Japanese indies that delve into the deep, dark recesses of the inner psyche. If you’re looking for an experience that will stick with you long after the credits roll, then these titles will get you hooked.
