Those who prefer their horror games to be more cerebral and less jump-scary will appreciate Dissolution of My Self. Developed by Pop Elephant Studio, this upcoming dark boys’ love visual novel will have you peeling away the memories and identity of the protagonist. A free demo was recently released for Windows on Steam and itch.io.
Dissolution of My Self follows Hector, a prince of a fallen kingdom who finds himself in exile with his uncle and aide-de-camp Matvey. Forced to live in a rented room until things die down, Hector decides to forget everything about himself.
Gameplay involves investigating everyday objects like windows and medicine bottles to trigger memories that Hector is afraid to face. The order in which you interact with objects affects the order in which Hector remembers things and the pace at which the story unfolds. Once you’ve experienced a memory, Hector forgets about it forever, and the object associated will slowly blur and lose its function.
Matvey is also deeply rooted in Hector’s memories. Apart from being his uncle and consultant, Hector treats Matvey as his mother, wife, caretaker, and subject all rolled into one. As Hector examines his past, you witness just how intimate (and distorted) their relationship is.
Dissolution of My Self focuses on the psychological horror of human relationships and co-dependency, and is riddled with dark humor and what the developers call “jokes straight from hell.” The game is set to release in the third quarter of 2026 for Windows (Steam).
