{"id":56068,"date":"2026-01-24T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=56068"},"modified":"2026-01-23T14:54:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T05:54:18","slug":"from-slipping-into-unhealthy-relationships-to-playing-as-a-self-debugging-game-5-japanese-psychological-horror-indie-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/from-slipping-into-unhealthy-relationships-to-playing-as-a-self-debugging-game-5-japanese-psychological-horror-indie-games\/","title":{"rendered":"From\u00a0slipping into\u00a0unhealthy\u00a0relationships to playing as a self-debugging game: 5 Japanese psychological horror indie games\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Welcome to our weekend segment, where we&nbsp;showcase&nbsp;recent or upcoming Japanese indie games that share a specific theme.&nbsp;Though we have&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/weekly-japanese-indie-showcase-horror-games-starring-pets-and-animals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">covered scary games in the past<\/a>, this week&nbsp;we\u2019re&nbsp;focusing on psychological horror titles specifically. Because&nbsp;there\u2019s&nbsp;no better horror than the kind that&nbsp;won\u2019t&nbsp;leave your mind.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1518\" height=\"852\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1518px) 100vw, 1518px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-header.jpg\" alt=\"Kodoku: As the Moon Mourns\u00a0\" class=\"wp-image-56070\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-header.jpg 1518w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-header-380x213.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-header-768x431.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"kodoku-as-the-moon-mourns\">Kodoku: As the Moon Mourns\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on Japanese folklore,&nbsp;Kodoku: As the Moon Mourns puts you in the shoes of university folklore professor&nbsp;Urohoshi&nbsp;as he searches for his missing friend. Drawn deep into the mountains by a statue of Kannon, the&nbsp;Japanese Bodhisattva of Compassion, he jumps into a massive jar and finds himself in a monster-filled otherworld&nbsp;built on a person\u2019s regrets and trauma.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this world filled with jar-headed men and massive skeletons, the only non-hostile&nbsp;seems to be&nbsp;a young girl who asks&nbsp;Urohoshi&nbsp;to gather souls within a jar.&nbsp;With no other way out,&nbsp;Urohoshi&nbsp;channels his inner Legend of Zelda and gets to carrying pots.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"ja\" dir=\"ltr\">\u548c\u98a8\u30db\u30e9\u30fc\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\u300eKodoku -\u30b3\u30c9\u30af-\u300f\u306e<br>Steam\u7121\u6599\u4f53\u9a13\u7248\u3092\u30ea\u30ea\u30fc\u30b9\u3057\u307e\u3057\u305f\uff01\ud83c\udf89\ud83c\udf89<br><br>\u7269\u7406\u6f14\u7b97\u306e\u304b\u304b\u3063\u305f\u58fa\u3092\u99c6\u4f7f\u3057\u3066\u7570\u754c\u304b\u3089\u306e\u8131\u51fa\u3092\u76ee\u6307\u3059\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\u3067\u3059\ud83d\udc7b\ud83d\udc7b<br><br>\u305c\u3072\u4ee5\u4e0b\u30ea\u30f3\u30af\u3088\u308a\u30c0\u30a6\u30f3\u30ed\u30fc\u30c9\u3057\u3066\u30d7\u30ec\u30a4\u3057\u3066\u307f\u3066\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\uff01<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Steam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Steam<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/horrorgame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#horrorgame<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/indiedev?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#indiedev<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WXgXj6lFWy\">https:\/\/t.co\/WXgXj6lFWy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cEqgf4lC4S\">pic.twitter.com\/cEqgf4lC4S<\/a><\/p>&mdash; \u6bd4\u826f\u5742(\u3072\u3089\u3055\u304b) (@hirasaka_anime) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hirasaka_anime\/status\/2012091300238201184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 16, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The core gameplay loop revolves around collecting souls strewn throughout the&nbsp;environment. Once the required number of souls&nbsp;has&nbsp;been gathered&nbsp;in a jar, a nearby torii gate opens, allowing you&nbsp;to&nbsp;escape.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Blocking your progress\u00a0are\u00a0a myriad of\u00a0monsters\u00a0and puzzles.\u00a0Though unkillable, the\u00a0monsters\u00a0can be distracted by throwing a jar\u00a0filled with souls\u00a0to create a distraction\u00a0(this does not seem to deduct the required souls needed to open a torii gate).\u00a0You will still need to stealth your way past them, however, as being spotted will\u00a0render\u00a0your distractions useless.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The game\u2019s puzzles also require you to&nbsp;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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1519\" height=\"850\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1519px) 100vw, 1519px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-002.jpg\" alt=\"Sister Other Paranoia\" class=\"wp-image-56071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-002.jpg 1519w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-002-380x213.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-002-768x430.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sister-other-paranoia\">Sister Other Paranoia&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Developed and published by Needy Streamer Overload writer&nbsp;Nyalra\u2019s&nbsp;new company,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/hazedenki.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HazeDenki<\/a>,&nbsp;Sister Other Paranoia is a&nbsp;visual novel that&nbsp;explores&nbsp;what happens when two people become overly dependent on each other. As an unnamed light novel writer who can read minds, you&nbsp;find yourself withdrawing from society and finding comfort&nbsp;in your younger sister.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After winning an upcoming&nbsp;writer\u2019s&nbsp;award,&nbsp;the&nbsp;writer&nbsp;discovers&nbsp;that those closest to&nbsp;him&nbsp;are,&nbsp;in fact,&nbsp;jealous of&nbsp;his&nbsp;recent success. While&nbsp;he&nbsp;spends his&nbsp;days as an unwilling&nbsp;eavesdropper&nbsp;on&nbsp;their negative thoughts,&nbsp;his&nbsp;sister is there to welcome&nbsp;him&nbsp;home and ease&nbsp;his&nbsp;burdens.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1514\" height=\"850\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1514px) 100vw, 1514px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-003.jpg\" alt=\"Sister Other Paranoia\" class=\"wp-image-56072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-003.jpg 1514w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-003-380x213.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-003-768x431.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As if having the power to read minds&nbsp;wasn\u2019t&nbsp;taxing enough, the writer soon discovers that he can use his power to drive people to suicide.&nbsp;While the bulk of the narrative is being kept&nbsp;under wraps,&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;hard to imagine&nbsp;a happy ending&nbsp;for anyone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/needy-streamer-overload-devs-new-supernatural-little-sister-visual-novel-gets-over-10000-steam-wishlists-on-its-first-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">over 10,000 Steam&nbsp;wishlists&nbsp;on its first day<\/a>,&nbsp;Sister Other Paranoia is&nbsp;a highly&nbsp;anticipated&nbsp;title&nbsp;set to release in August for Windows and macOS (<a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/4240150\/Sister_Other_Paranoia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steam<\/a>).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1517\" height=\"845\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1517px) 100vw, 1517px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-004.jpg\" alt=\"\u203bThis Game Is Not Real.\u00a0\" class=\"wp-image-56073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-004.jpg 1517w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-004-380x212.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-004-768x428.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"this-game-is-not-real\">\u203bThis Game Is Not Real.&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Another visual novel,&nbsp;\u203bThis Game Is Not Real.&nbsp;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&nbsp;quash any remaining bugs and glitches before the inevitable deadline in three days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1514\" height=\"847\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1514px) 100vw, 1514px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-005.jpg\" alt=\"\u203bThis Game Is Not Real.\u00a0\" class=\"wp-image-56074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-005.jpg 1514w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-005-380x213.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-005-768x430.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Tasked&nbsp;with&nbsp;exploring the in-game world&nbsp;for project data, you discover that the game is a twisted reflection of the creator\u2019s mind.&nbsp;With&nbsp;content&nbsp;warnings for&nbsp;bodily harm,&nbsp;self-harm,&nbsp;murder, suicide, and scenes that may induce trypophobia (fear of&nbsp;closely-packed&nbsp;holes),&nbsp;\u203bThis Game Is Not Real.&nbsp;is not for the faint of heart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developed and published by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lit.link\/en\/viv8k\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Viv<\/a>,&nbsp;\u203bThis Game Is Not Real.&nbsp;is set to release&nbsp;in Q2 2006 for Windows and macOS (<a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/3782740\/This_Game_Is_Not_Real\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steam<\/a>).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1515\" height=\"850\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1515px) 100vw, 1515px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-006.jpg\" alt=\"0.0035\uff05\u00a0\" class=\"wp-image-56075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-006.jpg 1515w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-006-380x213.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-006-768x431.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-0035\">0.0035\uff05&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Set in modern Japan, 0.0035% is a 3D adventure title that asks how far you are willing to go for&nbsp;a loved one.&nbsp;As a husband, you are told that the probability of losing your pregnant wife during childbirth is 0.0035%. Unfortunately, that&nbsp;little&nbsp;possibility comes true, as your wife and unborn child die during the operation. Convinced that something else caused your loved ones\u2019 demise, you&nbsp;decide to&nbsp;break into the hospital&nbsp;and discover&nbsp;the truth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"ja\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udd26\u65b0\u4f5c\u30db\u30e9\u30fc\uff06\u30df\u30b9\u30c6\u30ea\u30fc\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\u300e0.0035\uff05\u300f\u304c\u30011\u670813\u65e5\u306bSTEAM\u306b\u3066\u767a\u58f2\u958b\u59cb\uff01<br><br>\u8003\u5bdf\u8981\u7d20\u3084\u885d\u6483\u7684\u306a\u30e9\u30b9\u30c8\u7cfb\u304c\u597d\u304d\u306a\u65b9\u306b\u306f\u3001\u7279\u306b\u304a\u3059\u3059\u3081\u306e\u4f5c\u54c1\u3067\u3059\uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01\uff01<br><br>\u3082\u3057\u826f\u3051\u308c\u3070\u3053\u3061\u3089\u306e\u6295\u7a3f\u3092\u62e1\u6563\u3057\u3066\u3001\u5fdc\u63f4\u3044\u305f\u3060\u3051\u308b\u3068\u3081\u3061\u3083\u304f\u3061\u3083\u5b09\u3057\u3044\u3067\u3059\u3045\u3045\u3045\ud83d\ude47\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\ude47\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\ude47\u200d\u2642\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mDiJ2evHMs\">https:\/\/t.co\/mDiJ2evHMs<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E9%96%8B%E7%99%BA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\u958b\u767a<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/UE5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#UE5<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FjuTb7AJ8v\">pic.twitter.com\/FjuTb7AJ8v<\/a><\/p>&mdash; \u30de\u30cb\u30d7\u30ed \uff5eMANIA PRODUCTIONS\uff5e (@webmaniapro) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/webmaniapro\/status\/2003796893755937191?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 24, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from the hospital (which&nbsp;seems to be&nbsp;home to another uninvited guest), 0,0035% has you&nbsp;exploring&nbsp;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&nbsp;won\u2019t&nbsp;explicitly tell everything that happened. Much&nbsp;like&nbsp;Silent&nbsp;Hill 2&nbsp;and other similar titles, a lot of the narrative, including the game\u2019s multiple endings,&nbsp;is left to&nbsp;your interpretation.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developed and published by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/webmaniapro?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mania Productions<\/a>, 0.0035% is set to release in January for Windows (<a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/4234500\/00035\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steam<\/a>).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cling to Blindness | Release Date Trailer\" width=\"1160\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2tzRv7roHes?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cling-to-blindness\">Cling to Blindness&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What could be scarier than your own imagination?\u00a0That is the question\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/upcoming-horror-game-cling-to-blindness-is-played-blindfolded-forcing-players-to-rely-on-sound-to-navigate-an-abandoned-village\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cling to Blindness<\/a>, the last game on this\u00a0list,\u00a0constantly asks you. In addition to most of the game being a\u00a0blank\u00a0screen, it is highly recommended\u00a0that you\u00a0play the game\u00a0blindfolded. As a girl named Satsuki, you must hear your way through an abandoned village to complete a ritual.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ritual has three rules:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1. You must never take off your blindfold.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2. Do not let&nbsp;Ashioto&nbsp;(an unknown entity) catch you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3. Collect all five ofuda talismans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two&nbsp;types of&nbsp;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&nbsp;Ashioto\u2019s&nbsp;footsteps, which get louder the closer&nbsp;it&nbsp;gets to you. Only by making your way to the ofuda and avoiding&nbsp;Ashioto&nbsp;will you be able to complete the ritual and escape.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1513\" height=\"847\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1513px) 100vw, 1513px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-007.jpg\" alt=\"Cling to Blindness\u00a0\" class=\"wp-image-56076\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-007.jpg 1513w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-007-380x213.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-007-768x430.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Featuring iconic Japanese voice actors&nbsp;like&nbsp;Mariya Isa&nbsp;as Satsuki&nbsp;(she also plays&nbsp;Himeno&nbsp;in Chainsaw Man and Serie in&nbsp;Frieren: Beyond Journey\u2019s End) and&nbsp;Kotono&nbsp;Mitsuishi&nbsp;as an ominous character known as \u201cThe Guide\u201d&nbsp;(Misato in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Mei&nbsp;Mei&nbsp;in Jujutsu Kaisen, and Boa Hancock in One Piece),&nbsp;Cling to Blindness sounds like a feast for the ears.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cling to Blindness is developed by Lizardry, creator of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/20220124-8911\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7 Days to End with You<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/interviews\/interview-how-personality-test-game-refind-self-sold-over-200k-collaboration-developer-publisher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Refind&nbsp;Self: The Personality Test Game<\/a>. It is available on Windows (<a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/3962330\/Cling_to_Blindness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steam<\/a>).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those were five Japanese indies that delve into the deep, dark recesses of the inner psyche. If\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0looking for an experience that will stick with you long after the credits roll, then these titles will get you hooked.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introducing five upcoming or recent Japanese indie games in the psychological genre horror &#8211; including hidden gems and much-awaited releases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":56078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,3],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-56068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indie-games","category-news","tag-japan-related-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>From\u00a0slipping into\u00a0unhealthy\u00a0relationships to playing as a self-debugging game: 5 Japanese psychological horror indie games\u00a0 - AUTOMATON WEST<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Introducing five upcoming or recent Japanese indie games in the psychological genre horror - including hidden gems and much-awaited releases.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/from-slipping-into-unhealthy-relationships-to-playing-as-a-self-debugging-game-5-japanese-psychological-horror-indie-games\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From\u00a0slipping into\u00a0unhealthy\u00a0relationships to playing as a self-debugging game: 5 Japanese psychological horror indie games\u00a0 - AUTOMATON WEST\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Introducing five upcoming or recent Japanese indie games in the psychological genre horror - including hidden gems and much-awaited releases.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/from-slipping-into-unhealthy-relationships-to-playing-as-a-self-debugging-game-5-japanese-psychological-horror-indie-games\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"AUTOMATON WEST\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-24T13:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260123-56068-header-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"845\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Carlos &quot;Zoto&quot; Zotomayor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AUTOMATON_ENG\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AUTOMATON_ENG\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Carlos &quot;Zoto&quot; Zotomayor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"From\u00a0slipping into\u00a0unhealthy\u00a0relationships to playing as a self-debugging game: 5 Japanese psychological horror indie games\u00a0 - 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