Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1 arrives on Windows PC

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Debut installment of first-person "liminal spaces" horror series available now on Steam and itch.io

If you ever wondered what it might feel like to wake up in your own Twilight Zone story, it just might be something like Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1, a new "liminal spaces horror title" by solo developer Andrew Quist.

While story details are intentionally sparse, players will step into the first-person shoes of the unwitting protagonist, all alone and trapped in a "sprawling yet unoccupied resort." Now, using nothing but your wits and whatever you can scrounge from the eerily empty environments, you'll need to explore this strange place to "discover its origins and escape with your life – and sanity – intact." Easier said than done, however, as everything about your surroundings is meant to disorient and unnerve you as you make your way through a "vast network of mundane rooms and facilities [that] exists in the uncanny valley of American architecture."

Inspired by the "liminal spaces" internet aesthetic popularized by "The Backrooms" urban legend, Anemoiapolis is a different kind of psychological horror than we're used to. Instead of dark shadows and lurking dangers, this game uses its "oppressive yet tranquil" settings to create a "dose of existential dread." Everything looks so ordinary, so bright, so normal, and yet it's all so very wrong. Places that should be filled with activity are disturbingly devoid of it here, and the environments themselves are dynamic. The labyrinthine layout is procedurally generated to make you feel "lost and confused," creating an ever-present reminder that "things aren't always as they appear." There is a way out, but you'll have to experiment – jump, push, swim, climb, smash things, or do "whatever it takes to get to the next room."

For those up for the challenge, Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1 is available now for Windows PC on Steam and itch.io, the former offering a 10% launch week discount.