I Hate This Place is a brutal isometric survival horror where reality twists, and endless nightmares. Story set in a cursed land with bunch of 'Silent Hill kind' of monsters, you’ll have to scavenge, craft, sneak around or fight to survive (so far in the demo, you can sneak through most parts).
It’s a pretty cool concept to see an isometric (top-down-like) horror game, since there aren’t many games using this perspective compared to first-person and over-the-shoulder horror. There’s another similar title called Whisper Mountain Outbreak, set to release this month, the biggest difference is that you fight through monsters in a group where teamwork and positioning are key, whereas I Hate This Place focuses more on stealth and “hide and seek” gameplay.
The demo showcases various types of monsters, including aggressive, stationary, and patrolling enemies. Most of them are blind, so you need to move slowly and stay quiet if you want to avoid combat. There are also many basic items to try out here such as firearms, grenades, and decoy tools. The demo covers about 30 minutes of gameplay, during which you try to escape from the first building.
A stage by stage progression, vacuum mechanic where you can suck in enemies, then spit them out as a projectiles to kill others, and power ups, this is an arcade game from 1991 - Tumblepop! But instead of a vacuum, you're given a magic jar, and the levels are randomized.
The game is divided into levels, which you can select on the world map. Each level contains several stages and a boss fight. If you lose all your lives, you have to restart the entire level again. Personally, I played up to the level 2 boss. Since the enemies and stages are randomized, you might encounter a very difficult setup even early on, which made this demo quite hard. I hope this will be adjusted in the full game, because when the game throws some "hard-to-deal" enemies into the same stage, it can become frustrating.
Adrenaline Overdrive is a fast-paced retro-style FPS action game that kind of reminds me of Quake. Instead of always with a gun in your hands, you have to keep killing enemies and take their weapons throughout the game. If you don’t have any gun, you’ll have to rely on your fists to fight.
"KEY FEATURES:
• MASTER SUPERNATURAL MOVEMENT Run,
jump, and slide as you tear through urban battlegrounds. Your enhanced
abilities make you unstoppable - if you can stay alive long enough to
use them.
• EXPLORE A FRACTURED CITY From
neon-lit corporate towers to abandoned subway tunnels, every corner of
this alternate Brooklyn tells a story of war, corruption, and
resistance."
The demo includes six playable levels (including the tutorial), each
lasting around 3-4 minutes. It features two types of enemies: one with a
gun, and another with melee attacks and a lot of HP. The game also
includes some light platforming challenges, if you miss a jump you’ll
fall back to the beginning.
BioMenace Remastered is an officially authorized licensed remake of the classic run and gun platformer in 1993, which also including updated visuals, modern features, and new content.
"Fight your way through a city ravaged by dangerous mutants, rescue hostages, find secrets and rack up points. Locate the secret lab behind this attack and prevent Dr. Mangle from taking over the world!"
Beyond the classic run-and-gun action, the game features light puzzle elements, like exploring different areas and finding key items to progress. You'll have access to multiple weapons and grenades, each suited for dealing with different enemy types more effectively. The demo includes 4 levels and offers around 30 minutes of gameplay.
The full game is currently scheduled for release in Q4 2025.
Limited inventory, scarce ammo, finding keys, and puzzle solving - a classic survival horror experience with a modern over-the-shoulder perspective. SANGRA brings the timeless formula into the present without losing the essence of true survival horror.
The game is currently planned for release in 2026. The first demo includes a handgun, herbs, some combinable items, and a shotgun, though the shotgun can only be held and cannot used. As for enemies, there appears to be only one type, a glitchy zombie-like creature (I wonder if it's a place holder?) that likely represents the most common monster in the full game.
Mourning Tide is a first person PSX style fishing game but combined with horror elements, developed by a small Czech team - Liquid Squid.
The game is about a guilt-ridden fisherman sails into forbidden waters. With each catch, echoes of his past rise to the surface. Unravel the truth, seek redemption’s light - or be claimed by the Mourning Tide.
The demo begins on a boat, at sea without any sign of shore or island. You head out and cast your fishing rod to begin fishing. Each type of fish has its own unique movement pattern, you’ll need to read their behavior and time your pulls to catch them. The fishing mechanics grow increasingly challenging, rewarding skill and adapting as you progress. Every fish demands a different strategy, pushing you to refine your approach.
Towards the end, it also introduces fish that pose a real challenge, new players may need several attempts to beat it. It ends with a “boss” encounter, where you catch the final fish and trigger a cutscene.
Personally, I'm exciting to see what kinds of monstrous creatures the developer might put into the sea in for the full release.
Free-roaming “spot the anomaly” games have been gaining popularity recently. In these games, you need to carefully confirm whether you’ve truly encountered an anomaly before deciding how to act — making the wrong call can set back your progress. Who's at the Door really stands out to me, with its strange-looking characters, dark backstory for the protagonist, and unexpected creepy events that make it even scarier.
In the demo, you explore the house and check for any anomalous activity before making a decision to proceed. A wrong decision could get you jumpscared and send you back to Day 1. Survive until Day 9 to reach the ending.
Absolum is a roguelite beat 'em up game developed by Dotemu, Guard Crush (they also developed Street of Rage 4), and Supamonks, bringing a new experience to the genre. The game offers both solo and co-op play (local or online), allow players to combine elemental powers and execute chained combos.
The demo features multiple boss fights across branching paths, offering over an hour of exploration to uncover all alternatives. It's quite challenging due to limited healing and the adventure's length, you'll need to play carefully to avoid trouble in boss fights. If you fall, you'll respawn at Uchawi's Hearth. Here, you can train, swap heroes, and upgrade your skills, but you'll be starting your adventure from the beginning.
Random power-ups are acquired throughout your run, meaning luck plays a significant role; finding abilities that align with your chosen path can significantly ease your journey.
Phase Zero is a survival horror game that sticks to the classic fixed-camera 90s, such as the OG Resident Evil, developed by SPINA Studio and published by Superhot Presents. The game is set in the snow-covered harbor town of Flint Peak in 1994, where a grotesque illness has transformed residents into monstrous creatures.
Players will navigate through pre-rendered 3D environments using fixed camera angles, enhancing the game's cinematic and tense atmosphere.There are two characters known as Mary, a reporter new to Flint Peak, and Guy, an injured engineer.Each chapter focuses on one of these characters as they attempt to survive the night, solve puzzles, and uncover the mystery behind the town's affliction.
The demo features a full chapter from the main game, offering around 30 minutes of classic survival horror gameplay. You’ll start in a hospital with a limited 4-slot inventory (RE Outbreak intensifies 😝) and get to blast through zombies with a satisfying shotgun.
Capture the Intelligence is a fan-made top-down survival horror game based on characters from Team Fortress 2. The player takes on the role of the BLU Spy, completing various objectives like stealing items, powering up doors, etc, all while avoiding enemies lurking around every corner to progress through the game. Developed by Nixliz and originally released in 2023, and recently version 1.2 was released, bringing a lot of new content and the fans have responded positively!
What's new in V1.2: - Hard Mode with New Maps - 2x Secret Optional Stage - 4 New Enemies & 4 Secret Enemies - New Ending after beating Hard Mode - Achievements
Despite its creepy atmosphere, I feel like this game is quite fun and enjoyable, the horror elements don’t overpower the gameplay, instead it’s balance of fear and fun that makes the game stand out in the fangame community.
Here's my full playthrough of the game, covering full Normal and Hard modes.
Blasfemia is a first-person horror game developed by Nakashima Studio, the game begins in a small house filled with puzzles and creepy events, and of course, you’re not alone! Explore a handcrafted, detail-rich environment steeped in tension and terror as you search for a way out… before an ominous entity finds you first.
"The game is set in an apartment in which a tragedy unfolded. Learn more about the people who lived here as you progress and beware of the sinister entity slowly growing it's presence."
The look in the demo Blasfemia reminds me of Resident Evil 7, and the psychological tension of Silent Hills P.T. You’re trapped in a same place where progress depends on completing specific tasks to unlock new events. In the same time, the mysterious nun may appear at certain moment to end your run!
ChainStaff is a Contra-like 2D platformer Shoot 'Em Up game, developed by Mommy's Best Games, a studio known for its portfolio of side-scrolling and platform shooter titles. Published by Null Games, ChainStaff introduces a unique weapon, the ChainStaff, which can transform into a spear, grappling hook, whip, or even a ladder. This dynamic tool enables a wide range of combat and traversal strategies, such as deflecting bullets, delivering 1 hit kills, or block incoming enemies.
Players can upgrade their weapon using Tech Points, which are earned by rescuing refugees throughout the game, from the demo menu, is seems that players are allowed to revisit previously completed stages, so I think if you missed out some Tech Points, you will be able to go back and find them.
The demo level is quite challenging, filled with enemies attacking from all directions, some with rapid movement that tests your reflexes. The stage concludes with a boss battle and a little story of the protagonist’s backstory, a character who has been attached with an alien creature.
Sirocco Thugs is a beat 'em up game in first person view that emphasizes skillful combat over button mashing. This game kinda requires players to master distance judging and employ precise techniques, collect weapons throughout the way or from the enemies to make the fights easier, utilize a mix melee attack when enemies are stunned (like Resident Evil 4) to launch them to the other world.
Sirocco Thugs is not just about attacking relentlessly, it's about timing and positioning especially enemies coming in group, and you'll likely get surrounded (if you played a lot of beat 'em up games you know what it means).
The demo currently offers a tutorial and a beginner stage featuring a boss fight that will keep rushing toward you like no tomorrow. While there are various types of enemies basically share similar behavior, with differences primarily in their health and weapons. Full demo gameplay here
Rogue Snake (currently in demo) has combine the classic snake game from
the old school Nokia handphone with the roguelike shooting game! You will get
through the upgrades, mods, from the resources you obtained from the
battles, as well as extra skins in the full release.
You control the snake like in the classic game on the map with full of enemies, instead of getting high score, you will need to get the firepower items to defeat all the enemies on the map to proceed. The picture above is showing a boss fight. But personally, I think the demo is a bit too hard, I have to retry multiple times to farm for a lot of upgrades only can get to the final stage, because at the very beginning, you will die after getting a few hits or crush into an obstacles.
Anyway, just one more reminder: still don’t bite your own tail, even Mecha Snakes don’t like that. Demo gameplay below.
Rogue-like action RPG that challenges you to survive between two worlds at once. Throughout much of the game, you must switch between two worlds - the decaying realm of Nihilor and the corrupted parallel dimension of Absymalith, to progress, locate hidden items, and defeat enemies more efficiently.
A wide array of power-ups and abilities await, each offering different ways to form your own style. And I believe there should be more to uncover in the full release.
The demo playtime is approximately 30 minutes, one boss fight, and a few challenging puzzles that allow you to get extra items.
Shobatsu is a 2D hack-and-slash/beat 'em up hybrid that pushes the genre into fresh territory. In the demo, players can chain together a variety of attack moves to create extended combos, including juggling enemies to maximize damage.
The demo also features a variety of enemy types and a boss, some of which require careful positioning, crowd control, and smart use of jumping or blocking. Casual players expecting a simple 'walk straight and hit' experience may find it a bit challenging, but beat 'em up veterans should feel right at home. You won’t get far by just walking in a straight line you know right.
SHOCK is an over-shoulder type of third-person psychological horror game that thrusts players into a tense, atmospheric survival experience. You play as Jack River, a survival who has lost both legs, begins in an abandoned basement parking lot using a wheelchair, with no memory of how you got there. In the demo, you have to find a solution to escape the packing lot while avoiding being caught by a giant head, snake-like monster, since it has bunch of wires, chips, and PC motherboard filled on its face, it could be a robot lol
A quite scary and unique horror game that brings back the feel of classic horror titles where if you mess up, you’ll die badly. The only thing I feel could be improved is the lighting—some areas are completely dark, while others are too bright, such as the light from cars and their reflections. Fans of horror games should definitely give it a try.
