Featured Image Credit: Valve
Topics: Steam, Indie Games, Free Games, Retro Gaming
I’m a few years late to this particular macabre party but, I just had to write a few words on a free horror game I recently found while exploring Steam.
When it comes to horror games, I'm a big fan of the indie efforts that make use of retro aesthetics to tell their stories. Games like Resident Evil 2 remake are all well and good, and I love how technology has made it so reanimated rotting corpses are more realistic than ever before, but using 8-bit graphics to evoke a feeling of pure dread is an incredible skill.
This is why I was instantly drawn to Lily's Well, a 2022 indie horror from PureIceBlue that you can actually download and play for free on Steam.
Like I said up top, I'm super late to this game and I'm probably preaching to the choir, but I'm delighted I found it. Lily's Well is a wonderfully creepy game that leans into its lo-fi point-and-click inspirations to mine horror - and some shocking moments of violence - from familiarity. The fact that it's free is a truly unexpected bonus.
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Lily's Well revolves around a super simple premise: you play as a small girl (Lily) who wakes up alone in her home and hears a voice calling for help from the well outside. You'll then need to explore the house and garden to find various materials for rope so you can climb down into the well and help.
The meat of the gameplay is fairly basic point and click puzzle solving, but there are some fun twists. For example, some rope materials might not actually be that reliable, and attempting to descend into the well with them will... end badly.
It's also a game that rewards multiple playthroughs, and finally working out how to get to the bottom of the well is hardly the end. As you peel back the terrifying layers and discover the truth behind Lily's situation, you'll be left truly shaken.
I lost an entire rainy evening to Lily's Well, and I seriously can't recommend it enough if you're looking for something to play on a budget. A masterclass in bite-sized horror, and well worth your time.