Steam Launches Intense Psychological Horror With Free Taster Available Now
Topics: Indie Games, Steam, PC
Featured Image Credit: Oro Interactive
Topics: Indie Games, Steam, PC
At the weekend, I got back from seeing a double feature of Obsession and Backrooms (which are both great, by the way) and fancied plunging myself into another horror that would be sure to prey on my mind throughout the night.
That’s when I remembered I had MOLE installed on Steam, an upcoming psychological horror from Off Black Creations and Oro Interactive, the latter of which published the excellent Easy Delivery Co. last year.
Having now played through the first couple of hours of MOLE (thanks for the key, Oro), it’s a decent horror game that does a lot with a little.
MOLE, or M.O.L.E., is a new entry in the line of “analog horrors” which has been a major trend of the 2020s so far.
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The game begins with you aboard a deep-bore vessel which acts as a massive drilling machine. However, the crew has disappeared and the vessel doesn’t appear to be functioning as it should.
You are then tasked with operating the ship, navigating around the vessel and interacting with many of its systems to keep it going. It’s a mix of puzzle-solving and exploration, all set within the confines of this claustrophobic environment.
As your journey continues, you start piecing together fragments of your own memory as flashes come to you periodically.
This comes in addition to the pieces of lore you’re fed throughout the game’s opening hours, allowing you to figure out more about the vessel, its mission, and where the story leads.
I shan’t spoil more beyond that, but from just playing through the game’s opening segments, I was impressed with the way MOLE builds tension.
The dark, enclosed spaces and unnerving analog sounds are one thing, but the slow pacing and psychological elements are what drove it home for me. There are bits of Twin Peaks, bits of Iron Lung, and the game has shaped up to be one of the more interesting horror games coming out this summer, even if I've been too scared to try and finish it.
In case you fancied checking it out for yourself, MOLE has had a demo that’s been available since January.
Don’t just take my word for it though, the 96% rated positive demo indicates that pretty much almost everyone who checked it out has enjoyed it, and would recommend it.
“This demo does more to scare you than the bargain bin indie "horror" games that have flooded places like itch. Great atmosphere, audio, art style, environment and theme. Will pick this up when it comes out,” reads one review of the demo.
“The atmosphere was top-notch, the sounds, visuals, the whole setting, very well done,” reads another review.
“Shocked I haven't heard of this earlier. really really solid demo, can't wait for the full version,” a third review reads.
The full version of MOLE will be out on 15 June, 2026.