Free Steam Demo Download is Spookiest Way to See in 2026

The start of a new year can be scary but if you are wanting to make it even more horrifying, you could always bring in 2026 with this thrilling new release.

Launching today (30 December), Eclipse: Anomaly Research is an upcoming horror game set against the backdrop of a haunted swamp.

You will take on the role of Ivy Summers, a field agent for the Eclipse Research Unit who must face reality-breaking anomalies and deadly creatures as she monitors cameras, reports the monsters, and most importantly, survives the hunt.

However, with a time loop threatening to undo her progress, you will not have long to uncover the dark secrets that lurk beneath the swamp’s murky surface.

Developed by Tropical-Games Studio, Eclipse: Anomaly Research combines the classics such as Phasmophobia and Resident Evil to bring us a haunting exploration experience.

As part of a unit whose job it is to document and report strange phenomena all over the world, Ivy’s next job is to head to the swamp which is home to an abandoned monitoring shack left by a previous research team.

With reports of strange anomalies and manifestations running wild, your job is to document and report your findings using a variety of different equipment.

Tropical-Games Studio

With your laptop, you will be able to keep an eye on multiple locations and spot if anything looks out of the ordinary from doors that were once closed to objects that shift before your very eyes.

However, with a swamp dweller threatening both your research and your very life, you will have to wrap up your investigation and make sure to keep track of what is real whilst facing time-bending phenomena.

The Longer You Take, the Scarier the Evening Becomes

“You’re not alone out there. When the fog rolls in, the swamp becomes a hunting ground,” the official Steam synopsis for Eclipse: Anomaly Research reads.

“An unknown entity, described as a swamp dweller, disables power, attempts to unlock your shack's doors & only attacks when you're not watching out.

The more anomalies active, the stronger the creation becomes.”

Featuring both puzzle and survival gameplay, escalating difficulty, jump scares and psychological tension, Eclipse: Anomaly Research is not for the faint-hearted but will definitely make a memorable start to a new year.

Eclipse: Anomaly Research does not yet have a full release day but its demo is now free to play on Steam.

The demo will give you access to the first three nights of Ivy’s research trip with players having to report any anomalies they spot on various security feeds. Happy hunting!