Ahead of its participation in the upcoming June Steam Next Fest, developer Genie Boy Games unveiled the 30-minute Steam demo for their upcoming psychological horror title T.W.I.R.L., a horror game about growing up in 2006 and harboring a deep secret that must be protected for life. The developer’s debut title will launch on Steam later this year, followed by releases on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.

Routines, rituals, and relationships may define us, but T.W.I.R.L. asks: what’s your deepest, darkest secret? Stay silent as a nine-year-old boy creeping out of his bedroom at 3:00 a.m. while everyone’s asleep. Feel the weight of every step forward while being followed by a demon…? A Person? Or is it something else?

Tiptoe through the haunted nostalgia of 2006, where a presence beyond evil draws players through P.T.-inspired loops, changing the environment to unveil the life story of a boy who grows up hiding a deep, dark, and potentially sinister secret.

In the new demo, players will roam through a 30-minute-long experience introducing a family, their house, and the unspoken mystery hiding within.

“Of many things, T.W.I.R.L. is a challenge to look fear in the eye, and see it for what it is: nothing,” said Ben Escobar, founder of Genie Boy Games. “Through our story about childhood secrets, the loss of innocence, and growing up in 2006, we hope that our game inspires you to embrace a rediscovery of self, and an acceptance of your lifelong fears.”