While not quite abandonware in the traditional sense, Fossil Games’ Abandonware: The Horror Collection looks to scratch that old-school gaming itch (as well as Dread X Collection fans), now that it’s out in Early Access on Steam. Combining nostalgia, retro gameplay and an unsettling atmosphere, Abandonware comes from the developer’s love of horror and true crime.

The story for Abandoneware has the development team finding an old internal 3.5″ hard drive. Since they’re the curious type, they decided to clean it up and plug it in to see what sort of stuff you they could find. What they do find is a custom operating system with what looks to be a collection of horror mini games. As they started completing these games, they noticed new options appearing, and started to get a little concerned. Reporting it to the police hasn’t revealed much, and so they’re turning to you to help uncover just what this hard drive is about.

The first minigame, looks to be a stalker game based on the Red Riding Hood story, and features procedurally-generated map. The second game sees you playing as Hansel and Gretel, who must first find the Witch’s House, then escape. The third game, “Mr Gnome goes Skating”, sees you saving animals, but gradually becomes more and more complex, with glitches and out of bounds errors, along with something else…

“Abandonware is not just a game; it’s an exploration of fear, mystery, and what really scares us,” explains Fossil Games. “We wanted to create something that defied traditional horror game conventions and truly immersed players in an unsettling and unforgettable journey. With Abandonware, we invite players to step into a world where every discovery can stop you in your tracks. We’ll be adding more and more games for players to experience and try to find the secrets within that help expand upon the secrets hidden on the found 3.5” HDD.”

Currently, you can snag Abandonware: The Horror Collection with a 25% discount until July 21.