Solo indie developer tweakEra has some subterranean horror going on with their first title, The Well Is Not Empty. Launching on Steam later this year, the game sees players descend into a well after it has mysteriously run dry, only to happen upon a seemingly-abandoned underground structure. Well, almost abandoned.
In other to discover the origins of this structure, you’ll need to dig your way through the rubble with your trusty spoon (seriously). Is it getting dark? Is whatever it is lurking in the darkness closing in on you? Not to worry, as you can use the backup hand-crank generator to bring light into these rooms. The light also keeps whatever is down here with you at bay, buying you enough time to run past these creatures before they get you.
However, you won’t have these generators at your disposal all the time. Meaning, you’ll need to hide and sneak past these creatures. If they see you, you’ll need to run for it, as you cannot fight back.
“I want players to feel like they’re embarking on an adventure but still carrying a constant sense of dread and despair throughout the journey,” explains tweakEra. “I want players to feel truly trapped down in the well. Constantly peeking over their shoulders in the game and eventually over their desk chair in real life. It’s like an insane asylum down there.”