Conventions like PAX West are always my favorite because while you can expect AAA studios like BANDAI NAMCO, Capcom, and Nintendo to be present, the convention organizers always make sure to dedicate a huge part of their venue to independent developers across all genres. Today, I wanted to do my part by highlighting my favorite titles that I played at the Expo Hall that I believe you should check out, especially if you’re a fan of horror as the majority of the titles on this list fall into that genre.
Related: Athenian Rhapsody Review: A Smile-tastic Adventure
Drăculești
Developed & Published by: Fine Feathered Fiends
Drăculești is a LGBTQIA+ gothic romance visual novel based off the novel Dracula. You play as Renfield, a lawyer assigned to complete property sales to Dracula, who resides in Castle Dracula. Renfield stays at the castle during his assignment and although Dracula remains friendly towards him, his humble abode gives off a completely different vibe.
In his sleep, Renfield dreams of ghoulish ghosts and horrifying monsters roaming the estate. Though, Dracula claims they’re just that: dreams. However, when physical markings such as handprints are left on Renfield’s neck, he can’t help but wonder what sinister truths Dracula is hiding from him.
In the PAX West demo, you were able to select three out of the four love interests’ routes to briefly experience: Dracula, The Ghost, or one of Dracula’s brides, Cez. Being the facial hair lover that I am, I went for Dracula.
The demo covers a hunt that Renfield and Dracula embark on… which can be darkly romantic or outright horrifying depending on your choices. For example, I had the option of following Dracula into danger, and how could I not? He’s hot!
Doing so let me experience a brief but sweet scene where Dracula helps Renfield across a ledge on an icy mountain, though only if the latter kept his eyes shut. Not wanting to betray Dracula’s trust, I did as he asked.
After getting across, we encounter a wolf that Dracula brutally disposes of and starts eating. Here, you can react in one of two ways: find the sight of a bloodied Dracula terrifying, or compelling. Depending on what you choose, the scene’s tone then changes, the writing and music/sound altering to reflect whatever Renfield is feeling.
I adored every second of Drăculești. As someone who’s been yelling into the void for more horror romance games, this visual novel gives me exactly what I’ve craving for: an exhilarating dark romance that leaves me conflicted about my feelings for the love interests. They’re all captivating, but at the same time, they’re monsters you have nightmares about.
You can download the demo for Drăculești on itch.io and Steam. There is no set release date for the game, so make sure to follow the developer for updates.
one way.exe
Developed & Published by: Disordered Games
one way.exe checked all the right boxes for me. An amazing, cohesive aesthetic. An intriguing story where you need to figure out what happened to the developers that made UNTITLED.EXE. And most important of all, a very hot guy whose cult I would join in a heartbeat.
one way.exe features eight distinct-looking characters, all of whom are based on a different era of horror. For example, the colorful and smiling Anita is based on mascot horror. Ophelia, a shy-looking ghost girl, is based on chain mail from the early 2000s that scared many young internet users like myself into forwarding messages like hers to avoid being cursed.
The demo lets you pick which character whose room you wanted to explore. I chose Mikey, the aforementioned hot guy. I was immediately thrown into a chaotic-looking room with posters promoting Mikey and his band, and a loud radio. After solving the puzzle, I then found myself surrounded by eyes that would only go away if I clicked on them.
Then, I was by my lonesome in a large, dark red field with radio towers… Although, thanks to the game’s excellent sound design, I always felt like I needed to take a quick glance over my shoulder just to make sure I was truly alone.
I was able to speak with Spider (writer and co-creator) and Bugs (co-creator and programmer) prior to my playthrough, and learned more about the game. One tidbit that I found interesting is that while concepting the game, Spider took huge inspiration from the X-Files and late 1990s to early 2000s internet culture such as: forums, message boards, and chat rooms. Although he did want to have some influence from horror cult-classics like Silent Hill present, they didn’t quite make sense for the game.
Overall, one way.exe’s demo was a fun ride from beginning to end, and I honestly can’t wait to piece together more of the story and learn more about the characters’ backstories.
The demo will release sometime this month on Steam with a Kickstarter launching in late summer. If you too are interested in learning more about the characters, I strongly suggest checking out the game’s website to see what you can uncover.
SAEKO: Giantess Dating Sim
Developed by: SAFE HAVN STUDIO
Published by: HYPER REAL
What’s better than a giant woman who can kill you with her bare hands? Nothing, that’s what. And if you think otherwise, I want you to take that up with Lady Dimitrescu’s fans.
SAEKO: Giantess Dating Sim opens up with the a feminine-looking boy named Rin walking back to his house all alone. On his way back, he makes the typical mistake of stopping in his tracks to look down at a puddle to see his reflection. As the seconds tick by, the small full moon behind him gets bigger and he gets smaller. And smaller. And smaller…
Before he can realize what’s happening, a giant woman in a purple dress with glowing red eyes stands behind him and then we abruptly cut to the title screen, showing the same woman at her desk, smiling down at us.
From there, you wake up in Saeko’s desk drawer and learn that you aren’t the only one being held captive. There are three other individuals stuck in the same situation as you. This is when you’re forced into the role of caretaker. Listen to the others and give them what they want, whether it’s a toy or giving them something to eat. The job may seem simple, but you quickly learn that it comes with a heavy price.
At the end of the demo, Saeko talks to you one-on-one. At the start, she gives you a single rule to follow: only reply when she asks you a question. If you say “Yeah” to one of her many statements, it’s game over.
This was my favorite section of the game because it revealed a cold and authoritative side to the giantess the game had been teasing. It’s her way or the highway, and it felt like you were walking on pins and needles throughout, wondering what you should say when it was finally your turn to speak, especially when her judgmental eyes stared down at you.
You can download the demo for SAEKO: Giantess Dating Sim on Steam. The game is expected to release sometime this year.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Developed by: Hakababunko
Published by: SHUEISHA GAMES
Are you a fan of Professor Layton? Or what about the masterpiece that is Ghost Trick? Or perhaps, you’re a general mystery fanatic dying to scratch that itch of yours? If you said yes to any of those questions, Urban Myth Dissolution Center is worth your attention.
The game centers on a young girl named Azami, who has the gift to see ghosts. In an attempt to rid herself of them, she seeks the aid of Ayumu Meguriya, a high-level psychic at the titular business. The demo covers their encounter, where Azami has the misfortune of sitting in a cursed chair that’ll kill her. With the help of her powers, she must deduce the chair’s curse and how to free herself from it before she meets her untimely demise.
By investigating your surroundings and talking to people, you’re able to get clues. After gathering enough clues, you have to piece together what’s going on. Even if you get things wrong along the way, the game doesn’t penalize you for your mistakes.
I wasn’t able to get too far into the demo since it was timed but I thoroughly enjoyed what I was able to play. I loved the characters, the pixel art style, and most important, the paranormal mystery aspect.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center is set to release in February 2025 on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
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