Last February, we touched on Arboreta Games’ PS1-styled throwback cosmic horror title The Black Iris (which you can still download from their itch.io page). The developer is back again this Fall with the release of It Sleeps Below the Haar, which can be wishlisted now on Steam.
Described as a short horror exploration game, It Sleeps Below the Haar is set in a secluded coastal village in North East Scotland in 1958. A research student travels to the small coastal village of Kellas Bay to study the village’s unique ecology. Their research takes them through the lush forests and ancient cave systems surrounding the village, to the freezing depths of the North Sea, where otherworldly secrets probably should’ve stayed undiscovered.
Featuring a cast of locals using North East Scotland’s Doric language, It Sleeps Below the Haar focuses on non-linear exploration and storytelling. You’ll also be doing the science thing by collecting scientific data, samples and photographs to better understand the ecology and history of the area. And, as things go, you’ll eventually find and interact with otherworldly objects as you delve deeper into Kellas Bay’s secrets.