Ever stumble upon a game that just looks… wrong? The kind of game that makes your skin crawl and your brain do a little flip-flop just by looking at a screenshot. Y’all may have experienced a mind-bender called Mouthwashing or the most recent unsettling first-person game, No, I’m Not A Human. Now, Critical Reflex has unleashed Eclipsium, fresh out of the oven. This title is less of a game and more of a “psyche-melting” descent into a sunless, self-devouring world. And trust me, it’s as pleasant as it sounds.
What Awaits You in the Darkness of Eclipsium?
Screenshot of Eclipsium, Courtesy of Critical ReflexThe premise is beautifully and terrifyingly straightforward. The world is ending. Not with a bang, but with a hungry, all-consuming darkness. You’re plopped right in the middle of this apocalyptic buffet, guided only by the fading memory of someone named “Her.” She’s a pale light in the distance, a wisp of hope that might just be a siren’s call leading you to your doom. But when everything around you is literally eating itself, you take whatever chance you can get. The worst thing is already happening…Right?
Forget everything you know about comfort in video games, because Eclipsium throws safety out the window and then sets the window on fire. Your journey is a perilous one through landscapes that shift and writhe beneath your feet. The only constant is the unnerving, steady beat of the “Heart,” a looming presence whose hunger seems to seep into your very being. It’s the kind of atmospheric dread that sticks with you long after you’ve logged off. Yet there you are trying to convince yourself that the coat rack in your room isn’t a shadowy monster.
The game started as a humble entry in a GMTK Game Jam, and it’s incredible to see how that small seed of an idea has unfurled into this fully-fledged ephialtes. The developers at Housefire have poured their hearts and souls (whatever was left after they sold them) into this project. This isn’t just a jump-scare fest; it’s a carefully crafted experience designed to get under your skin and your mind.
An Art Style That Will Haunt Your Dreams
Screenshot of Eclipsium, Courtesy of Critical Reflex and HousefireHoly smokes, those visuals are eerily otherworldly yet familiar. Eclipsium boasts a lo-fi, “eye-bursting” art style that’s as unique as it is daunting. It’s a surreal, chunky aesthetic that feels like a forgotten PS1 game that’s been possessed by a Lovecraftian entity. It’s dreamlike, but in the your-teeth-are-falling-out sort of way.
This is raw, visceral horror, and it’s unlike anything you’re prepared for. The handcrafted locations feel both alien and deeply personal, dripping with a kind of emotional weight and body horror that’s hard to shake. And y’all better watch out for the sound. The experience is conducted by an original score of over 20 intense, custom-written tracks. Each note is designed to amplify the feeling of dread and desolation as you wander through the dread and desolation.
Final Thoughts: Is Eclipsium Worth Your Sanity?
If any of y’all have played Buckshot Roulette, Mouthwashing, or No, I’m Not A Human, and have begged for more, then absolutely! Because this game delivers the same intensity and transcendent grip as its predecessors. Eclipsium is a testament to the power of indie development, a passion project that delivers a rich, surreal, and genuinely unnerving experience. It’s a game that will challenge you and leave you with its world ingrained within your being long after you’ve shut it down.
For just a little over ten bucks on Steam (with a launch discount to boot), you’re getting a handcrafted horror experience that punches way above its weight class. It’s an emotional, terrifying journey into a world on the brink of collapse, and a brilliant example of how a simple concept can become something truly special. Just don’t blame me if you start seeing shadows reaching for you from the corner of your eyes.
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