Underplayed Gems

Off The Grid: Bad Dream (2028)

Off The Grid: Bad Dream cover
Developer
Rare Castle
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac
Genres
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie
Where to get it
PlayStation Store
The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A disorienting shift between grounded reality and surreal, non-Euclidean dreamscapes, driven by puzzle solving and narrative choices with limited combat.

psychological thrillersurrealdreamlikeatmosphericpuzzle-heavyfirst personthird personnarrative drivenmysterious

About

Off the Grid: Bad Dream (working title: Project Escher) is a first- and third-person psychological thriller and mystery adventure developed by Rare Castle. The game follows a man who survives a fatal car crash and begins experiencing surreal dreams connected to a plane of existence beyond space and time. Gameplay alternates between the protagonist’s grounded real-world life and an otherworldly dream realm, where consciousness exists as light or energy within mechanical vessels. Players explore non-Euclidean environments, solve puzzles, engage in limited combat, and make narrative choices emphasizing introspection, moral decision-making, and emotional healing over traditional horror. Featuring cinematic storytelling, dialogue-driven encounters, and visually distinct worlds inspired by impossible geometry and classical art, Off the Grid: Bad Dream blends mystery, philosophy, and emotional depth into a story-driven experience focused on self-discovery and healing rather than fear.

Screenshots

Off The Grid: Bad Dream screenshot 1Off The Grid: Bad Dream screenshot 2Off The Grid: Bad Dream screenshot 3

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.