Palmyra Orphanage (2019)

Developer: Steppe Hare Studio
Genres: Indie
Rating: 4.5 of 5, 712 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 2.5 hours
Where to get it: Steam

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 tense, atmospheric exploration through a dark and abandoned orphanage in post-Soviet Russia, blending stealth and puzzle-solving with a looming sense of psychological dread.

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What players say

A short atmospheric horror game that takes about one to two hours. Players praise the tension and storytelling but are split on the jump scares, which some find cheap. The save system is widely criticized for not saving on area transitions, forcing replay of ten to fifteen minutes on death.

Screenshots

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More by Steppe Hare Studio

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.