Phobies (2022)

Developer: Smoking Gun Interactive Inc.
Publisher: Phobies Holdings Inc.
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Indie, Strategy, Free To Play
Rating: 4.3 of 5, 1,465 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 15 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

Feels like a tense, slow-burn standoff where you tactically summon monstrous versions of your own anxieties to outwit an opponent who isn't even online at the same time.

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What players say

Players love the creepy character designs and tactical battles, but consistently call the game pay-to-win, saying progress is painfully slow unless you spend. The gacha system is widely criticized, and many prefer playing on mobile.

Screenshots

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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.