Return the Backrooms (2022)

Developer: Skmaestro
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Adventure, Indie, Early Access
Rating: 3.1 of 5, 139 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 1.3 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

Navigating an endless, maze-like complex with friends, the game feels tense and disorienting, with creatures lurking around every corner.

co-op horrorconfusingatmospherictenseexplorationchallengingsurvival horrorpsychological horror

What players say

Players are split: some call it a laugh with friends, others find it awful and mind-numbing. The game is very short, often finished and refunded within an hour. Performance issues and janky movement are common complaints, while the scream mechanic gets a few laughs.

Screenshots

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More by Skmaestro

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.