Underplayed Gems

Imaginary Friend Institution (2025)

Imaginary Friend Institution cover
Developer
Nightmare Emporium
Platforms
Windows
Genres
Action, Adventure, Indie, RPG, Simulation
Rating
4.8 of 5, 58 player ratings
Typical playtime
about 3.8 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

Playing feels like navigating a tense, lonely descent into a dark and uncertain reality from the perspective of a vulnerable protagonist.

psychological horroratmospherictenselonelynarrative-drivenslow-paced

What players say

Players praise the voice acting, character designs, and story set in a religious institution, calling it a unique psychological experience. The game is slow-paced with some janky movement and controls, and players are eager for chapter 2.

Screenshots

Imaginary Friend Institution screenshot 1Imaginary Friend Institution screenshot 2Imaginary Friend Institution screenshot 3Imaginary Friend Institution screenshot 4Imaginary Friend Institution screenshot 5Imaginary Friend Institution screenshot 6

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.