When Talha Kaya and Jack King-Spooner released Judero* last year, they proved indie games could thrive with a mix of whimsical charm and unsettling visuals. Now, the pair is doubling down on the latter with Abide, their third game in three years—a stop-motion horror experience that trades their previous quirkiness for something far more sinister.
The game drops players into St. Boniface, a remote psychiatric retreat where the night hides secrets too grotesque to describe. Unlike their last project, Mashina—a Wall-E-esque adventure about robots rebuilding a polluted world—Abide leans into visceral horror. The trailer reveals flashes of claymation gore that leave viewers questioning whether they’ve watched too much, and the developers aren’t shy about it. Their goal? To create something that’s both grossly fun and stomach-churningly appalling.
The Art of Unsettling
King-Spooner’s signature handcrafted clay sculptures take center stage, but this time, they’re rendered in full 3D—a first for the duo. Previously, their creatures were 2D sprites in 3D spaces, a style reminiscent of Doom’s early days. Now, the models are entirely digital, with a more grounded realism that makes the uncanny even more unsettling. The patients of St. Boniface aren’t the exaggerated, misshapen horrors of Mashina; they’re closer to human, which only amplifies the dread.
The setting is a masterstroke of atmosphere. A bucolic British countryside by day gives way to a decaying, fluorescent-lit asylum at night—drop ceilings, linoleum floors, and the hum of fluorescent lights creating a suffocating environment. The rules of the house are clear: Do not leave your room after dark. Of course, that’s exactly what players will do.
A Game of Shadows and Survival
Abide splits time into day and night cycles. By day, players handle chores, interact with fellow patients, and piece together clues. But when the lights flicker off, the real horror begins. The game’s mechanics evoke Amnesia’s tension—sneaking, hiding, and surviving against unseen threats. The goal? To uncover the retreat’s darkest secrets, even if it means breaking the one rule that could get you killed.
Yet the duo isn’t just chasing thrills. They’ve expressed concern over the state of horror in gaming, citing the delisting of Horses—an experimental horror title removed from Steam and the Epic Store—as a warning. Abide is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a modest goal of $34,000 and 18 days remaining. Their message is clear: Horror needs support, or it risks disappearing entirely.
For fans of Judero’s charm and Mashina’s creativity, Abide* is a bold pivot—one that replaces comfort with claustrophobia, whimsy with grotesquery, and discovery with dread. If they pull it off, it won’t just be a game. It’ll be an experience.
