The narrative visual novel The Demons Told Me to Make This Game from Ukrainian studio Haunted Dude, first announced in October 2024, has become available in early access on Steam. When creating the game, the developers were inspired by the text-based role-playing game Disco Elysium.
The first episode of the game is now available for players to play, in which they take on the role of a disembodied spirit called upon to aid a group of rookie exorcists during a demonic invasion of an American town. In this role, players whisper thoughts, influence the characters' choices, and attempt to guide them through the demonic chaos.
The events of The Demons Told Me to Make This Game unfold in a time loop environment where players can alter the course of events, influence the consequences, and seek a timeline in which as many people as possible will survive. Two such loops are available in the first episode of the game.
In The Demons Told Me to Make This Game, players master a time loop, manipulating interconnected plot events, entering the minds of characters, subjugating their thoughts, and searching for the young exorcists' weaknesses. The game also combines the atmosphere of horrors of the small town of Red Hides with funny, sometimes absurd situations.
Developers from independent studio Haunted Dude describe their game as an absurd comedy in the style of Lovecraft — creepy and bizarre. Although there is currently no official Ukrainian localization, the team plans to add one by the end of 2025.