Some games think they can claim a lovecraftian tag just because they put some tentacles on a boss. HYPNOS, on the other hand, drops the pretense. It actually messes with our heads in true Lovecraftian fashion. Getting dropped right into this huge, confusing maze on the edge of dreams made quite an impact on us, flirting with the promise of a surreal journey. It feels incredibly wrong—in a good way—and it makes us double-check every single hallway before we walk down it.
Changing the Walls
There is no combat in HYPNOS. Instead, there is a lot of wandering through a strange open world that plays like a mix of a walking simulator and a light platformer. This is a world where the rules keep changing. We aren’t just walking from point A to point B; the game makes us physically change the city. Otherwise, there is no getting around.
The sense of discovery is very well executed and rewards curiosity in just the right ways. To open up new paths, we had to lift the veils that hide reality. Because the city is impossibly tall, we had to solve jumping puzzles and use a limited teleportation mechanic to cross huge gaps. Getting around takes actual effort. In time, we reached a point where we couldn’t help but admire what the developers accomplished. The empty buildings feel like they’re actually crushing us with a thick, oppressive atmosphere.
But we didn’t spend all our time bending the walls. In between exploration, we talked to the strange locals hanging around the holy mountain of Kadath. These chats play out like a visual novel. When we walk up to an NPC, they pop up as striking digital watercolors. It all starts out very chill and conversational, but it shifts gears fast and evolves into a careful dance with words. What we said to them actually changed their storylines and pushed us toward different endings. This, combined with the exploration, feels less like checking boxes on a map and more like surviving a truly distorted dream.
The Early Access Play
HYPNOS is currently in Early Access. While it is natural to be wary of unfinished titles, we don’t think that needs to be the case here. Even though we only have access to about 70 percent of the map right now, what is available is well-polished and already offers an unforgettable experience. In another few months, the developers plan to add alternative endings and wrap up the remaining side quests. For the time being, you can explore a massive chunk of the city, though, dear reader, be warned that you will eventually hit the walls of the unfinished areas. Up until that point, however, the mechanics work exactly as intended.
Hey, did you also know that:
The game’s setting, the Nameless City, exists within the same fictional universe—the Maze Chronicles—as the developers’ previous title, BlackShard.
The game’s ambient electronic soundtrack was composed by French multimedia artist ALT236.
A playable demo for the game was heavily featured during Steam Next Fest in February 2026. It help build momentum for its Early Access launch and Kickstarter campaign.
Waking Up
Recommending a giant mystery game can be tough when we can’t see the whole picture just yet. The puzzles are genuinely clever, but the entire experience currently feels like a large, unfinished puzzle itself. Pulling back the veils of reality to find a new path feels incredibly rewarding, but once we hit the edge of the map, that momentum stops dead in its tracks. However, if we feel that the journey is more important than the destination and don’t mind waiting for the final pieces, this is a haunting and beautiful trip to take.
We appreciate how the game doesn’t hold our hands, letting the atmosphere do the heavy lifting. Even in its current state, the world the developers have built stays with us long after we’ve stepped away from the screen. It is a strange, surreal dream that we are eager to see finished.
ID Card:
- Developer: Redlock Studio
- Publisher: Redlock Studio
- Platforms: PC (Early Access)
- Release Date: May 6, 2026
- Genre: First-Person Adventure / Exploration
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