The Invited horror: a Russian game about childhood fears in the style of the 90s is released on Steam

The Russian game "Temple of Children", created in the style of the 90s and beating the childhood fears of schoolchildren of the late USSR, is released on the Steam platform. Its demo version will be available in September, and the full release, as the developers expect, will take place in 2026. The unique project, which uses sophisticated technology of manual frame-by-frame animation, has already received several awards at thematic exhibitions, but experts call it interactive art for a narrow audience. Read more about the new product in the Izvestia article.

What the new product will tell you about

The demo version of the Temple of Children game will be released on Steam in September. The project has been in development since 2021, and its creator, Egor Rumyantsev, worked on it alone until 2023.

"Temple of Children" is a story—driven adventure of an ordinary girl from a Russian province who encounters otherworldly monsters. They somehow penetrate from her nightmares into reality and are associated with childhood fears. As part of the plot, Nastya will have to solve a mystery hidden by other peers. The plot is kept secret, but the gameplay is based on finding objects, solving puzzles and escaping from monsters.

— Throughout the "nightmarish" adventure, the heroine will have to solve a lot of puzzles and play many games, visit different locations — from familiar areas, entrances, garages, apartments, basements, villages, to the most unimaginable rooms covered with a grid of blood vessels that will look at her with hundreds of eyes. Nastya will have to play hide-and-seek with a nightmarish stalking monster, play hopscotch with fate, relive events that no adult can, and solve one terrible mystery that will turn everything around. This is a story about how we are all former children, and we have all forgotten something," said Egor Rumyantsev, the creator of the Temple of Children.

Photo: Children play

He has developed his own style of drawing, which has something childish in it, it resembles school creativity. The author of the project noted the unique style, frame-by-frame animation of manual production and references to the Russian province of the 90s. According to him, many locations and objects are copied from real places from his hometown.

— I wanted to create a situation where a player, even going through a certain point, would be afraid to go there, and entering a new territory, first of all, would look for ways to retreat. Both Silent Hill and Lost in Vivo do a good job with this feeling," the developer emphasized.

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After the release of the demo with the prologue in September, the project will be released chapter by chapter. A total of three episodes are planned, similar to the popular Russian game "Bunny".

Currently, the game actively participates in festivals and pitch sessions. In 2024, at the prestigious Prototype show.Indie "Temple of Children" took the second place from the jury and the first in terms of audience preferences.

Who is suitable for such a game

This project can be praised for its atmosphere, creepy, viscous and uncomfortable feeling, reminiscent of the work of artist Junji Ito and Soviet arthouse cartoons such as "Potets," said Svyatoslav Pegov, director of the Center for Sports Programming, Algorithmic Robotics, Cybersecurity and Esports at Ufa University of Science and Technology. According to him, the psychedelic picture of the subconscious mind breaking free is impressive.

— But the gameplay and animation itself still look a bit raw. I will be glad to see the finalized project on a par with Binding of Isaac and Cuphead," he concluded.

Photo: Children play

According to IT specialist Sergey Pomortsev, the gameplay may seem simple and even monotonous to those who are waiting for active actions. He believes that the Temple of Children is a niche art project for a narrow audience of connoisseurs of strange video games.

— The game explores the theme of childhood, its losses and fears, turning everyday elements, such as playing classics, into elements of horror. This is reminiscent of the traditions of Russian literature, where everyday things become phantasmagorical. The project is inspired by kripipasts, urban legends and the atmosphere of the Russian province, which makes it unique," said Ivan Kalmykov, an expert in the video game industry.

Photo: Children play

Blogger and gamer Roman Dorogavtsev believes that the game is worth praising for its courage, unique visual and powerful atmosphere. However, the game component itself, the so-called gameplay, may not satisfy users. According to him, this is the case when the game is more an experience and interactive art than entertainment in the usual sense.