Hollow Cocoon is a potential hit for fans of Japanese horror

Horror has played a key part in my upbringing (“that explains a lot,” says the funniest person in the room). These days, it’s mainly through games that I get my scares, which is why I was quite excited when Steam Next Fest rolled around again.

Scouring the horror section has been a delight, and while there have been some that haven’t stood out, I want to give a shoutout to Nayuta Studio‘s Hollow Cocoon. This tasty jam of an indie horror title has a lot of potential, appealing to those who like a bit of Japanese folklore to spread on their gaming toast like some sort of macabre marmalade (that is definitely not a thing).

Hollow Cocoon has all the hallmarks of an immersive horror experience. Is it unique? Not really, but playing the demo ticked all the boxes for me. And for a small studio, the game appears to have been very lovingly crafted. There’s enough intrigue and mystery to create a compelling narrative, enough atmosphere to make you grip the mouse tighter, and visuals that can match a lot of triple AAA efforts.

So what’s it about?

Set in 1980s Japan, Hollow Cocoon takes a lot of cues from first-person horror titles of the “run-and-hide” variety. At least, that’s the impression I got from playing the demo. I have a huge soft spot for games that toss you into the darkness with nary a baseball bat or kitchen knife for protection. Whether the full game does allow for combat later on cannot be said at this stage.

As far as the story goes, I’ll let the Steam page field that one:

Step into the shoes of Minato Jinba, a college student returning to his mother’s hometown after receiving news that his grandmother is in critical condition. Hide yourself from the monster and gather vital evidence to unravel the bone-chilling truth lurking beneath the surface!

It opens with a wonderful yet melancholic scene as you exit the bus. The town you land in is empty, an enigma, but not quite uninviting. Jinba clearly has a link to this place, but much of it seems lost to faded memories.

While alone in your grandmother’s house, your father calls to say he’s unable to meet you, asking if you’re okay to stay there by yourself. Every horror instinct in anyone who plays this knows what’s likely to happen next, but the ominous events you suspect are going to occur is where the meat of the story seems to lie.

There’s a connection between the horrors that threaten you and the family that’s lived here for generations. As with all good demos, Hollow Cocoon ends at just the right moment.

From this limited experience, I can already foresee a spectacularly terrifying time. It’s tough to know what else to compare it to at this stage. It’s tempting to liken it to Fatal Frame. But the first-person perspective puts it more in line with the claustrophobic horror of Outlast or Alien Isolation with some of the Japanese folklore themes of Ghostwire: Tokyo. But even that doesn’t sound accurate.

Hollow Cocoon releases on December 6. Anyone into first-person horror should definitely check out the demo.