Tensori has launched a playable demo for POOLS, a new game that challenges players not by putting monsters in their path, but with fears of getting lost, the dark, and tight spaces. Described as relaxing, uncanny, eerie, hypnotic, and immersive by the developer, POOLS lacks a user-interface and dialogue, and there’s no soundtrack, either, with only sounds and echoes contributing to its atmosphere.
Inspirations for this game include:
- Internet phenomenons
- Liminal spaces
- Found footage
- Backroom pools
- Poolrooms
- Other inspirations
- Matt Studios (Poolrooms videos from 2022)
- Mortain Colors
- Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1 by Andrew Quist
- Kane Pixels: The Backrooms (Found Footage)
A gameplay trailer:
Tensori on its new game:
One could say POOLS is like an art gallery where you look around and listen to the sounds. There are very few things to solve, practically a few mazes. Sometimes the game can challenge your navigation skills. But mostly you’re just… there.
There’s no typical story, no characters to meet, and you won’t find any notes in game. But as you explore and advance further, you start to notice that the game’s world changes around you. Rooms look and feel different. Each chapter has something unique. Constantly you’re exploring new places, each with its own kind of mystery.