#project kat

Pocket Mirror / Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum 10/10 Creator: Astral Shift Original Release: July 22, 2016 (Free!) GoldenerTraum Release: February 6, 2023 ($20 USD)

Originally released in 2016, I was just the right age for this game to leave a massive impression on my psyche. This game has shaped who I am as a person in ways that I'm still just coming to understand (like possible plurality?)

A young girl wakes up in a room with no memory of who she is or what she must do. With nothing but a Pocket Mirror in her possession, and a voice telling her to keep her memories close to her heart, she must navigate a frightening world full of the unknown and the untrustworthy.

The music? Amazing. The graphics? For the time, amazing, and only improved in the remaster. The story? Top tier for a game of its kind. Characters? Super memorable. The scares are not that great, but honestly you don't play any of the games on this list for the horror.

I love every single thing about this game. It changed who I am as a person for the better, and has become the lens through which I view most things in my life. I frequently refer to it as my favorite game of all time, because it is.

This game is also the axis upon which every other game on this list is judged. If a game is a 5/10, it does not mean its a 5/10 game necessarily, just that it is when I compare it to Pocket Mirror.

So please, play Pocket Mirror. I beg of you.

.flow 10/10 Creator: lolrust Original Release: February 15, 2009 (Free!)

The single best Yume Nikki Fangame (ynfg) ever released, in my humble opinion. A combination of small worlds, a hostile feeling environment, and a general eerie ambience make this game an unsettling one to walk around in.

The game follows the traditional Yume Nikki formula. Go to computer, enter dream world, walk around, see random shit, gather effects, get endings.

The smallness is what I enjoy about this game. Some other ynfgs (and even the original) tend to have massive worlds, and a lot of them at that. It isn't as though navigation in .flow isn't confusing, but its not as much of a chore as a game that makes you run for two hours to get anywhere.

The story is also not clear. Up to interpretation. Kind of like the original Yume Nikki before they made a bunch of stuff trying to add a story to it and canonize fan theories, or whatever is happening with that game. lolrust has been very cagey about a lot of aspects of the "plot" to the game, and aside from occasional talks of a potential sequel, the game has been dormant for about six years now, with its last update in 2019.

If any developer mastered the Yume Nikki formula and made it into something I actively enjoy playing, its lolrust. I have to give massive props to them for making such a great game. (Also, I gotta support fellow enbies in gamedev when I can)

Lily's Well 10/10 Creator: PureIceBlue Original Release: January 4, 2022 ($10 USD)

A delightful little body-horror focused mindfuck of a game. In fact, if you like body horror, this may be the best game on this list. And there's lots of bonus content beyond the game as well, such as the Lily's Birthday video, for those who really wanna delve deep into the lore.

A young girl is home alone, and hears a voice coming from her well outside. She must gather materials for a rope, to descend deep into the well. But what is truly at the bottom?

This game's story is told brilliantly, and the twist really is a horrifying one to think about for too long. I don't wanna say too much, so I'll just recommend you to play it for yourself. Its only like, 3-4 hours long at most.

I Cannot Drown 9/10 Creator: PureIceBlue Original Release: June 30, 2019 (Free!)

A sort of prequel to Lily's Well, I Cannot Drown is a game about trying to be returned to the mortal realm. Another body horror adventure, this game focuses a lot more on the eerie ambience typical of the ynfg genre.

Honestly, there isn't much to say. Its a ynfg, there's body horror, you know the deal. Though I must say, it is probably the only ynfg to genuinely creep me out. So pick it up, its free, and play for a few hours. It isn't that long.

Ib 8/10 Creator: kouri Original Release: February 27, 2012 (Free!) Remake Release: April 11, 2022 ($13 USD)

You know this game. I don't even need to explain it, honestly.

What is there to say about Ib? It's Ib. Better puzzles than usual for an RPG Maker Horror experience (though not quite top tier imo), an interesting story, INCREDIBLY charming characters, and its just. Fun to play, I find.

I get why this game is a classic I have dissed on it too hard over the years, I've come to learn.

Cat in the Box 8/10 Creator: Gustav Original Release: May 1, 2020 ($7 USD)

This is probably one of the most confusing games on the list in terms of placement for many. This small game, which many have never heard of, getting this high of a placement on the list?

You are a content creator for an unspecified video sharing platform, looking to hit it big. So, you decide to head to a haunted house, said to be home to a cult that mysteriously disappeared. In your chase of the content, you become trapped inside, and must find your way out.

In a nutshell, this game is a twist on the typical "girl gets stuck in big house with scary killer" genre of RPG Maker Horror. However, the twists, turns, and visuals within this game make it an interesting take on the formula. The art that is original is good, which more than makes up for the default assets that make up the majority of the game (which imo, isn't much of a negative in the first place.)

Give it a look if you have some free time. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Project Kat - Paper Lily Prologue 8/10 Creator: Leef 6010 Original Release: October 15, 2021 (Free!)

Another smaller game, with less of a fanbase. I want to be clear that I haven't found the time to play the game to which this is a prologue, of which the first chapter came out... semi-recently.

An occultism-obsessed girl sneaks into her school at night, looking to perform a ritual to test its validity. As a skeptic, she doubts it'll work, but tries it out regardless.

I love the writing in this game. The characters are strong, there's some cute moments, and it gets appropriately fearsome if you follow the intended path to the "true" ending.

Though honestly, this is one of those games where the true ending is so depressing I almost want some of the happier alternate endings to be canon instead. Either way, its a fun way to kill some hours, and a good take on a classic formula. You can't go wrong with that.

Little Goody Two Shoes 8/10 Creator: Astral Shift Original Release: October 31, 2023 ($20 USD)

Going to be up front: This game was saved from a 7 rating by it being Pocket Mirror's prequel.

Elise is a girl tired of living in her boring old town with her annoying neighbors. So she does what any reasonable person would do: partakes in a deal with a demon. What will happen next? Find out for yourself.

This game for sure has its issues, but I love it. The art is phenomenal, and the story is great. My main issues come from how much dialogue you need to skip through on replaying for endings and some of the puzzles being a bit obtuse and annoying.

Overall, I do love this game. I may have overhyped myself for it, causing a touch of disappointment when it wasn't literally a perfect game, but I think anyone playing it will heavily enjoy their time with the game if they're inclined to liking these sorts of games (which, if you're reading this post, you probably do)

Sorry, We're Open + No Delivery 7/10 Creator: Oates Original Release (SWO): February 17, 2023 ($8 USD) Original Release (ND): September 26, 2019 ($5 USD)

The first "VCRPGs" by Oates on this list, these two games are being ranked as a pair due to their similarities with each other and my identical overall ranking of the two. I'd say Sorry, We're Open is a bit stronger overall, but not enough to bump it up a point for me.

No Delivery follows a pizza restaurant in the 80's, with a mysterious past and odd rumors floating around. As a roguelike, your job is to delve deeper into the pizzeria, gaining more knowledge with each new employee you control.

Sorry, We're Open is a very similar premise, although following a retail store instead.

These two games sort of blend together in my mind, but I think you'll know if you like them just on sight. The aesthetics are good, the writing is good, and overall I really enjoy these games for what they are.

The Boogie Man 6/10 Creator: Uri Games Original Release: Feb 13, 2018 ($3 USD)

The third game in the "Strange Men" series, you follow a detective sent on vacation to an old castle by your boss. As you're there, your strained relationship with your wife comes to a head, your past comes to haunt you, and some fucking guy is also trying to kill people or whatever.

This is much closer to "classic" RPG Maker Horrors than some of the previous entries on this list. Many endings, obscure requirements, and frequent tropes that aren't as common now as they used to be.

Overall, this game is my favorite in the series. Its very rough around the edges, but has enough intrigue to it that I don't mind it so much after getting used to it.

Ann 6/10 Creator: Rong Rong Original Release: August 26, 2021 (Free!)

This game, while short, has a lot of charm to it. The art is great, and the story, while maybe a weak point of the game, does have its moments for sure.

An art student named Ann is locked in her school after hours, and strange events begin to occur. As she's helped by the security guard, she must uncover the history behind the school and attempt to escape with her life.

Overall, this game's main strength is just the charm it carries. Its very earnest in a way I love. And as mentioned earlier, the art really carries it. If you're just looking for a free, low-energy way to pass a night, this game is perfectly good. Who knows, you may end up liking it even more than I do.

Turtle Head / Turtle Head Unmasked 6/10 Creator: Pikasprey Original Release: May 3, 2016 (Free!) Unmasked Release: May 9, 2021 (Free!)

What happens when a YouTuber known for making RPG Horror content decides to create his own RPG Horror game? The answer is a veritable love-letter to the genre, with enough of a following to create a fanmade (and officially endorsed) remake five years later.

You and your friends sneak into school after hours to look into rumors about whether or not it is haunted. Along the way, you encounter spooks, scares, and the titular Turtle Head.

This game is practically the definition of traditional. As I mentioned, it is basically a love letter to the classics of the late-2000's to early-2010's. And while many of its ideas are old, they're executed rather well, and the game has no lack of charm to back those ideas up.

If you want to play a nice homage to games of eras past, both the original release and the remake are free to play whenever you want, and only take an estimated 2 or so hours to clear. I think the short length is actually the only thing holding it back from being even higher on this list for me.

(Also, this ranking is totally biased by my being a Pikasprey fan, and him having been what got me into this genre in the first place all those years ago)

Nobody's Home 6/10 Creator: Oates Original Release: March 25, 2020

Another "VCRPG" by Oates, this game is much shorter than the ones higher up this list. However, it carries the exact same style as the games before, albeit with slightly different gameplay.

After a rager of a party, you wake up in a house, and must wander around to figure out why... Nobody's Home.

I think the short length of this game compared to the other two is the only reason I placed it so low compared to them. If this game were much longer, I'd place it higher. But if you want a bite-sized Oates experience to introduce yourself to these "VCRPGs," then this is the place to look.

OFF 5/10 Creator: Mortis Ghost Original Release: May 14, 2008 (Free!) Remake Release: 2025 (Not Yet Released)

This ranking may be divisive. I don't think I even need to explain what OFF is, since you've probably heard of it if you're reading this.

I don't dislike OFF. I simply don't find much enjoyment in it, either. That's why I give it a perfect 5/10. Middle of the road for the genre, to me. I also have no nostalgia for this game, having only first experienced it like... last year?

I get why people love it, and if you haven't tried it you totally should, but its just not for me.

Coffin of Ashes 5/10 Creator: Ladomu Original Release: December 8, 2016 ($7 USD)

Another one very few have probably heard of.

Tell me if you've heard this one before: A girl gets caught in the rain, takes shelter in a mansion, and has spooky stuff happen.

The art of the game is really good, which makes up for all the default assets used. The plot is also pretty good, which is this game's saving grace to becoming memorable for me.

...Until the end. Honestly, the game really drops the ball with the plot in the last, like, five minutes. Which is the only reason this game isn't a 6 or maybe even a 7.

Overall, this is a good one to check out if you've played through a bunch of other games like this and are looking for something new to play. One of those "make fun of it but because you kind of like it" kind of games.

The Witch's House / The Witch's House MV 4/10 Creator: Fummy Original Release: October 3, 2012 (Free!) MV Release: October 31, 2018 ($15 USD)

The classic of classics, this game exploded when it released, and really served as an inspiration for the entire genre.

Which means it, to me, suffers the problem of "everything in the genre was inspired by it, so by the time i first experienced it, it felt super basic and bland"

I get why it is important! And why people still like it! I just, like some others on this list, have no nostalgia for it and wasn't gripped by the plot or characters or art. Or really anything about it. Maybe if I had seen it earlier, or it had been my first RPG Maker Horror, like it was for so many others, I would like it more.

As it stands, this game is a classic, for better and for worse.

The Sand Man + The Crooked Man 4/10 Creator: Uri Games Original Release (SM): February 28, 2014 ($3 USD) Original Release (CM): April 1, 2013 ($3 USD)

The first two games in the Strange Men series, The Crooked Man and The Sand Man are basically one long game in my mind. So I ranked them together.

These are also classics among classics, albeit maybe not to the level of OFF or Witch's House. Overall these games are fine, but suffer for their age.

Both games are obviously dated, using tropes and design elements characteristic of early-2010's RPG Maker Horror games. But they're good overall, with decent enough plots and art. I'd say give them a try if you have a spare afternoon or two to play through them. (There are also ways to get the original versions of these games for free, but from what I can tell the Steam versions are identical. You can search out those other versions if you don't wanna blow six bucks on them)

Yume Nikki 3/10 Creator: kikiyama Original Release: June 26, 2004

This may end up being the most controversial placing on this list. A THREE? FOR YUME NIKKI? JUST WHO ARE YOU???

I don't like this game. I'm sorry but I don't. And I won't go on a long diatribe about how its actually bad or anything, because that'd be boring, but I just don't.

I think this game suffers from what came after. Every subsequent attempt to make some "official" Yume Nikki thing that came after was terrible. And in my mind it made the original less and less interesting over time. It also just suffers from oversaturation to me.

Finally, there's just SO MANY ynfgs out there that are better. There's not much reason to play the original, in my mind.

So, let me give you a list of Games I'd Rather Play: .flow answered prayers deep dreams muma|rope amillusion dream genie mikan muzou

Ao Oni 2/10 Creator: noprops Original Release*: October 2008 (Free!) Remake Release: July 25, 2024 ($10 USD) *no link is given for the reason of too many versions of the game to choose which one i want to link as the "definitive" one

If you read my sections on OFF, Witch's House, Ib, and Yume Nikki, then you'd know why I don't like this game. Its kind of a combination of all of the above, to be honest.

No nostalgia, not gripped by the art or plot, and kind of milked to death after release, as well as being oversaturated in the culture of those who play these games.

Truly suffering from success, I'd say. Though to be honest, this game really feels like a relic of its time to me. Something better left in the past.

But maybe to some, its more of a treasure of a bygone era.

Mad Father 2/10 Creator: Sen Original Release: December 10, 2012 (Free!) Remake Release: September 23, 2016 ($10 USD)

Where to start? A plot that I remember as "confused," a remake that was plagued with bugs on release, and a cultural impact that I'd best describe as "overrated," Mad Father is obviously, by its ranking, a game I have never enjoyed.

You've heard me say this all a lot, but: No nostalgia, not gripped by the plot, and not caring for the fandom. Truly a triple-threat.

I don't want to keep talking shit about Mad Father, because I know fans of it are probably reading this, but it is one of three games on this list I genuinely do not like.

And the third game is...

Yume 2kki 1/10 Creator: Various Original Release: May 26, 2007

The game recommendation is… PAPER LILY!

The prologue is called Project Kat, you can play this to see what Paper Lily would be like to play, but it has it’s own story and stuff!

You can play in whatever order though, it doesn’t matter!

Paper Lily is (trying not to spoil anything) a horror game about a girl who thinks she’s cursed and uses a ritual to go to another world of sorts to fix the curse! I have a few theories but I can’t share any without giving spoilers… the game also has some pretty cool endings, I love Project Kat because it really feels like a horror game, and Paper Lily feels spooky but also a little calming!