Dan Sanderson’s Pacific was a very short, but quite effective piece of uneasy tension, with its shifting halls and minimalist storytelling. First Winter is a remake of that project, now with more detailed but no less unnerving environments and a more intricate narrative.
The set-up for First Winter is already one steeped in paranoia and surreality, revolving around a mysterious Soviet submarine and a threat of nuclear catastrophe. But as you explore the dim, damp, rust-coated halls, sinister happenings begin to seep into the environments, as reality seems to unhinge in terrifying ways. The grimy pixelated aesthetic only adds to the horror, giving First Winter‘s world an indistinct not-quite-right atmosphere. First Winter won’t last you that long, less than an hour – in fact, the developer recommends playing it in a single sitting – but there are multiple endings to experience.
You can buy First Winter for $ 3.99 on Steam, Itch.io, and Gamejolt.
