Moldrise Key Art
Image: Raffaele Picca

There's something deeply unsettling about parasitic fungus as a concept. I guess that's part of why The Last of Us took off so well. In MOLDRISE, out today and from indie developer Raffaele Picca, it hasn't turned you into a slavering zombie. Much like how Cordyceps fungus infects insects, it's just in your head, compelling you to climb to the very top of your dilapidated apartment building.

Moldrise is a looping horror puzzle where the only enemy between you and your goal is your own crumbling body, slowly succumbing to your ever-hungry infection, which is currently devouring the foot it first made a home in. You're probably not going to see that rooftop on your first trip. Or your fifth. But each time, you'll learn a little bit more about the path to follow, what you'll need, and the people living in the building you share.

So, what results is a paranoid, uncomfortable adventure in learning about your neighbors. Who needs things, what they're willing to trade for it, and who wants unsettling little favors done elsewhere in the building. You climb, you knock on doors, you talk, and you climb again, all accompanied by the unsettling sounds of urban decay, festering garbage underfoot, and the almost organic groaning of the building itself. It is pointedly unpleasant, which is exactly what an experimental horror game should be.

To add to the scares, Mike Klubnika - developer of unsettling games like Buckshot Routette, s.p.l.i.t. and truly nightmarish horror shorts like Fused 240 - provided the soundtrack to Moldrise. If there's anyone who could make an already-upsetting experience feel like the world's worst fever dream, it's him.

Moldrise is out now for £10.75/$12, with a 10% launch discount running until July 27th. It's also a little cheaper if bought alongside Foghorn's Drown, another creepy low-fi adventure that launched on the same day. While not available on Steam, there's a demo you can pick up over on Itch - a fittingly named store to host it on.