HR: Human Remains Key Art
Image: dennisCorner & Black Lantern Collective

When demons took over the world, they probably didn't expect there'd be so much admin work needing to be done. So, in HR: Human Remains, they've chosen to start hiring humans instead of devouring them. And would you look at that? You're one of the lucky ones chosen to be allowed to keep living! Now, just sign the contract. In blood, of course. Oh, and give back the knife. Also, you should go and find the bathroom with the first aid kit, because the janitor isn't going to be happy if you keep leaking like that.

It's a hell of an opening, and things only get worse in this surreal first-person nightmare, out today from solo developer Dennis Corner and under the indie horror banner of Black Lantern Collective. The demo for this has been around for the past year or so, and I've been looking forward to the full game ever since. Presented in crunchy low-fi style (halfway between PS1 and PS2 graphics, perhaps, but with a sickly, raw color palette), it's a first-person horror adventure about surviving in this demonic world, and maybe finding some way to resist, if you can keep your head above water long enough.

Even in the demo, there's more to be done than just your job. Sure, you might have to wander nearly blind through the lair of a giant spider-demon that has threatened to eat you if you clumsily break another of its webs, but there's a whole wing of the building you've not explored over there. Perhaps with a data-disc you can take down to the archives below. Perhaps the first of many steps in reconnecting with other humans and maybe turning things around? Or you can just do your job. You do you.

While the demo doesn't have any combat, and only a little bit of evasion, there sure are puzzles! Expect to scour rooms for usable items and diegetic clues. While there's inventory-juggling, the early problems in the demo were gratifyingly involved, at least enough to hold my attention as an easily bored idiot who struggles with puzzles quite often. As for where the full game goes and how much thinking I'm expected to do, I'll be finding out when you do, but judging from that first slice, this one's worth a look.

HR: Human Remains is out now for £9.89/$9.89 with a 10% launch discount, with the demo still available. It's also a bit cheaper if you snag it along with the excellent Fright Train, which we covered recently.