Korean solo developer FancySquare has released a free Steam demo for its horror mystery game 'Michael Test', currently in development.
'Michael Test' is a first-person horror, mystery, and puzzle game where players uncover the truth behind incidents by contrasting sounds emanating from paintings with the scene in front of them. Standing on the boundary between life and death, players undergo the trial of Archangel Michael, investigating the traces of incidents left in paintings to judge the sins hidden within.
The core gameplay lies in finding contradictions between the information seen and heard. While observing a painting, players must identify the direction and location of sounds and find elements that do not match visual clues. Sound serves both to create a terrifying atmosphere and to act as evidence for interpreting the incident.
The feature to directly retrace sounds is also utilized in deduction. Players can listen to sounds within the painting using the right mouse button and scrub back and forth through playback using the mouse wheel. By repeatedly checking missed moments, players infer what the scene before their eyes is concealing.
Pointing out conflicting elements gradually reconstructs the scene inside the painting. The altered painting serves as a clue for the next judgment, revealing more of the hidden incident as investigation continues. Finally, based on the reconstructed scene, players must select which of the seven deadly sins is hidden within the incident.
The movement mechanic for inspecting paintings is another key feature. Suspended from a rope, players move up and down to examine the artwork. Combined with art inspired by classic paintings, this investigation method creates the game's distinctive horror atmosphere. As sound direction and location are crucial, playing with headphones or earphones is recommended.
'Michael Test' is a single-player PC game aiming for a Steam release on March 31, 2027, with a closed beta test planned for Q4 2026. Supporting interface and subtitles in 12 languages including Korean, as well as English voice acting, the game offers a free Steam demo where players can experience its deduction mechanics in advance.
Meanwhile, 'Michael Test' is also running a crowdfunding campaign on Tumblbug. Detailed information regarding the development project can be found on its active Tumblbug campaign page.
