If you grew up in the ‘90s, your gaming memories are likely haunted by a very specific, slightly unsettling aesthetic: digitised sprites. Think Mortal Kombat, Pit-Fighter, or the wonderfully weird Lethal Enforcers. There was a brief moment in time where “realistic” meant filming a person in front of a green screen and cramming them into a 16-bit world.

Well, get ready to feel that uncanny valley itch all over again. Award-winning filmmaker Charles Davis and his studio, Chunkle Freaky’s Movies Games, have announced that their surrealist 2D action platformer, Obey the Insect God, is officially crawling onto PC on April 10th, 2026.

A Retro-Fueled Fever Dream

Obey the Insect God isn’t just a tribute to the past; it’s a full-on immersion into the “janky” charm of late-90s arcade tech. The game features characters created entirely from live-action video and photography of real actors (including Davis himself and his wife), collaged into a dark, bizarre fantasy world.

The result is a visual style that feels like a lost Sega Saturn or 3DO gem discovered in a dusty attic.

What to Expect in the Lair

While the visuals are a throwback, the gameplay aims for a modern level of depth. Based on the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, the narrative follows a lone warrior descending into a cursed castle to face the eponymous Insect God.

Key Features include:

Brutal Combat: A combo-based fighting system that requires precision timing, blocking, and the mastery of unlockable abilities (like the recently revealed Power Sword).

Non-Linear Exploration: The lair consists of over two dozen unique zones. Unlike traditional Metroidvanias, most traversal mechanics are available from the start, allowing you to explore the interconnected rooms at your own pace.

Full FMV Experience: The story is brought to life with full voice acting and live-action performances, leaning hard into the eerie, surreal atmosphere.

Indie Grit: Developed in the Godot engine by a small, dedicated team, the game manages to pull off high-resolution 1080p sprites that maintain that classic “scanned-in” feel without the hardware limitations of 1995.

Coming Soon to Steam

For those who can’t wait until April 10th to bow before their new chitinous overlord, a demo is currently available on Steam (and yes, it is Steam Deck verified for those who want to take the weirdness on the go).

Whether you’re in it for the nostalgia or the bizarre, mythological storytelling, Obey the Insect God looks set to be one of the most unique indie releases of the spring.

Find out more here – https://www.insectgodgame.com

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