If you’ve been following the indie horror scene, you know that Talha & Jack Co (the minds behind the cult-hit Judero and Mashina) don’t just make games—they make tangible, unsettling fever dreams.
Their latest project, ABIDE, just hit Kickstarter, and it’s already turning heads for its “extreme stop-motion” aesthetic and uncompromising approach to horror. Here’s everything you need to know about why this game is worth your attention.
What is ABIDE?
Set in the secluded and supposedly idyllic St. Boniface Retreat, ABIDE is a first-person horror game that feels like a giallo film come to life. You play as an intruder—perhaps a detective or a desperate soul—trying to uncover the truth behind a community that uses “curious therapeutic techniques” to rehabilitate its residents.
The hook? Every character you meet is a handcrafted, traditionally animated doll. Using a mix of stop-motion and 3D scanning, the developers have created an “uncanny valley” effect that feels far more visceral than standard CGI.
Key Gameplay Features
ABIDE isn’t just a walking simulator; it’s a game of tension, divided by a strict Day/Night Cycle that fundamentally changes how you play.
The Day: Investigation and Empathy
During the daylight hours, the retreat appears (mostly) calm. You’ll spend your time:
- Building Relationships: Interact with a cast of “criminals, creeps, and lost souls.”
- Earning Trust: Choice matters here—the relationships you forge determine which secrets you unlock.
- Gathering Clues: Investigate the house and prepare for the darkness to come.
The Night: Survival and Stealth
Once the sun goes down, the retreat transforms. The “therapeutic” residents become something else entirely.
- The Curfew: Venture out past your room at your own peril.
- Stealth Mechanics: Sneak, spy, and explore forbidden areas that are locked during the day.
- Confronting Horrors: Face off against unsettling entities (real or imagined) using prosthetic gore effects that are designed to be stomach-churning.
Why Kickstarter?
The duo behind the game, Talha Kaya and Jack King-Spooner, have been vocal about why they’re seeking community funding. In an era where major marketplaces are increasingly censoring “mature” or “experimental” art, Kickstarter allows them to maintain their uncompromising vision.
“Horror seems to be under pressure from censorship… Having a game like this funded by a community means that it can be made without compromise.” — Talha Kaya
Project Details at a Glance
| Goal | £25,000 |
| Duration | Ends February 28, 2025 |
| Platform | PC (Steam) |
| Coolest Tier | The option to be modeled as an in-game corpse. |
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of splatterpunk novels, Italian giallo cinema, or the tactile creepiness of stop-motion, ABIDE is a project to watch. It’s rare to see a game lean so heavily into the “physicality” of its world, and if their previous titles are any indication, Talha & Jack Co are set to deliver something truly haunting.
Find out more here https://talhaandjack.co/ or here on Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/637042083/abide
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