The Junji Ito-esque World Of Horror is leaving early access in summer 2023

Developer panstasz have announced that their Junji Ito-inspired indie game World Of Horror is leaving early access this summer alongside a console release. Development on the horror game goes back to at least 2017 when Alice0 managed to go hands-on with an early prototype before it entered early access in February 2020.

If you’re unfamiliar with World Of Horror, it’s a 1-bit adventure set in a Japanese town. You play a teenage detective intrigued by the cosmic horrors seeping back into the world, and the reawakening of the Old Gods. The game mixes card-collecting RPG elements with a roguelike structure as you investigate several randomised mysteries. World Of Horror’s randomised design worked for Katharine (an avid jump-scare avoider) as it gave the sinister world an “ever-shifting, ever-changing nature".

World Of Horror is also notable for its 1-bit art style that the developers say was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and horror manga artist Junji Ito. With those kinds of touch points in the mix, the game is absolutely packed with disturbing, unearthly images, which is especially impressive considering all of the art was created with MS Paint.

The game received an extensive update last October, but panstasz said in a tweet yesterday that the next update could be the “biggest one yet.” The tweet also included a screenshot with a couple more muted colours on display, building on the additional colour palettes that have been introduced over the last couple of years.

If you can’t wait until the summer to solve the mysteries of Shiokawa, World Of Horror is available now in early access on Steam, itch.io and the Microsoft Store for £11.39 / €12.49 / $15. There’s also a free demo on all three storefronts.