DarkStone Digital and publisher DreadXP have released Playable Archive on Steam as a free, self-contained horror experience, with no advance warning. The demo is available now and was launched as a shadowdrop, the studios’ Halloween treat for players.
Playable Archive is built from a project that was cancelled before release. According to the publisher, it lets players sample the core gameplay systems and the found-footage story of a game the creator of The Mortuary Assistant had been developing. The full game will not be released.
What the demo covers
The story follows a young couple starting their first home remodel. While tearing apart a dilapidated house, they uncover pieces of its hidden past, which set something in motion long ago. Per the publisher, survival depends on decoding the mysteries revealed over time.
DarkStone Digital founder Brian Clarke said the team wanted to preserve the work rather than leave it on the shelf. “Although the full-scale game this demo was built for will never see the light of day and many pieces of it had to be left on the cutting room floor, I feel like it’s important to honor what was built,” Clarke said.
A reveal trailer is available on YouTube, and the Steam page is the place to download the demo. Studio details and upcoming projects can be found on the DarkStone Digital website and its X account.
Watch the video YouTube
