After the devs that gave us Insomnis, Path Games is giving us another gem for the Indie Horror genre, Dark Mass. Gamers who fear the deep ocean stay away (or not, you little rebel) because this game will not be for the faint of heart. It deals in curses, a sunken mansion, and the Spanish Inquisition? What were the devs thinking when they made this thallasaphobic nightmare? Well, we might have an answer for you in this article if you’re brave enough to see!

Oh, The Horror!

So, why would the devs at Path Games make a game whose premise is fighting against a curse while exploring a sunken mansion at the bottom of the ocean floor?  They admitted it was a project they’ve wanted to complete since they were working on.

They’d always enjoyed diving and brainstormed about the idea for a while, but it wasn’t until they saw a horror film, The Deep House (2021), whose plotline was basically an underwater ghost story, that solidified the idea and made it take shape.

They wanted to create a game that reflected their love of horror movies, paying respects to the classics like Rosemary’s Baby (1968)  and Jaws (1975). From the looks of the trailer, Dark Mass looks like it might be a perfect addition to the horror game genre. It’s hitting all the points that make gamers jump out of their chairs and leave the room to collect themselves (those are always the best reactions). But, what elements can we expect for this to happen?

Is This The Inquisition?

Path Games is a Spanish indie game studio, so it draws many elements from Spain’s long and colorful history while taking some creative liberties.

Q: Why did the team decide to include real Inquisition torture methods in Dark Mass’ puzzles? What other historical elements can players expect to find in the game?

A: When we create a game, we love to think through every detail. Horror hits harder when the player believes in the world. To do that, the world has to be grounded in something real and tangible. As we developed the game’s script and antagonist, we knew we needed a solid backstory rooted in reality.

Being Spanish, it’s relatively easy for us to visit historical sites that still hold remnants of the past, and we wanted to bring that texture into the game. That said, we’ve taken plenty of creative liberties — the historical elements are reimagined and redesigned to feel authentic while still carrying that layer of mysticism we wanted to infuse into Dark Mass.

According to the devs, some of the game’s puzzles will involve Inquisition-era torture methods—not for the faint-hearted. They have access to historical sites in Spain (lucky) allowing them to build a believable world, then reimagined these elements to add layers of mysticism and surreal horror. The result? A deeply immersive setting that feels grounded yet otherworldly.

They understood the horror game assignment. That uneasy feeling that some of this could actually happen? That’s the special sauce. Combine that with one of the most intense chapters in human history, and you’ve got the recipe for horror greatness.

What Other Elements Are There?

One of the most compelling elements in Dark Mass is the crushing isolation. Players will explore the eerie depths of a flooded mansion, where the only human interaction comes via walkie-talkie. It’s you, the water, and whatever cursed entity decided to call the seabed home.

This isolation heightens the fear factor tenfold. You’re not just exploring a haunted house—you’re exploring a haunted house at the bottom of the ocean. There’s no running outside for safety. There’s no backup. There’s only you, a dwindling oxygen supply, and a growing sense of dread. Thallassophobia and claustrophobia are at the ready, and Dark Mass is waiting to give you trauma!

” Claustrophobia? That one was clear: vertical design. Most immersive horror games operate on a horizontal plane (X and Z axes). By introducing verticality, we pushed claustrophobia to a new level. The world isn’t just wide — it’s deep, filled with narrow passages and vertical spaces that heighten the tension.”

The devs promise high-stakes puzzle-solving, a deeply layered narrative, and an atmosphere so thick you’ll practically feel the pressure of the ocean pressing in on you. Dark Mass is shaping up to be a standout horror title, blending historical depth, unique setting, and classic horror roots.

Your Choice Matters, That’s Terrifying

In addition to its underwater terror and psychological dread, Dark Mass will also feature choice-based gameplay. Yep, your decisions matter. According to Path Games, players will face tough moral choices throughout the story that affect how the narrative unfolds. These aren’t your basic “save them or don’t” dilemmas either—some choices are irreversible, messy, and designed to make you uncomfortable.

The Dark Mass devs emphasized that choices won’t always be clear-cut, and players won’t immediately know the consequences of their decisions. Some outcomes won’t come to light until much later in the game, which adds to the unease and replayability. Will you risk everything to uncover the truth—or play it safe and possibly miss crucial story pieces? That’s entirely up to you.

Final Thoughts

Dark Mass is one to watch if you’re a fan of immersive, cerebral horror. It’s taking bold steps by fusing real-world history with deeply unsettling gameplay mechanics, and the underwater setting makes it unlike anything else currently out there. Whether you’re in it for the story, the scares, or the Spanish ghost lore, this game is diving deep and dragging us all down with it in the best way possible.