Eldritch Archives

About Eldritch Archives

Eldritch Archives is a first-person adventure game from Ol' Chums Gaming that drops you in the role of a paranormal investigator haunted by nightmares after receiving a cursed letter. Set in a creepy, hand-painted world of distorted houses and shadowy entities, the game blends exploration, puzzle-solving, and survival horror. Released October 10, 2025, it’s a PC-only single-player title that leans into slow-burn tension and occult lore. You’ll sift through decaying documents, navigate warped environments, and avoid grotesque creatures while piecing together a story about ancient forces. Think of it as a spooky, cerebral mystery where the real horror comes from not knowing what’s real.

Gameplay

The game revolves around backtracking through shifting, Lovecraftian environments filled with cryptic symbols and hidden objects. You’ll use a sanity meter that depletes from encounters with entities or prolonged exposure to eerie stimuli, running out means respawning at your last save. Combat is minimal but tense; you’ll throw salt, light candles, or use homemade talismans to fend off creatures that lurk in fog. Puzzles require linking journal entries to environmental clues, like aligning occult sigils or deciphering coded letters. Controls feel slightly clunky at first, with a right-click context menu for interacting with objects. Sessions often involve 30, 60 minutes of methodical searching, interrupted by sudden chase sequences or jump scares.

What Players Think

PlayPile users rate it 4.2/5, with 78% completing the base story. Average playtime clocks in at 12 hours, though 20% of players log over 20 due to backtracking and optional lore. Community moods are split between "unsettling" (45%) and "frustrating" (30%), with complaints about unclear puzzle hints. Critics praise its "atmosphere that simmers with dread" but call the entity AI "predictably telegraphed." The game’s 35 achievements include soft-locks like "Find All Missing Pages," which 12% of players have earned. One review wrote, "The environments feel alive with rot, but the difficulty spike at Act 2 might break you."

PlayPile's Take

Eldritch Archives works best for fans of methodical horror and occult stories. Its $29.99 price tag feels reasonable for the dense lore and 12-hour core experience, though the lack of a map marker system could test patience. The 35 achievements add replay value, especially for completionists. It’s not a flawless game, puzzles occasionally feel like busywork, but its lingering unease and commitment to a twisted setting make it worth a playthrough. Skip it if you hate backtracking or need clear guidance.

Storyline

Nightmares of awful creatures and twisted worlds have haunted you since you received a letter from a prospective client. Delving into the mystery behind this cursed page may be the only chance you have of ever sleeping again. Nobody ever said being a paranormal investigator was easy...