Horripilant

About Horripilant

Horripilant is a point-and-click puzzle game set in a decaying dungeon, blending idle progression, resource management, and autobattler mechanics. Created by Alexandre Declos and released February 20, 2026, it plays like a slow-burn horror experience where you guide a lost knight through procedurally generated levels. The dungeon is a mix of exploration and combat: you gather resources to upgrade gear, solve environmental puzzles to unlock paths, and let automated combat systems handle battles while you strategize. It’s a game that thrives on tension and quiet discovery, with a focus on incremental progression and eerie atmosphere.

Gameplay

The core loop revolves around exploration and optimization. You control a knight who slowly descends the dungeon, mining resources like the mysterious “twig” to craft better weapons and armor. Each floor introduces new puzzles, like aligning pressure plates or repositioning switches, that require experimentation. Combat is an autobattler: you assign tactics to your party, then watch as enemies clash in real-time. Between fights, you manage resource chains to fuel upgrades, balancing short-term survival with long-term goals. The point-and-click interface feels intuitive but deliberate, with a minimalist control scheme. Sessions last 20, 30 minutes, though the game encourages longer playthroughs to maximize idle gains from battles.

What Players Think

PlayPile users rate Horripilant 7.8/10, with 82% of players completing the game. Average playtime is 15.2 hours, and 88% of reviews are positive, though 12% are mixed. Community moods highlight “slow-burn tension” (34%) and “rewarding progression” (28%), while 18% call it “frustratingly opaque.” Critics praise its “genre fusion” (PC Gamer) but note “spiky difficulty” (DungeonDelver Blog). Achievement completion is 91%, with 30 total trophies. Players split on whether the idle elements feel like a break or a filler, many love the pacing, others find combat repetitive.

PlayPile's Take

Horripilant is a niche pick for fans of incremental games and puzzle-platformers. At $19.99, it’s reasonably priced but won’t wow those expecting action-heavy experiences. The 30 achievements and 91% completion rate suggest it’s satisfying for completionists, though the polarizing combat may deter some. It excels in atmosphere and clever puzzle design but struggles to balance its mechanics cohesively. Best for players who enjoy methodical progression and don’t mind a few rough patches in execution.

Storyline

You awaken. An old, battered knight, lost in the darkest corners of an abandoned dungeon, with no memory of how you got there. The stench of decay permeates the thick air. The walls seem to whisper your name. As you stir, a strange tree sprout catches your eye. You hit it, for the voice demands it of you; a twig breaks off onto the ground. With your newfound resource, you seem to be able to ameliorate your equipment. Distorted moans echo from an empty staircase. The voice calls to you again, beckoning you. You must go down. It is your purpose... Encounter bizarre characters, solve cryptic puzzles, and survive the horrors that lurk in every shadow. Will you escape this living nightmare, or will it consume you?