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About Liminal Waters
Liminal Waters is a first-person adventure simulator built around exploring surreal, shifting environments. Developed by DK Productions and released October 13, 2025, it runs exclusively on PC. The game tasks you with navigating a labyrinth of disconnected rooms called Poolrooms, each with its own visual and thematic quirks. Think warped office corridors merging into neon-lit spas or crumbling libraries suspended in water. The goal isn’t clear, just wander, listen, and document. It’s a slow-burn experience that leans into ambiguity, using Unreal Engine 5.6 to render spaces that feel both inviting and unsettling. If you’ve ever stared at a blank wall for hours and wondered what lies behind it, this is for you.
Gameplay
You move through Poolrooms using standard WASD controls, but progression isn’t about solving puzzles or defeating enemies. Instead, you interact with objects to collect audio logs, flick switches to alter room layouts, and document anomalies via a camera. Each area feels like a disconnected memory, paintings shift when you blink, hallways fold into themselves, and ambient sounds morph subtly as you walk. Sessions often involve looping through the same room for 20+ minutes, trying to trigger a change. The core loop is passive observation, but the game rewards patience with small reveals: a door that opens after a specific time, a hidden message in a dripping faucet. Combat and dialogue are absent. It’s all about feeling the weight of the unknown.
What Players Think
Liminal Waters has a 82% critic score and 78% user rating on PC. Community playtime averages 7.8 hours, with 52% completing 80% of rooms. Moods are split: 38% describe it as “eerie,” 25% as “calm,” and 22% as “unsettling.” Reviewers praise its visuals, 74% call the environments “radiant”, but 41% gripe about slow pacing. One user wrote, “I felt like I was in a dream I couldn’t wake up from.” Achievement hunters note 26 collectibles, 11 tied to hidden audio logs. The completion rate for the final Poolroom is just 19%. Critics from Eurogamer and PC Gamer highlight the “radiant beauty” but question the lack of clear goals.
PlayPile's Take
Liminal Waters works best as a meditative escape, not a traditional game. It’s ideal for players who enjoy wandering lonely landscapes (see: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The Long Dark) and don’t mind unclear objectives. At $29.99, it’s pricey for a 7-hour experience, but the 26 achievements and unlockable concept art justify replayability for some. Avoid it if you need structure or narrative. The game’s strength is its ability to unsettle while remaining beautiful, a digital Rorschach test. You either get lost in its Poolrooms or leave feeling cheated.
Game Modes
Single player
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