Still It Runs

About Still It Runs

Still It Runs is a stealth adventure game from 0UP Games, released October 26, 2025, exclusively for PC. Playing as a cat in a decaying rural Japanese house, the game blends quiet exploration with tense evasion. The story revolves around piecing together fragmented memories of a vanished family while avoiding a shadowy pursuer. The tone is eerie and minimalist, focusing on subtle environmental storytelling. Fans of slow-burn mysteries like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter or INSIDE might find its pacing unsettling but effective. The game’s single-player structure and focus on stealth over combat make it distinct in the indie genre.

Gameplay

You control a cat with limited movement mechanics, no climbing or jumping, only crawling and sprinting. Exploration is linear but layered; rooms are scanned for memories (glowing objects) while avoiding motion sensors and patrolling figures. The core loop alternates between cautious searching and panicked dashes when spotted. The cat’s limited vision and hearing force players to rely on environmental cues, like flickering lights or sudden silences. Sessions often end in restarts after triggering detection. The stealth is twitchy but fair, with a few save points. There’s no dialogue or tutorials, progress is purely visual and reactive.

What Players Think

PlayPile users rate it 92%, with 78% completing all memories. Average playtime is 12.5 hours, though 30% abandon after 3 hours due to difficulty. Community moods are split: 50% describe it as "haunting" and 25% as "frustrating." Achievement completion at 83% suggests a strong challenge factor. Critics on Metacritic average 89/100, praising atmosphere but calling it "a niche experience." One user review: "The tension is constant, but the lack of checkpoints is brutal." Another: "Every memory you find feels like a reward."

PlayPile's Take

Still It Runs is a polarizing but atmospheric pick for stealth purists. It costs $29.99, with 15 achievements that demand precision. The game excels in mood and minimalism but may frustrate casual players with its difficulty and lack of hand-holding. Skip it if you prefer open-ended exploration or combat mechanics. For those who thrive in tense, methodical experiences, it offers a memorable 10-15 hour grind.

Storyline

In a rundown house tucked away in rural Japan, a lone cat awakens. You are that cat, exploring empty rooms and dark halls. Why are you here? What happened to the family that once lived in this place? Who is the eerie figure stalking you from the shadows? Collect fragments of memories to uncover the truth. Run. Search. Escape.