Tomek receives a strange fax from his friend Bartek late November 1992: “It’s deeper than the slaughterhouse, bigger than the trinity.” After this, he hasn’t heard from him since, leaving him worried he has fallen into somesort of trouble again. The only way to figure out the truth of what is going on and help his friend, Tomek must travel to his last known location.
However, as soon as he arrives, he realizes just how off the town is. The small Polish town of Jeziorne-Kolonia is dark and decrepit, almost as though no one has inhabited it for years. There’s a filthy slime is covering most of the streets, structures, and walls, causing them to deteriorate from the inside out. This only leaves Tomek with more questions than answers: why did Bartek come here, and is he alive?
This begins the protagonist’s dangerous investigation into the town. Those who roam the streets are not normal anymore, they have transformed into somesort of monstrosity that is desperate to get their hands on fresh meat. Those who are held up in their homes are sentient, but still teater the line between life and death. Even though the slime hasn’t taken control of them physically, it has tainted their psyches. Some mysteries can only be answered by these living residents, and playing along with their delusions is the only way to get the information Tomek needs to uncover the truth. The more time he spends here, the more it becomes abundantly clear that time is of the essence for not only his friend, but himself. One minute too long here and the town will sink its claws into him, too.
In order to get out of Jeziorne-Kolonia alive, fighting off the possessed residents with extreme measures like guns is the only option. Just as to be expected of a town in this state, though, resources and weapons are limited. Every bit of supplies he can get his hands on must be used wisely, there isn’t enough of anything to survive on his own. Tomek is no hero, but being in the midst of all this chaos certainly brings the will to live out of him and gives him strength to get through this nightmare with Bartek by his side.
Holstin is available to wishlist on Steam and consoles now, and is expected to release in 2027.