La Isla de las Muñecas is an island located in Mexico City’s Xochimilco canals. This island would be nothing to note if it didn’t have its eerie component: dolls. The name of the island translated in English is Island of the Dolls, fitting for a place that has countless dolls hanging on every visible surface. Trees are littered with hundreds of dolls hanging from branches and hammered on to trunks. La Isla de las Muñecas has various beliefs tied to it: it is said to be haunted by a little girl, the dolls are actually alive, and people bring the dolls offerings in exchange for good luck.
Steelkrill Studio has taken this real world location and began developing a game based on it. Where Dolls Hang is a first person horror experience that contains multiple elements. Bodies have been washing on the shore of the island mysteriously for years, now it is up to the player to visit the island to investigate.
Players must navigate the swamps and the forest on La Isla de las Muñecas where they will discover and document bodies and other pieces of evidence they come across. Through puzzles, VHS tapes, and the identities of the bodies, the folklore surrounding the island and the unexplained events taking place will be revealed.
The dolls aren’t the only thing to fear, however. Creatures roam the land and pose a threat to players, meaning survival is also integral to this investigation. Resources like campfires and crafting weapons are a way to survive, but hiding might be the only option in some cases. A safehouse is the only asylum on the island, where players can take a moment to gather their evidence, supplies, and upgrade equipment to prepare for what’s ahead.
Night and day each have their advantages, traveling during the day is easier compared to how terrifying it becomes at night. Weather fluctuations such as rain also affect gameplay, it causes low visibility for players but acts as a sort of protection from roaming monsters by masking noises.
Where Dolls Hang is available to add on your Steam wishlist.