Liminal Space Games
Liminal space games come in many different flavors. The backrooms are random empty rooms built with fluorescent lighting and greenish-yellow floors and walls. Pools are similar to the backrooms but are often colorful with clean swimming pools and twisting water slides. I’ve seen parking garages, neighborhoods, staircases, and more, constructed with influence from liminal space.
Liminal space games place you in a labyrinth and you need to find a way out. They seem abandoned but tend to be well-kept. Radom objects like chairs, tables, and doors can be found but seem to serve no purpose. You feel hopeless and alone. Sometimes there is an evil entity that chases you. No matter the circumstances, the chances of survival feel slim to none.
Table of Contents
THE LIST OF LIMINAL SPACE GAMES
The following list contains a brief piece, video, and screenshots of liminal space games played by Ties That Bind Gaming. Some of the games on this list may be so memorable that a featured article has been written to further explore the game. If a featured article exists, a link will be made available. With that said, let’s take a look at liminal space games.
LIMINAL EXIT
Liminal Exit is a combination of liminal space games and anomaly video games. You enter a building and take an elevator down to the next floor. When the elevator door opens, you are immediately tossed into a room with a couple of pools. The liminal space is short but pay attention because you must hunt for anomalies to escape.
Liminal Exit is currently available as a demo. The anomalies are fairly easy to find so I was able to power through the demo rather quickly. The aesthetics are fantastic and hunting for anomalies is a blast.
POOLS
You are stuck in a massive labyrinth filled with swimming pools, twisting water slides, tiled floors and walls, eerie imagery, and masterful atmospheric sound. Pools combines liminal space games and walking simulator horror games. There are no enemies and no puzzles to solve. The entire time is spent exploring. This is more of an immersive experience in the form of a game.
What I like about pools is the aesthetics and immersion. The visuals and sounds are highly appealing. Clear pool water reflects light and shifts like real water. Reverb bounces around your ears when you walk through tiled corridors. Water drips from your body when you exit the water. All of these techniques and more work together to create an immersive experience.
THE COMPLEX: FOUND FOOTAGE
The Complex: Found Footage is a combination of liminal space games, walking simulator horror games, and analog horror games. You carry an analog camcorder while exploring the backrooms. This experience with the backrooms is not limited to the yellow-green labyrinth but also has themes including swimming pools, neighborhoods, dining halls, and more.
You are not alone. There is something following. You may catch a glimpse of the entity following you but in my experience, the entity always felt like something out the corner of your eye. It wasn’t until I checked my recorded video that I was able to verify something was there. I never had a direct encounter with the entity but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.
MEDIA
SCREENSHOTS
AS I SEE IT
I’ve played quite a few liminal space games. Unfortunately, my experience with them has been lackluster. The majority of them feel unfinished, rushed, and uninspiring. The gameplay tends to be terrible and there is no immersion. I don’t like multiplayer games so I have to scratch all those multiplayer backroom games out immediately.
With that said, the games on this list are the types of liminal space games I enjoy. They are single-player, immersive, mimic what I picture as liminal spaces, and make me think of how I would respond to getting thrown into such a nightmare. I also feel like the developers who made these games truly appreciate the lore. I realize these games are not for everyone but I am pleased that they exist.
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