A New Twist on Tidying Games
Steam has seen an avalanche of tidying-up games lately, from libraries to magic shops to toy stores, but the genre is about to get weird.
The new game, Something is Wrong With the Library, tasks players with organizing books while confronting "psychic manifestations" made of flesh. The unsettling premise is further deepened by the revelation that the library's walls contain the corpses of homeless people. The game is available to wishlist on Steam for a release later this fall.
Horror Story and Gameplay
Distinguishing itself from typical tidying games, Something is Wrong With the Library features a deeply unsettling narrative. Players assume the role of Phillip Shed, the library's former administrator, who must organize books and confront the gruesome aftermath of the bodies within the walls over a single night. The Steam listing also hints at a location known as The Drowning Room.
Developer Insights
Beyond the monstrous elements, the game aims for a brutal realism inspired by the developer's past experience. Studio head Xalavier Nelson Jr. describes the eerie atmosphere of a library at night: “If you've ever been in a library at night, you'll know that it feels unexpectedly warm and full of possibility–until you hear a single sound you don't recognize and realize you're surrounded by towering shadows.”
Nelson Jr., a former librarian himself, expressed a hope that players would develop a greater appreciation for their local libraries, despite the disturbing content they will encounter in the game.
Nelson Jr. previously led development on CLICKOLDING, another unusual Steam title that involved repeatedly clicking a button while facing a sinister stranger.
