Horror gaming is shaping up to have an unforgettable run in 2026, with the likes of Resident Evil Requiem and Silent Hill: Townfall representing the front-runners of the AAA space and lurking indie gems, such as the promising MOLE, ready to make their own impactful debuts. MOLE is a brand-new psychological horror game created by the small 4-person development team at Off Black Creations and published by rising studio Oro Interactive and draws inspiration from fellow indie hits Iron Lung and Mouthwashing with its claustrophobic environment and oppressive sense of isolation that seek to take horror to new depths beneath the Slavic soil. Presently slated to launch for PC via Steam sometime in Q2 2026, fans of smaller scale, cleverly designed horror games can now get an early look at the terrors that await in MOLE.
A number of games like Iron Lung have found success in recent years, due in large part to the massive renaissance of horror as a whole, along with live action film adaptations introducing more audiences to the wonderfully diverse world of indie gaming. Many of these titles have utilized the uncanny visuals of low-res graphics to help add a sense of unease that players remember from the horror hits of the 90s, and it should come as no surprise that MOLE is set to join the growing lineup of games that offer retro aesthetics with fresh stories that continue to draw in horror fans.
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MOLE Brings the Psychological Horrors of Iron Lung to New Underground Depths
The titular MOLE is a monstrous post-war drilling machine that players must pilot through the underground depths in search of an unidentified signal that will force the MOLE and its pilot to descend through madness in search of choices that have refused to stay buried. Players will act as the lone Navigator of the MOLE and will need to fix failing systems and follow the voices of the dead while attempting to preserve their sanity and survive the seemingly doomed expedition. The Navigator must ensure the vessel is kept alive by crawling through ventilation shafts to make repairs, resetting power terminals to ensure the MOLE’s drill keeps spinning, and using observation and trial to operate the main control station. As the MOLE digs deeper, mechanical problem-solving, physical interaction, and psychological horror set pieces will unfold and force players to question which will fail first: the machine or the Navigator.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
MOLE‘s tactile simulation gameplay features hands-on systems but avoids fully holding the player’s hand, adding to the pressure of figuring out both how to pilot the massive digging vessel and why they have embarked on this perilous journey in the first place. Mysterious messages and memories come back to life will introduce an even deeper psychological horror experience, and it will be up to the player to reveal the truth behind what happened above and below the soil of the Slavic lands through which the MOLE drills. Interested players can check out the free demo for MOLE that launched January 29 as part of the Steam Next Fest, and horror fans can expect the full version of the game to launch sometime in the second quarter of 2026 exclusively on PC.
Indie horror games on Steam have continued to prove to be just as iconic and popular as some of the biggest genre franchises of all time, and while MOLE is certainly facing some steep competition with its 2026 release window, many have voiced an appreciation for diverse horror experiences that wax between the big budgets and flashy graphics of AAA titles and the more old-school visuals and snappy storytelling of indie releases. Only time will tell if MOLE is able to stand up to both its predecessors and upcoming competition, so interested fans may want to stay tuned for any future updates on the game and other horror games launching in 2026.
