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POOLS
Walking simulator. Explore, admire and listen. Uncanny. Relaxing. Unnerving. Eerie. Immersive. No monsters chasing you or jumping towards at your screen, but can feel oppressive at times by invoking fears of getting lost, the dark, tight spaces and liminal space architecture. Inspired by backrooms.
Recent Reviews:
Overwhelmingly Positive (487) - 98% of the 487 user reviews in the last 30 days are positive.
All Reviews:
Overwhelmingly Positive (3,616) - 95% of the 3,616 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Apr 26, 2024
Developer:
Publisher:
Tensori, UNIKAT Label
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Includes 16 Steam Achievements
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Download POOLS Demo

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$9.79
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Includes 2 items: Dystopika, POOLS

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Reviews

“it’s utterly compelling from beginning to end”
8/10 – GameSpew

“a pretty extraordinary achievement”
8/10 – FandomWire

“There are some rooms in POOLS that feel almost directly lifted from my brain like I’m wandering into memories.”
Kotaku

About This Game

One could say POOLS is like an art gallery where you look around and listen to the sounds. There are very few things to solve, practically a few mazes. Sometimes the game can challenge your navigation skills. But mostly you're just... there.

Note: There are no monsters chasing you or jumping suddenly towards you, but the game can feel oppressive. POOLS plays on fears of getting lost, the dark, and tight spaces.



The game has no user-interface and no dialogue. No background music. Instead, the game uses sounds to make you feel like you're really there. The sounds and echo change depending on the room you're in. Walking in water is slower. All of these things makes the game feel more real and creates a tense atmosphere.



There's no typical story, no characters to meet, and you won't find any notes in game. But as you explore and advance further, you start to notice that the game's world changes around you. Rooms look and feel different. Each chapter has something unique. Constantly you're exploring new places, each with its own kind of mystery.

POOLS has six unique chapters, each taking 10 to 30 minutes to play.



POOLS is inspired by a internet phenomenons "Liminal spaces", "Found footage" and "Backrooms" - specifically "Backrooms Pools" or "Poolrooms".

One of the original artists behind the Poolrooms concept is Jared Pike.

Other inspirations include:

  • Matt Studios: Poolrooms videos from 2022
  • Mortain Colors
  • Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1 by Andrew Quist
  • Kane Pixels: The Backrooms (Found Footage)

System Requirements

Windows
macOS
    Minimum:
    • Processor: Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 from around 2016 or later
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 or newer
    • Storage: 5 GB available space
    • Additional Notes: Lower resolution for additional performance. Laptops can work too. Tested on 2021 Lenovo thinkpad, works smoothly with low settings and lower resolution setting. NOTE: You can always try the Demo to see how game runs.
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10 or newer
    • Processor: Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 7 from 2018 or later
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or newer
    • Storage: 5 GB available space
    • Additional Notes: Tested with high settings on 1080p. For 4k with high settings NVIDIA 4080 or AMD RX 7900 is recommended. NOTE: You can always try the Demo to see how game runs.
    Minimum:
    • Processor: Apple M1 or Intel
    • Additional Notes: Lower resolution for additional performance. Tested on 2020 13" M1 MacBook Pro, works smoothly with low settings and lower resolution setting. NOTE: You can always try the Demo to see how game runs.
    Recommended:
    • OS: macOS Ventura 13.4.1 or later
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What Curators Say

55 Curators have reviewed this product. Click here to see them.

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