About This Demo

"I'm sorry Robert, I can't wait here forever. I have to find a way to leave this place"

You are Caroline Miller. You find yourself on a narrowboat. The doors are locked. Your husband is missing. You're desperate to find him, but this place will not let you leave...

Mayfly is a 'quiet' story-rich psychological horror where you must navigate your way through unstable and ever-shifting realities, finding clues and solving puzzles to piece together a deeply compelling mystery.

** This demo should take roughly 30 minutes to complete **

You awaken on a bright summer morning, unexpectedly alone. Your husband Robert is nowhere to be found. You wonder where he could be. Attempting to leave the bedroom you find the door mysteriously locked. There's no way out. 

As you await Robert's return you begin to notice a slow unravelling of your surroundings, of reality itself. It slowly dawns on you that something is very, very wrong.

• Constantly shifting realities: A ‘reality collapse’ mechanic punctuates the unfolding horror, transforming your environment as you progress, leaving you constantly guessing what will happen next.

• Short and sweet: Mayfly is a short psychological horror experience focused on deep exploration, slow-burn narrative and a disquieting atmosphere.

• Story-rich: Mayfly features a densely packed, highly explorable narrowboat environment. You can explore as much, or as little as you desire. As well as notes and collectable items, there's also an abundance of objects in the game which contain 'story interactions' plus a raft of hidden clues for players with a keen eye.

• Highly explorable and ever-changing: Search a richly detailed narrowboat setting which constantly changes. Items mysteriously vanish and reappear, objects change positions and environment lighting shifts. The deeper you venture, the harder it becomes to trust what you see.

• Challenging puzzles: A series of varied puzzles to solve as you weave your way through an ever-changing environment.

• Emotional text: Emotive text-based 'story interactions' reveal Caroline's inner state of mind, adding a subtle layer of psychological exploration and expression.

• Context-specific story: Inspect the many available story interaction items to reveal additional lore - which changes and adapts along with Caroline's state of mind.

• Emotional reactions: Emotional intensity is also presented through interactions; happiness, fear, confusion and anger are all depicted along with differing ranges of intensity depending on events within the game.

• Professional voice acting: Voice actor and award winning singer songwriter Tammy King plays the role of Caroline Miller.

• Original soundtrack: Featuring a vast range of music, from delicate piano melodies to harsh other-wordly drones, Mayfly's soundtrack draws you in to the unfolding horror.

• Layered 3D audio design: Headphones recommended! Utilising a deep, layered audio soundscape you'll want to make sure you don't miss some of the more subtle whispers, bumps and bangs occurring just within earshot. 

• Lo-fi visuals: A gentle pixelated aesthetic.

• 90s English vibes: Set in the late 1990s in the North-West of England, Mayfly is packed with northern charm and contains lots of subtle references to British popular culture. How many can you find?

• Retro UI: A user interface which gently evokes feelings of gaming nostalgia, with an added layer of modern polish.

* Mayfly has been fully tested with USB-connected XBox & PlayStation controllers and is also Steam Deck compatible.