POOLS, (v12.12.24)

POOLS is an atmospheric exploration game that immerses players in a surreal, gallery-like environment where sound and space take center stage. Rather than following a traditional narrative or presenting characters and dialogue, the game invites you to quietly navigate a series of mysterious, maze-like rooms that evoke feelings of isolation and unease. The absence of background music and user interface enhances the sense of realism, as the game relies heavily on dynamic environmental sounds—such as echoes and the slower movement through water—to create a tense, immersive atmosphere. While there are no monsters or sudden scares, the game taps into common fears of getting lost, darkness, and confined spaces, making the experience quietly unsettling rather than overtly frightening. As you progress through POOLS, you’ll explore six distinct chapters, each lasting between 10 and 30 minutes and featuring its own unique visual and auditory shifts. The world around you subtly changes, encouraging careful observation and reflection rather than direct objectives or puzzles. Inspired by internet phenomena like liminal spaces, found footage, and the “Backrooms” concept—particularly the “Poolrooms” variant—the game draws creative influence from artists such as Jared Pike and others who have contributed to this eerie aesthetic. POOLS offers a contemplative journey into shifting, uncanny environments where the focus is on presence, atmosphere, and the quiet tension of the unknown.