First-Person Horror ADV 'MOLE' Launches on Steam
The game's quick 'Very Positive' reception on Steam suggests that its hands-on machinery repair gameplay and lo-fi psychological horror resonate with players looking for a short, intense experience.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton.
Oro Interactive released the first-person horror adventure game 'MOLE' on Steam on June 15, 2026. Developed by Off Black Creations, the game is priced at 1,500 yen, with a 10% launch discount running until June 30. Players take the role of a navigator aboard a massive post-war drilling vessel called the 'Mole,' descending into an underground Slavic region to trace a mysterious signal. The crew has vanished, and the drill is silent. Gameplay involves operating levers, switches, and machinery to repair broken systems, with no tutorials or objective markers. As players progress, they collect memory fragments that reveal the story and the fate of the missing crew. The game is described as a psychological horror about madness, faith, and the 'abyss' people dig into themselves. A launch trailer shows eerie ship interiors and surreal landscapes. On Steam, the game has earned a 'Very Positive' rating, with 96% of 150 user reviews positive at the time of reporting. The estimated playtime is 4 to 5 hours.
The game's setting is a post-war drilling vessel named the "Mole," which descends into an underground Slavic region. Automaton describes the experience as a "steel coffin" horror, where players are trapped in a sealed environment and must determine whether "the machine or the mind will break first." The game supports Japanese text on Steam.
Gameplay involves operating levers, switches, and various devices to repair broken systems. Players receive no tutorials or objective markers, only "countless machines and the eerily silent ship," according to Automaton. As players repair machinery and explore, the protagonist's memories are gradually unearthed. The deeper the descent, the more guilt, shattered memories, faith, and past failures intertwine, blurring the line between external events and the protagonist's inner world.
A launch trailer released alongside the game shows eerie interiors of the ship and scenes with surreal landscapes, as noted by 4Gamer.net. The game's strengths, per Automaton, lie in its heavy narrative, claustrophobic atmosphere, hands-on gameplay involving large machinery, and unsettling lo-fi visuals. The launch discount of 10% off, bringing the price to 1,350 yen including tax, runs until June 30.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.