Every Friday we dive into the dark side of indie games — the chilling, the uncanny, the unforgettable. This week, our spotlight turns to the sands of Egypt, where an indie horror game beckons players into cursed tombs with nothing but a flashlight and a camera. Welcome to Amenti.
🎮 Main Feature: Amenti
By AEG Softworks – Play on Steam
🏺 A Descent Into the Sands
In Amenti, players step into the shoes of an urban explorer breaking into ancient tombs that were meant to stay sealed. The further you descend, the more oppressive the atmosphere becomes. Stone corridors stretch endlessly, hieroglyphs whisper forgotten histories, and shadows shift at the edge of sight.
Unlike most horror games, there are no weapons here. Instead, your camera becomes your survival tool — snapping photos to reveal hidden hieroglyphs, uncover spectral figures, and solve puzzles that guard the tomb’s secrets. It’s a mechanic that feels equal parts investigative and vulnerable, forcing players to face what they find instead of fighting it.
📸 The Horror Loop
- Explore narrow tomb corridors lit only by torchlight.
- Photograph anomalies to reveal clues or entities.
- Solve environmental puzzles tied to ancient lore.
- Survive the mounting dread with no combat — only awareness.
This deliberate pacing has drawn comparisons to classics like Fatal Frame and Amnesia, while adding a distinct Egyptian mythology rarely seen in horror.
🌑 What Players Are Saying
Critics and players agree: Amenti nails its atmosphere.
“It’s more a horror exploration game than it is anything else. Not much that can kill you but still a very engrossing environment.”
— Reddit /r/HorrorGaming
Adventure Game Hotspot praised the game as:
“A well-crafted exploratory horror experience… vivid, authentically detailed graphics and a haunting atmosphere.”
— Adventure Game Hotspot Review
Even PC Gamer, in a more mixed take, admitted the Egyptian tomb setting was “a great horror backdrop,” noting the stunning visuals even as they critiqued the scare design (PC Gamer).
⚖️ What Stands Out (and What Doesn’t)
What really makes Amenti pop is the atmosphere. The tombs feel ancient and heavy with history, every chamber full of detail that makes you want to stop and look closer — even if you’re half afraid of what you’ll see. The camera mechanic adds tension in a fresh way, turning exploration into a mix of curiosity and dread.
On the flip side, Amenti is a pretty short ride, more of a one-sitting experience than a sprawling horror epic. Some players wish the scares had a little more bite, and the puzzles are on the lighter side. Still, if you’re in the mood for an eerie, hour-long descent into the dark, it hits the spot.
đź‘» Other Horrors Lurking
If Amenti whets your appetite for scares, here are a couple more indie horrors worth creeping into this weekend:
- Centum
A psychological horror adventure that plays out like a shifting dream. Part visual novel, part point-and-click, it toys with your perception of reality as rooms and rules change around you. It’s eerie, unpredictable, and leaves you wondering what’s real long after you close it. - The Midnight Walk
Don’t be fooled by its cozy claymation visuals — this “storybook horror” feels like Over the Garden Wall crossed with a Lynchian nightmare. Strange characters, whimsical yet unsettling landscapes, and a creeping sense that the world isn’t as gentle as it looks.
đź“ą Fear on Screen
This Let’s Play captures both tension and humor, with the streamer’s lively commentary enhancing the game’s creepy environment. It’s a dynamic, watchable introduction to the kind of dread Amenti can evoke—perfect for those who prefer the vicarious chill of a stream.
Join the Saga
Indie Sagas is all about celebrating the worlds indie creators build. Want more horror? Check back every Friday for another Fear Friday.
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