The 18th Attic , a new game from Maltese one-man developer Steelkrill Studio, is a psychological horror game in which you use a Polaroid camera and your cat friend Biscuit to capture supernatural phenomena in a mysterious attic.
Inspired by Japan’s representative horror adventure series, ‘Fatal Frame (Japanese release name Zero)’, this work is attracting attention for its loop-structured horror setting and unique mental health system, and is receiving favorable reviews for being able to feel a high level of fear despite the relatively short play time of about 90 minutes.
Romance and tragedy, what truth can be revealed through photographs?
The gamer, a nameless man, is trapped in the mysterious 18th attic. This space loops repeatedly, forcing the protagonist to remain in the same space for no apparent reason. Armed only with a Polaroid camera and a lighter, he must navigate his surroundings.
As the protagonist explores the attic, he can recall fragments of his past memories. The romance between the protagonist and his partner, Emily, and the tragic events that followed are revealed piece by piece through these photographs, creating a rich emotional element rarely seen in typical horror games.
Organic connection between camera and mannequin system
The 18th Attic’s core element is ghost hunting using the camera. The attic is rife with supernatural phenomena, including shifting shadows, ghostly figures, and mysterious transformations. Players discover these phenomena and accurately photograph them with the camera to remove them, unlocking a memory fragment. With limited film cartridges, careful observation and precise timing are key to survival.
One of the game’s most striking horror elements is the mannequins. While they remain motionless when viewed through the camera lens, they approach the moment the player lowers the camera or turns away. This “Weeping Angel”-style system, which allows for a moment of extreme fear when the player lets their guard down, maximizes psychological tension and makes the player hesitate to put the camera down.
The Sanity System and its cat friend, Biscuit
Witnessing supernatural phenomena or being attacked by ghosts will lower your mental health. As this level drops, you will experience visual distortions, hallucinations like bugs obscuring your vision, and the line between reality and fantasy will blur.
The only way to restore your sanity is to pet your cat friend, Biscuit. Biscuit is more than just a pet; he plays a key role in the game, alerting his owner to approaching ghosts.
The system of petting a cat to restore mental power has been praised by many users as “original” and “humane.” Biscuit’s appearance can also be customized by gamers.
Cat and Camera System Gets a Good Review, with 88% of Steam Users Saying “Very Positive”
The 18th Attic was originally scheduled for release on February 2, 2026, but was completed ahead of schedule and released on January 23, 2026.
Upon release, the game received a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, with 88% of approximately 50 reviews praising it. The cat-stroking system, camera-based ghost detection, and mannequin-based scares were particularly noteworthy. However, some reviews pointed out the monotony of the looping structure and minor camera accuracy bugs.
The 18th Attic is a surprisingly well-made horror game, considering it was created by a single developer. It reinterprets the camera-based horror formula of Fatal Frame in a modern way, while adding the emotional elements of ‘photography’ and ‘petting a cat’. This is where it shows that this game is not just a simple horror title.
Some have pointed out the short completion time of approximately 90 minutes and the potential for monotony in the latter half due to the loop structure. However, users have evaluated the game as exceeding expectations, offering a balanced experience of intense horror and genuine emotion.
Despite the physical and environmental constraints of a solo developer, Steelkrill Studio continues to push the boundaries of genre with each project, and The 18th Attic is recognized as one of the most accomplished of them all. Blending the contrasting emotions of “emotion” and “fear,” this game creates a unique worldview, making it a must-experience for horror enthusiasts in the first half of the year.
