Anime Meets the Occult: ‘Ghost Hunting Journal’ Set to Drop Expanded Demo on April 10

• The Buzz: A viral hit on X (Twitter) thanks to its gorgeous hand-drawn animation and witty supernatural vibes.
• The Hook: A dual-protagonist system where you investigate urban legends in a fictional Chinese metropolis.
• The Update: A major expansion to the existing Steam demo arrives on April 10, 2026, adding more story beats and refined mechanics.
• The Developer: Spicy Games (麻辣工作室), an indie studio based in Sichuan, China.

If you’ve been spending any time on indie game social media lately, you’ve likely seen snippets of a game that looks like a high-budget 90s anime but plays like a modern supernatural investigation. Ghost Hunting Journal is quickly becoming the “one to watch” for narrative adventure fans, and the developers are striking while the iron is hot.

[Related Article: Ghost-hunting game ‘Ghost Hunting Journal’ goes viral on social media]

Investigating Riverrun: More Than Just Jump Scares

Set in the sprawling, fictional city of Riverrun, Ghost Hunting Journal follows two protagonists as they navigate a world where urban legends are all too real.

• Visual Identity: The game stands out with a distinct “hand-drawn comic” aesthetic. Every frame feels like it was pulled from a manga, utilizing cinematic angles and expressive character animations to bridge the gap between horror and humor.
• Dual Protagonist Dynamics: The “Soul Squatter” narrative is driven by the chemistry between its two leads. Players will experience the story from multiple perspectives, using specialized ghost-hunting tools and detective work to solve cases.
• What’s New on April 10? The upcoming update expands beyond the initial Chapter 1 demo. It promises deeper lore regarding the city’s supernatural underworld, new interactive events between the protagonists, and significant quality-of-life improvements based on player feedback.

Quick Specification: Ghost Hunting Journal

A Viral Sensation from Sichuan

Spicy Games has managed to capture a very specific “vibe” that resonates with the global indie community. By blending the eerie atmosphere of Chinese ghost stories with the high-energy aesthetics of classic anime, they’ve created something that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

The publisher, Okasan’s Recipe, noted that the viral success on X has accelerated their development pace, with the team focusing heavily on ensuring the narrative branches feel meaningful.