Horror Gallery: A look at ‘Stuck in the Present’ from Dusk Wave Arts

This is a sponsored post commissioned by Dusk Wave Arts

It’s the night before the release of 3D side-scrolling psychological horror game Stuck in the Present on 19th September on Steam, so we thought we’d share an art gallery that gives you a better look at the game, courtesy of Dusk Wave Arts.

With strong themes of migration, trauma, anxiety and claustrophobia in new and unfamiliar environments, the game is for anyone who’s ever felt ‘stuck’ in life, and has needed to find a way forward.

And on the theme of horror and migration, whilst we look through these fab images, we’ve also got some scary real-life migration facts for you! (Because, why not? We like to do things a little differently here at In Pure Spirit, and this seems like a great awareness opportunity)

Stuck in the stats

Did you know that by the end of 2023, a new record of 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and events seriously disturbing public order? It’s the highest figure ever recorded.

75% of refugees are hosted in low and middle-income countries – not in the wealthiest nations like you might imagine would be the case.

At the end of June 2024 in the UK, over 86,000 people were waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claim. Of those, nearly 50,000 had been waiting for more than six months. Now, how’s THAT for stuck?!

Children account for approximately 40% of the world’s forcibly displaced people, despite making up only 30% of the global population.

In the year 2023, there were a staggering 20.5 million new internal displacements as a result of sudden-onset disasters such as floods, storms, and wildfires. Due to increasing climate change events, these disasters could really affect any of us – and that’s the real horror.

Stuck in the Present is a game with relatable characters and story, and was put together by a multinational team with storytelling in their DNA.

The game’s protagonist, Faye, embodies this feeling of being trapped. As a new immigrant in Canada, she is caught in a bureaucratic nightmare, unable to work or study. Her life is an endless cycle of immigration appointments where her very worth is judged to see if she is “deserving” enough to stay. This sense of being an unwelcome burden, reliant on others and constantly under a microscope reflects a humiliating reality for many from Southeast Asian countries when they apply for visas to stay in other countries.

Feeling curious about the game? The demo’s currently out on Steam, with the full release coming the 19th September (tomorrow)! Go check it out.