Ouroboros: Prelude

Ouroboros: Prelude is a first-person survival horror game set in a red, randomized dungeon where you are imprisoned, hunted and watched. You must discover why you were imprisoned and find a way out, with no means of defending yourself beyond hiding, running and using your wits. If you fall unconscious, you wake in a cell and must try again in a dungeon whose contents have been randomized anew.

The dungeon

The dungeon’s halls are dark and echo with hellish tones. Its levels, rooms, corridors, items, scares, creatures, puzzles and pieces of lore are randomized, so each playthrough differs. Nearly every object can be used: you can barricade doors, hide or create distractions. The environment can also change unpredictably and may try to maim you.

The story follows a descent into madness and draws on Alchemic, Germanic and Renaissance-era history. Creatures stalk the halls to keep the dungeon’s secrets hidden and prevent your escape. They can be avoided or tricked, but some inhabitants are not deterred by darkness.

Evade your hunters

Light helps you see, but creatures can see you too. Moving from light into darkness can briefly leave you blind while your vision adjusts; hiding in darkness may improve your chances of survival, though creatures can still hear you. Running is not always wise, and careful listening may let you hear creatures before you see them and sneak around them.

You need light to find your way, but your supply of tinder and candles is limited. Conserve them, or you may be left in the dark. Exposure to madness also takes its toll the longer you remain in the depths.