Pools

Pools is an exploration game with few objectives or puzzles, built around looking around and listening. You navigate a series of maze-like spaces; the game can test your sense of direction, but much of the time you are simply present in the environment. There is no typical story, no characters to meet and no notes to find.

Explore changing spaces

As you move through the game, its world changes: rooms begin to look and feel different, and each chapter has its own distinct quality and mystery. The base game contains six unique chapters, each taking 10 to 30 minutes to play.

Sound and atmosphere

Pools has no user interface, dialogue or background music. Instead, its sounds and echoes change from room to room. Walking through water slows you down, adding to the sense of being in the space and creating a tense atmosphere. There are no monsters that chase you or suddenly jump at you, though the game plays on fears of getting lost, darkness and tight spaces.

Inspirations

Pools draws on the internet phenomena of liminal spaces, found footage and the Backrooms, particularly Backrooms Pools, also known as Poolrooms. Its other inspirations include:

• Matt Studios’ Poolrooms videos from 2022
• Mortain Colors
• Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1 by Andrew Quist
• Kane Pixels’ The Backrooms (Found Footage)