Newly-established Melbourne studio Ghoulish has something special in Parasensor. At SXSW Sydney 2025, a very early demo was revealed, illuminating a dark, mysterious game with shades of Resident Evil and Disco Elysium, serving a twisting, bug-filled narrative of grand ambition.
The demo promises a game with plenty of flourish and a clear visual identity. It’s weird, bold and immediately enthralling – even with its touches of repellent, oozing horror.
It’s rare for a game this early in development to deliver such a strong sense of place, and to tease the magic and suspense still to come so effectively. It’s possible to draw clear comparisons while als seeing a game that feels entirely like its own thing, sure of its own identity and direction.
First look at Parasensor – quick links
Parasensor: life goes on – bugs and all
You begin Parasensor in the shoes of Marisol, a young woman who takes on a new job as a telecom technician. Going from place to place, her job is about reconnection and strengthening the bonds between folks who need it most. Then the job takes her to an odd, siloed city where nothing is as it seems – and as she ventures deeper, she discovers everyone around her is subject to a mysterious infection that is turning them into bugs, Kafka-style.
What’s worse is that most people in this city seem relatively oblivious to the changes. Marisol wanders this world with a job to do, meeting other people with jobs to do. It might be a post-apocalypse world, but there’s still quote-unquote ‘important’ work to be done and so you set about doing it.
Nose to the grindstone. Keep working, even when the world is dying.
Even when taking steps into this strange new world causes bugs to grow in your brain, whispering strange thoughts and urges directly into your brain stem.
Darkness and light
While only short, the demo for Parasensor is wildly evocative thanks to lush prose and a painterly art style. There’s an emphasis on the interplay between darkness and light and the gross encroachments of physical transformations. As you wander, you feel the claustrophobic darkness start to close in on all sides.
Sometimes, all you have to illuminate your way is the glow of a telephone box, signalling some distant connection or safety. Even then, you’re not safe from the cacophony of voices that swirl in your head, whispering your inner desires in tiny little bug clicks. Disco Elsyium is a clear inspiration in this delivery, with its sharp, biting dialogue to guide your quest.
In Parasensor, you might hear a person in jeopardy as you wander through a distant telecommunications office. The human side of you wants to help but the bugs in your mind have other plans. They whisper and hiss, adding to the tense, hostile atmosphere of your travels, and the danger that dogs every twist.
A moreish, nightmare journey
Stepping out of the world of Parasensor was like pulling myself out of a nightmare – but one I longed to return to.
With its striking tone, notes of horror and creeping mystery that unfolds in dialogue, Parasensor is entirely absorbing. It’s a game that brims with cool, original thought. A sense of flourish shines through, even with the demo in a relatively rough state.
Parasensor still has a long way to go and a release date is yet to be announced, but in this early showing, it was an impressive, creative adventure with ideas I can’t wait to unravel. You’ll want to keep your eyes on this one.
