Coming to Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and PC in 2023, Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open has today been fully detailed by the Cellar Vault Games and Chorus Worldwide teams, just as the predecessor – Paper Ghost Stories: 7PM – looks set to go free on Steam.
Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is the next installment – and first full-sized game – in an award-winning anthology of creepy tales that have been inspired by Malaysian and Chinese myths and culture. It comes from publisher Chorus Worldwide (they who helped push the brilliant Coffee Talk) and their developer Cellar Vault Games, as it prepares to possesses players on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4|5, Nintendo Switch, and PC early next year.
It’s a game which follows Ting, a young Chinese-Malaysian girl, who has unknowingly breaches the spirit world. Everywhere she goes, the apparition of a child named Xiu follows, visible only to her and despite her efforts to keep Xiu a secret, other children notice, quickly earning Ting notoriety as some kind of weird kid. It’ll be up to you to follow Ting through pre-school and primary school as she navigates the perils of home life and the mysterious spirit world.
It’s the gripping narrative of Third Eye Open which may well prove to be the biggest draw, as the story unfolds across multiple years at locations including Ting’s troubled home, creepy campgrounds, haunted houses, and even nightmares. You’ll be left to speak with friends and family through a timed dialogue system simulating heated arguments and hard questions, all while interacting with the world through a collection of minigames ranging from assembling a barbecue platter during a camping trip to hiding from malevolent phantoms.
Rendered in a living “paper theatre” style that has been inspired by the shadow play of Southeast Asia, Third Eye Open shoudl well haunt and charm in equal measure. The beautiful, childlike aesthetic belies a darker story of a family falling apart, Ting’s role in its salvation, and the haunted house at the heart of it all. For added authenticity, all in-game sounds were recorded on location in Malaysia, in places such as the Taman neighborhood, local Ko Pi Tiam (coffee shops), and the Pasar Malam (night markets).
2023 may seem some way off, but those interested will be able to explore the shared Paper Ghost Stories universe via 7PM. In addition to being available free on Steam until June 2nd, the game has been updated to include full controller support. It is seen as a short story to Third Eye Open’s novel: the former takes about one hour to complete, while Cellar Vault Games aims to make the full release approximately five to six hours long. When it does arrive on Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, Third Eye Open’s console release will also include 7PM.
“When we saw Cellar Vault Games’ 7PM, we knew we’d played something special,” said Shintaro Kanaoya, founder and CEO of Chorus Worldwide. “Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open takes many of the concepts that were in a fledgling form in 7PM and hugely expands upon them. We can’t wait to bring this mix of Malaysian culture, coming-of-age drama, and spine-tingling story and gameplay to fans of original adventures everywhere.”
“To bring our stories to PC and console players around the world is a dream come true,” said Benny Chan, CEO and Co-Founder of Cellar Vault Games. “We hope to be telling Paper Ghost Stories for a long time to come, sharing tales of Malaysian folklore with as many people as possible. We can’t wait for everyone to experience Ting’s adventure! “
Third Eye Open will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4|5, Nintendo Switch, and PC in early 2023. For now, hit up the trailer below or take in 7AM on Steam.
