New Narrative CRPG on Steam Is Like Disco Elysium and Planescape: Torment

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Games exploring difficult or serious topics aren’t new, but they’ve become much more common recently. The rise of platforms like Steam and the growth of independent game development have led to a surge in these types of titles. Games such as Disco Elysium and the Frostpunk series offer a stark contrast to the often-polished and safe experiences found in big-budget, mainstream games. They tackle challenging subjects like war, addiction, and poverty, which are often avoided by more widely-appealing projects.

Inspired by thoughtful and morally complex games like Disco Elysium and Planescape: Torment, Hollow Home tells the story of Maksym, a Ukrainian teenager grappling with the Russian invasion of his country. The game features a distinctive oil-painting art style and an overhead camera angle, visually reminiscent of Disco Elysium, creating a beautiful but somber and damaged world. But the game’s story and visuals are just the beginning. Hollow Home aims to deliver a powerful and unsettling narrative about the human cost of war, making it a particularly emotionally demanding experience for players this year.

For the record, Twigames is a Ukrainian developer, based out of Kyiv.

Hollow Home Is a Choice-Based RPG About Life During Wartime

In February 2022, Russia began a full-scale attack on Mariupol, a Ukrainian city it had first tried to capture in 2014 alongside Crimea. Mariupol was an important target for Putin’s government because it was a major industrial hub, a popular seaside resort, and crucially, it would connect the Russian-controlled areas of Donbas and Crimea by land. After a brutal three-month battle – described by the Red Cross as “apocalyptic” – Ukrainian forces were forced to surrender. As of 2026, Russia continues to occupy Mariupol, which has been almost completely destroyed, with reports indicating around 90% of the city lies in ruins.

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The game Hollow Home is set against the deeply unsettling context of the recent events in Mariupol. It starts just before the invasion began, creating a similar sense of false security that the city’s residents likely experienced. Players take on the role of Maksym, a young boy left home alone for a few days while his parents are away. He has no survival skills or supplies and must navigate the doomed city, making friends, finding resources, and dealing with the challenges that emerge along the way.

In another parallel to Disco Elysium, Hollow Home contains no combat or visceral on-screen violence.

Twigames explains that the story of Hollow Home will change based on the choices you make, making player decisions a key part of the game. Beyond that, Hollow Home includes features like collecting items, improving skills like Athletics and Sociability, and using Action Points to perform tasks such as cooking. A demo is currently available on Steam, but you’ll need to play the full game to see how these elements fully develop and impact the experience.

Hollow Home Offers a Much-Needed Alternative to Traditional Depictions of War in Gaming

I really appreciate the Metal Gear Solid games because, even though they’re full of action and fighting, they deliver a thoughtful and respectful message about the horrors of war. It’s rare to find that in video games – Spec Ops: The Line is a notable exception – and most don’t really say anything meaningful about conflict. Unlike franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield, which simply turn war into mindless fun, Metal Gear Solid offers genuine insight. It’s not even necessarily about being against war – it’s that those other games don’t offer any real substance or commentary on the topic.

It’s concerning that many depictions of war focus heavily on heroism and excitement. While opportunities for bravery do exist, it’s important to remember whose perspective is being shown. Games like Call of Duty often emphasize action, adventure, and even fun, which presents a skewed view of military operations. It’s crucial that independent creators continue to explore the complexities of war with sensitivity and nuance, offering a more complete and respectful understanding.

The idea that war only affects soldiers is simply not true, and games like Hollow Home powerfully illustrate this. In today’s conflicts, like those in Ukraine and Palestine, ordinary civilians – people with families, jobs, and homes – are the ones who suffer the most. War destroys justice for everyday people, and you don’t need to read a lengthy report to understand that – talking to someone who has experienced war firsthand will make it clear. Art, such as Hollow Home, which focuses on the impact of war on innocent children, can have a similar effect.

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2026-05-07 18:06