Paratopic

Smuggle contraband VHS tapes across the border. Discover the remnants of illicit industry. Prepare for an assassination. This is Paratopic, an atmospheric retro-3D horror adventure through a cursed fever dream.

Paratopic is a indie, horror and surreal game developed by Arbitrary Metric and published by Serenity Forge.
Released on September 06th 2018 is available on Windows, MacOS and Linux in 2 languages: English and Japanese.

It has received 1,901 reviews of which 1,411 were positive and 490 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.2 out of 10. 😊

The game is currently priced at 5.49€ on Steam.

The Steam community has classified Paratopic into these genres:

Indie Horror Surreal Adventure Retro Atmospheric Short Experimental Psychological Horror Stylized Great Soundtrack Dark Walking Simulator Violent First-Person Singleplayer Mystery Pixel Graphics

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Paratopic through various videos and screenshots.

screenshot_ss_2146b5104a247915feeb0a4eb41af08789821b76.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_d89eaabcd9296bcbc9804e3063848cbdef808fcc.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_87b454286ed1319934c68ca7d62a0a14472006b9.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_cce880dda227284a5b90324b95594cc75729408b.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_67158a336f635bb25da3bbf864e750152763941a.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_477bcd4ad52099af06963db85922a2b745647bcf.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_0fd3671c5f61e3dbf40c1d28a971ca634759b280.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_e2ebd0dde72756b69df3f6da62a218082378907d.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_959fc7217acd784432d64669f6c4a29aa87c27b4.1920x1080.jpg

Requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS *: Windows 7
Processor: Intel Core Duo Q8300 @ 2.5GHz
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630
Storage: 392 MB available space
Sound Card: Onboard Sound
Additional Notes: These specifications match the lowest tested.

MacOS

OS: OS 10.10
Processor: 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256MB
Storage: 407 MB available space
Sound Card: Onboard Sound
Additional Notes: These specifications match the lowest tested.

Linux

OS: Ubuntu 12.04+ or SteamOS+
Processor: Intel Core Duo Q8300 @ 2.5GHz
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630
Storage: 407 MB available space
Sound Card: Onboard Sound
Additional Notes: These specifications match the lowest tested.

Reviews

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

Jan. 2025

it's hard to explain why, but this is one of my favourite games ever. it's not particularly exciting mechanically or easy to understand. but there's something about its atmosphere, its deeply harrowing electronic reverbs, its distant lights, its distorted visuals, its constant cuts and jarring sound design, that appeals to me a lot. this feels like driving down a highway and taking a stop in the middle of nowhere, in a small gas station in the middle of the night. nobody is here, but you feel like there should be. but nothing happens. you drive away. and only when you think about that moment much later do you remember what horrors you saw.

Nov. 2024

Paratopic is a game that achieves for video games what a good movie achieves; you'll be discussing it for a long time after. While many games discussions revolve around challenging aspects of the game and how to overcome them-- equipment, character builds, or boss strategies-- Paratopic is mechanically simple. However the story of Paratopic is not as easy to understand. It merits and benefits from multiple playthroughs in order to collect more evidence and take notes about the universe and characters the story takes place in and I think this is beautiful. The retro graphics are made with care, the music is phenomenal, and it was created with the intention of allowing its players to draw as many conclusions about the story as they wish. It has a very low barrier of entry at its price and it also has as rather short playtime and can be done in one sitting. I would say about an hour since the first time you'll take way longer in certain sequences looking at everything and seeing where the game will allow you to go. While some have criticized it for being either short, incomprehensible, or both, I think the price is fair and that you can still really enjoy it if you have the right expectations.

Nov. 2024

A very unique game that experiments with storytelling, set in a surreal world. Its retro PS1-style graphics create a nostalgic yet unsettling atmosphere. The non-linear narrative encourages players to piece together the story from various perspectives, enhancing immersion through eerie sound design and haunting visuals.

Sept. 2024

Paratopic is one of those games where you're dropped into an eerie,confusing and unsettling world where you need to try and put the pieces together which'll end up leaving you with more questions than answers in the end which makes the game really interesting to discuss about as anything could be the answer. It's 30 min - 1 hour, short but keeps you invested into its world until the very end with goals at the end being achievements to hunt for which is showcased at the very end of each playthrough to encourage replayability.

May 2024

really interesting little game, surprised it doesn't have more reviews. genuinely very suspenseful and very well designed music.

Similar games

View all

No one lives under the lighthouse Director's cut A slow burn retro horror game, in which you arrive at the old lighthouse on a small island near the coast of the United States. After the previous keeper has gone missing, you need to take over his duties and watch after the light.

Similarity 87%

Price 5.69€

Rating 8.4

Release 21 Apr 2020

View

The Path There is one rule in the game. And it needs to be broken. There is one goal. And when you attain it, you die.

Similarity 80%

Price 8.49€

Rating 7.4

Release 18 Mar 2009

View

Keep in Mind: Remastered Keep in Mind follows Jonas, a man haunted by alcoholism, depression, and grief. One night, he awakens to a shadowy mirror world where beasts lurk and stars don't shine. Lost and scared, Jonas must face the twisted beasts if he ever wishes to return home and learn the truth about his darkness.

Similarity 79%

Price -50% 1.00€

Rating 7.1

Release 08 Mar 2018

View

THRESHOLD In a lonely station atop a mountain, a train rumbles its precious cargo to places unknown. Now is your shift. Keep the pace. Uncover a mystery. Fight for your last breath. The air is thin up here.

Similarity 78%

Price 9.99€

Rating 8.4

Release 19 Nov 2024

View

Layers of Fear (2016) Layers of Fear is a first-person psychedelic horror game with a heavy focus on story and exploration. Players take control of a painter whose sole purpose is to finish his Magnum Opus. The player must navigate a constantly changing Victorian-era mansion and ghastly visions of the painter’s psyche.

Similarity 77%

Price 19.99€

Rating 8.7

Release 15 Feb 2016

View

A Wolf in Autumn A one-armed young girl finds herself locked in a shed in the middle of an idyllic autumn forest, with threats both physical and immaterial drawing closer.

Similarity 75%

Price 1.99€

Rating 7.0

Release 27 Oct 2015

View

Isolomus Bite-sized surreal horror with multiple choices. Make your own way through the claymation madness!

Similarity 74%

Price 0.99€

Rating 8.7

Release 04 Dec 2020

View

Mouthwashing The five crew members of the Tulpar are stranded in the empty reaches of space, shrouded in perpetual sunset. God is not watching.

Similarity 73%

Price 12.79€

Rating 9.5

Release 26 Sep 2024

View

BABBDI Find your way out of BABBDI. A short, first person exploration experience.

Similarity 73%

Price Free to play

Rating 9.4

Release 22 Dec 2022

View

Visage Visage is a first-person psychological horror game. Explore a mysterious ever-changing house in a slow-paced, atmospheric world that combines both uncannily comforting and horrifyingly realistic environments, and enjoy a genuinely terrifying experience.

Similarity 73%

Price 29.99€

Rating 8.3

Release 29 Oct 2020

View

The Music Machine A teenage girl and the vengeful ghost possessing her stumble onto horrors of cosmic proportions as the latter searches for a way to murder the former.

Similarity 73%

Price 4.99€

Rating 8.3

Release 06 May 2015

View

Year Walk In the old days man tried to catch a glimpse of the future in the strangest of ways.Experience the ancient Swedish phenomena of year walking through a different kind of first person adventure that blurs the line between two and three dimensions, as well as reality and the supernatural.

Similarity 73%

Price 5.89€

Rating 8.7

Release 06 Mar 2014

View

More games like Paratopic

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates

Steam data	21 November 2024 05:00
SteamSpy data	19 January 2025 20:21
Steam price	23 January 2025 04:19
Steam reviews	21 January 2025 13:56

5.49€

7.2

1,411

490

Online players

Developer

Arbitrary Metric

Publisher

Serenity Forge

Release 06 Sep 2018

Platforms