Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open

Stunning original game with a excellent representation of the Malaysian culture Story is great, characters are unique and gameplay is somewhere between a quest and a visual novel Highly recommended! A true gem among indie games :)

As a person who had just marathon back-to-back two Southeast Asian juggernauts of a story-based game, playing Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open feels like it is somewhat of an interesting change of pace for me… As far as the story goes, this game kinda feels more like a "mini side-story" that could [i]perfectly[/i] be enjoyed as an appetiser before or even a mid-break between the two games that I've played which were: A space of the unbound and Until Then… And [i]unlike[/i] those two games, I feel like Third Eye Open is a much "smaller" and a somewhat even more "grounded" of a story; as in, there is no end of the world/out of this world/isekai plot shenanigans that forms the basis of the story... Like, for one, the story of this game is very much of an [i]actual[/i] slice-of-life where it basically revolves around a typical Malaysian Chinese family but with the themes of tiger parenting, early childhood, "imaginary" friend, and the very stereotypical, superstitious Chinese beliefs with some supernatural horror elements in it. I also love how the game properly centres itself in an actual Malaysian setting especially when the game comes with a quite unique-looking art style of us…

The game is a bit slow at the first half of the story, but I love the abandoned house episodes. The puzzles are pretty intense and challenging. However, there is one thing that annoys me so much in this game, I want to hentam him like hell. [spoiler]The father[/spoiler], ugh!

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is a one-of-a-kind horror game. Or maybe not as much a horror game, as a ghost story (yes, shouldn't be surprising, since it's in the title). It reminds me of those old shows that sometimes had an episode where characters would explore a haunted house. Rather than being scary, it's mysterious in a vaguely... "comfy" manner. It's focused on storytelling, but there's enough gameplay for it to not feel like a visual novel. And, aside from some minor technical flaws, everything is pretty well-made: the story itself, characters, writing, visuals, audio... Surprisingly so, considering the fact that it's just the first/second game by a small Malaysian studio. (First/second, because there had been another game available once that was later removed from Steam; now it's a part of this one and can be accessed if you press right in the main menu.) To summarise: a very interesting, mysterious and fun to follow story. [spoiler]Objectively:[/spoiler] 8.7/10

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is a narrative-driven supernatural adventure developed by Cellar Vault Games and published by Chorus Worldwide Games. Drawing heavily from Malaysian culture, folklore, and family traditions, the game delivers a heartfelt coming-of-age tale that stands apart from conventional horror experiences. Instead of focusing on constant scares or survival mechanics, it explores the emotional challenges of childhood through the eyes of Ting, a young girl blessed with the ability to perceive spirits that remain invisible to everyone else. The story follows Ting across several important stages of her life as she learns to cope with her unusual gift. Her ability to interact with supernatural beings creates both wonder and hardship, shaping her relationships with friends, family members, and the mysterious entities that cross her path. The narrative carefully examines themes of loneliness, acceptance, identity, and personal growth. As Ting struggles to understand her place in the world, players witness a believable emotional journey that feels grounded despite its paranormal premise. The supernatural elements serve as a vehicle for exploring real human experien…

Malaysian here! I love that the game explains the local slangs, and I exceptionally love how the mini game 7PM gave additional closure to the overall story as well. The story is very well-written and discusses a lot of the Asian cultural beliefs.