I have a preferred list of supernatural entities: ghosts, cryptids, aliens. Sometimes they get mashed together, as it happens with the Mothman; he is thought to be an alien creatures who either warns of or creates catastrophic events. Developer LCB Game Studio and publisher Chorus Worldwide have announced Mothmen 1966, the first in a series of games inspired by pulp fiction and ’80s computer graphics. The next two games will be Varney Lake and Bahnsen Knights, but let’s stay focused on Mothmen 1966.
In Mothmen 1966, four people get caught up in a conspiracy edging on surreal. A young couple, a gas station Owner, and a paranormal investigator’s lives will never be the same again. Nightmarish creatures lurk, as the men in black stand back and wait. It is the first in the aforementioned series, called Pixel Pulps. The series is created by novelist Nico Saraintaris and artist Fernando Martinez Ruppel, with a focus on exceptional writing and stunning illustration. The game is a visual novel with accessible puzzles scattered throughout that features a branching narrative (choices matter).
1966 is an important year in Mothman lore. The most infamous Mothman sightings happened in Point Pleasant, West Virginia from later 1966 to late 1967 with the Silver Bridge collapsed and nearly 50 people were killed. The Mothman/Mothmen in the game appear as witnesses described it to be: large, dark, glowing red eyes, ten-foot wings. Is there proof this cryptid exists? No. Does that mean it 100% isn’t real? Also no. The Mothman is interesting, as it is one of the few intersections for ufologists, paranormal
So what is a cryptid? It’s an animal that cryptozoologists believe may exist, but is not believed in by the general population (think Bigfoot or the Loch Less Monster). Cryptids don’t have to be supernatural, but are often lumped in with it because they’re so inexplicable. Also, let’s be real, as stories spread they also grow. To me, the Mothman is a little bit different, because there is strong evidence that it is an intergalactic being. I understand that this sounds outlandish, but it’s something that is actually plausible if you do some digging. (Quite related, if you’re interested in learning more about the Mothman watch a series called Hellier. The second season explores the Mothman quite a bit, steering away from its original premise of goblins in caves.) I’m not nuts. I swear.
Developed by LCB Game Studio and published by Chorus Worldwide, Mothmen 1966 will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One on July 14.
Oh, no. I don’t think you’re nuts at all. There’s all kinds of unexplainable things in this world. You know, when my wife was a little kid, it was always really scary for her to wake up at 3:00 AM. 2:00 AM, fine. 4:00 AM, fine, but 3:00 AM was always really unnerving. Now she attributes that to some kind of psychic sensitivity that she believes she had as a child, since 3:00 AM is supposed to be the hour when evil spirits are strongest, y’know? So, yeah. The world is not devoid of mystery, regardless of what some may say.
Anyway, the game looks terrific. Reminds me a bit of Kojima’s Snatcher, which is an old favorite of mine. I’ll definitely be checking the series out. Thank you!
Thanks so much! I’m definitely one of those people who hates being awake before 3 a.m. too so I’m glad to know I’m not the only one! Maybe I watch too much TV, who knows, but the inexplicable fascinates me.