When the Abyss Gazes Back

You are a scientist who, after years of research, has finally managed to open a portal to another dimension. While you are putting the champagne on ice, something enters through the portal. You find yourself staring into the dark eyes of an eight-foot tall eldritch creature with long grey fangs and long black claws. As it begins to turn its head, it suddenly disappears. Seeing how it always seems to look right at you every time it reappears, you deduce that it must only be perceivable to those it perceives, you quickly rush to your desk and activate the force field you installed for similar situations. Knowing it won't stay up forever, you look around your lab to find something to help you kill it before it escapes to terrorize the world.

Alternatively, you are a creature peacefully enjoying the flesh of your latest prey, when a mysterious portal suddenly appears in front of you. As you move closer to investigate, you are pulled into it. You find yourself in a strange space, with a smaller creature staring at you. As you look around to figure out what kind of world you find yourself in, the creature sprints across the room and summons a green glow that covers the boundaries of the room. You realize that this small predator has trapped you, turned you - a great and dangerous stealth predator - into prey. Your initial offense at such disrespect quickly turns into fear. Will your stealth be enough to escape your predicament?

When the Abyss Gazes Back is a fast-paced game of cat and eldritch mouse for two players. One player takes the role of the scientist who accidentally lets an eldritch creature from another dimension into our world. The other plays as the creature, an invisible predator who doesn't appreciate being trapped by the lab's force field.

In a twist on the classic secret movement mechanic, the creature is only invisible when it isn't looking directly at the scientist. Its goal is to either kill the scientist or survive until the force field wears off after ten rounds of play.

The scientist has a variety of gadgets at their disposal to locate and kill the creature. But technology isn't your only weapon: psychology and logical deduction are just as useful in your efforts to save humanity.

When the Abyss Gazes Back offers two fundamentally different game experiences: Do you want full information but limited options or limited information and more freedom? You don't actually have to choose - the short play time allows for everyone to try both!

So put on some dark ambient music, turn the lights down low, and set up your lab!

In this game, you can't gaze into the abyss unless the abyss also gazes into you.

RULES

CREATURE MOVEMENT AND GAZE

COMPONENTS

CREDITS

Created & designed by Robin Isomaa

Play testing by Robin Isomaa, Minna Laukkanen, and Tommy Ramstedt

Background image: "Dark laboratory room with glassware on table illustration"

Designed by Katemangostar / Freepik

Freepik | Graphic Resources for everyone

Icon art by Delapouite, Lorc, and sbed

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