Steam game

Tainted ground

A cooperative horror mystery for 1-4 players where every run hides a different ritual to uncover. Explore a tainted forest by day, decode its secrets, survive the night through deduction, and escape by understanding what the forest demands.

Coming soon

By DelCerro

Windows
View on Steam
Tainted ground - DelCerro. Popular.
Screenshot of Tainted ground gameplay showing in-action mechanics Screenshot 2 of Tainted ground - additional gameplay view Screenshot 3 of Tainted ground - more gameplay footage Screenshot 4 of Tainted ground - final gameplay screenshot

Overview

About this game

The forest won't forgive. The night will consume you. The only way out is to understand how.

A ritual lies hidden within the forest. The conditions needed to perform it change every run. To escape, your team must investigate, interpret the clues, and uncover the truth before the forest claims you.

Explore by day

Daylight is your only ally, and it won't last long.

Split up across the forest and investigate its key locations: abandoned ruins, forgotten graves, and some others. Search for clues scattered across the world in ways you won't expect.

Every discovery is recorded in a shared diary. Every clue matters. What seems insignificant could be the missing piece that changes everything.

Survive by night

When the sun sets, return to the cabin.

It is the last refuge left in the forest, but safety is never guaranteed. Paranormal events manifest throughout the night, testing everything you've learned during the day.

Identify the threat. Find the correct countermeasure. Act before the cabin pays the price.

At the same time, you'll need to keep the generator running, manage the electrical system, and prevent darkness from taking over. Surviving the night requires knowledge, coordination, and calm under pressure.

Uncover the ritual

There is a way to purify the forest.

Each session generates a unique ritual built from shifting variables. Success depends on observation, deduction, and communication, not combat, upgrades, or equipment.

The answers exist within the world. Finding them is up to you.

Shared horror

  • Co-op Multiplayer (up to 4 players): cooperation is at the heart of every investigation.

    Split up to cover more ground, share discoveries, compare theories, and decide which clues matter before nightfall. Survival depends on what the group can figure out together.

Key Features

  • Cooperative investigation for up to 4 players. Split up, share what you find, and piece together the mystery as a team.

  • Knowledge is your only weapon. No combat, no upgrades. Progress comes from understanding, not from gear.

  • A living, threatening cabin. Manage the generator, counter paranormal events, and keep the darkness at bay. Every night is a new fight.

  • Every clue exists within the world. No menus, no quest markers, no handholding. If you want answers, you'll have to find them yourself.

  • A procedural mystery system. Each run generates a different ritual, forcing players to investigate, adapt, and draw new conclusions every time. There are no shortcuts. The only way forward is to understand how the forest works.

  • A structured day/night cycle that creates rhythm, escalation, and a constant sense of urgency.

Investigate. Endure. Escape.
The forest has swallowed many before you. Whether it swallows you too depends entirely on what you can figure out.

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