indiegame.fan
CHWÆST: A Creeping Parasite Horror header art

CHWÆST: A Creeping Parasite Horror

A late-90s retro 3D horror where you feed the Biomass Core to escape. No keys. No doors.

Steam Page
Developer
Publisher
Release
February 26, 2026
157 days ago
Steam Reviews
Positive40 reviews87.5%

Does this feel indie?

Vote based on whether this game feels indie to you. You can change your vote at any time. Results earn an IGF score after 10 accepted votes.
No votes yet
Vote on More Games
Game contextLatest: IGF Team
ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan.Status
Notes
Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Search Google: How is CHWÆST: A Creeping Parasite Horror and Airem funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.

Media

19 items

About the Game

CHWÆST — Feed the Biomass Core to progress

A late-90s inspired retro 3D horror where progress is biological.

You don’t unlock doors. No keys — you feed the Biomass Core.

CHWÆST takes place inside a living organism. Passages overgrow, corridors tighten, and the environment reacts to your presence.

At the center lies the Biomass Core (the Core) — the only way forward.

Your goal: complete simple objectives, bring offerings back to the Core, and push deeper until you find a way out.

How progression works

The entire environment is a single organism that depends on the Biomass Core being fed.

  • When the Biomass Core is hungry — passages are blocked

  • When you feed it — the organism retracts and reveals new paths

Doors are replaced by tendrils. Keys are replaced by food for the Biomass Core.

The core gameplay loop

find → grab → return → feed the Core

  • objects hidden in darkness that must be carefully spotted

  • small creatures crawling along the floor

  • organisms that hide or escape when approached

In the game, you are given clear objectives such as:

Active outgrowth: Mushrooms → Feed the Core (Mushrooms 0/6)

FEED THE BIOMASS CORE — RETRACT OUTGROWTHS (0/5)

Every trip deeper into the tunnels becomes a decision: how far can you go before you must return to the Biomass Core?

One location. Constantly changing paths.

  • item placement changes each playthrough

  • you never fully know what you will encounter when you return to the Core

Visual style: how you remember it, not how it looked

  • low internal resolution scaled sharply

  • limited color depth and dithering

  • classic 50/50 transparency effects

  • subtle geometry artifacts that make the world feel unstable

This is not meant to be pretty. It is meant to feel unsettling and unsafe.

What to expect

  • a short, intense horror experience (30–60 minutes)

  • a unique mechanic centered around feeding the Biomass Core

  • exploration of dark, organic tunnels

  • minimalist rules and clear in-game objectives

If you enjoy horror that is mechanical, raw, and unpredictable — CHWÆST is exactly that.