Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is a TPP adventure game with "paper" visuals inspired by the culture and folklore of Malaysia. It is the second part of the Paper Ghost Stories series, following the visual novel 7 PM released in 2020. This short game won three awards at the SEA Game Awards, honoring the best productions from Southeast Asia, including for graphics.

Third Eye Open is also the first full-fledged game in the series. It was developed by the Malaysian studio Cellar Vault Games and supported by Chorus Worldwide. The publisher's credits include the console releases of the Coffee Talk and When The Past Was Around series as well as The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters.

Plot

In Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open we return to the Malaysian city and the first years of the 21st century known from 7 PM. The protagonist of the game is Ting, a five-year-old girl with Chinese roots, and the game shows five years from her life. The child not only has to deal with the typical problems of growing up, but also with a supernatural power that slowly awakens in her with the help of two spirits. These are eager to help her, but they also have their own agenda and their support doesn't always make Ting's life easier.

Contrary to what the paper-cut-like visuals suggest, Third Eye Open does not avoid more serious themes and a disturbing atmosphere. Ting has to deal with family problems, and a haunted house seems to be at the center of the story. The authors have also generously drawn on Malaysian culture and folklore, creating places and characters that are steeped in the atmosphere of Southeast Asia.

Game mechanics

Paper Ghost Stories offers gameplay similar to typical visual novel games, albeit with some extras. The game mainly boils down to exploring the hand-drawn world, talking to numerous characters and making decisions affecting the plot. Besides, there are a lot of challenging puzzles to solve and mini-games (including QTE sequences). There is also a place for stealth sections, in which we have to avoid ghosts wandering around.

Technical aspects

Audiovisual setting is undoubtedly the most unique element of Third Eye Open. The developer was inspired by shadow puppet theaters originating in Southeast Asia. The result is a 2.5D paper world with changing props and a seemingly childish style masking a serious story. This contrast emphasizes the unusual atmosphere of the production, enhanced by the disturbing soundtrack.