Macabre Malaysian tale 'Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open' comes to Switch in early 2023

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open, the next installment and first full-sized game in an award-winning anthology of creepy tales inspired by Malaysian and Chinese myths and culture from publisher Chorus Worldwide and developer Cellar Vault Games, is coming to Switch in early 2023.

In Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open, Ting, a young Chinese-Malaysian girl, unknowingly breaches the spirit world. Everywhere she goes, the apparition of a child named Xiu follows, visible only to her. Despite her efforts to keep Xiu a secret, other children notice, quickly earning Ting notoriety as a “weird” kid. Follow Ting through pre-school and primary school as she navigates the perils of home life and the mysterious spirit world.

Third Eye Open’s gripping narrative unfolds across multiple years at locations including Ting’s troubled home, creepy campgrounds, haunted houses, and even nightmares. Speak with friends and family through a timed dialogue system simulating heated arguments and hard questions. Interact with the world through a collection of minigames ranging from assembling a barbecue platter during a camping trip to hiding from malevolent phantoms.

Rendered in a living “paper theatre” style inspired by the paper puppetry - the shadow plays - of Southeast Asia, Third Eye Open haunts and charms in equal measure. The beautiful, childlike aesthetic belies a darker story of a family falling apart, Ting’s role in its salvation, and the haunted house at the heart of it all. For added authenticity, all in-game sounds were recorded on location in Malaysia, in places such as the Taman neighborhood, local Ko Pi Tiam (coffee shops), and the Pasar Malam (night markets).