I Hate This Place: From Cult Comic Book to Survival Horror Game

The Eisner Awards are often called the “Oscars of comics,” recognizing the best and most creative works in the industry each year. Being nominated is a big deal, as it means a comic stands out for its storytelling, art direction, or impact.

One such series is I Hate This Place, a cult comic book created by writer Kyle Starks and artist Artyom Topilin. The series earned an Eisner Award nomination thanks to its unique blend of horror, dark humor, and ’80s-inspired flair. Now, this critically acclaimed comic is making the leap from page to game as a survival horror experience, bringing its twisted monsters and warped realities to life in a fresh, craft-focused isometric game set to launch across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch in late 2025.

Gameplay and Visuals

Players take control of Elena, a lone survivor thrust into a brutal, otherworldly landscape after she and her friend accidentally summon something dark and unnatural. To stay alive, you’ll need to scavenge for resources, build up your base, and prepare for what lurks in the dark.

By day, it’s all about crafting weapons, upgrading your campsite, and exploring abandoned forests, towns, and bunkers. But when night falls, the game shifts into high-stakes survival horror. Grotesque creatures prowl the darkness, many of them hunting by sound, which forces you to use stealth, distraction, and traps to avoid a quick death. With a dynamic day-night cycle that ramps up the tension, every moment is a choice between risk and reward.

Visually, I Hate This Place sets itself apart with a punchy comic book aesthetic that brings its world to life in bold colors and heavy ink lines. Inspired by its graphic novel roots, the game leans into stylized gore, exaggerated creature designs, and a pulpy retro atmosphere that feels straight out of a lost ’80s horror flick.

About the Devs

I Hate This Place is being developed by Rock Square Thunder, with development support from Broken Mirror Games, a new horror-focused label under Bloober Team, the studio behind Layers of Fear and the recent Silent Hill 2 remake. The project is also in partnership with Skybound Entertainment, the company that originally published the Walking Dead and Invincible comic books.

I Hate This Place is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch in Q4 2025. Fans can wishlist the game now and prepare to face the horrors lurking in Rutherford Ranch before the year is out.