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.
Paper Ghost Stories: 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).
