Slender Threads, developed by Blyts and released on February 7, 2025, is a point-and-click adventure that immerses players in the enigmatic town of Villa Ventana. You play as the main character, Harvey Green, a traveling book salesman and aspiring writer, who becomes entangled in a string of horrific deaths that blur the line between reality and nightmare.
Table of Contents
Release date: Februrary 7, 2025
Developer: Blyts
Steam Price: P615 ($30)
Tags: Adventure, Indie, Point & Click, Gore, Puzzle
With Full controller support
Steam link: Slender Threads
Gupscore: 8/10
Things I love about this game
Honestly, I have first seen this game played by CJU games 3 years ago and have added it to my Steam wishlist in a heartbeat. At that time, I was still randomly buying games here and there but this game really caught my eye. Aside from the awesome blend of 2D and 3D diorama-like graphics, the compelling voice narration and the captivating musical score, I was totally sold by the premise that, “Ooh, something is awfully different in this town” and that I had to play some sort of detective and get to the bottom of it. I like me a classic point and click game that revolves around a whodunnit mystery. The eerie undertones of the trailer was definitely chef’s kiss.
➽ The mid 20th American horror vibes
Slender Threads references an era of horror where the unknown lurked in the corners of everyday life. It’s all about slow, cerebral creepiness, small-town weirdness, and an underlying sense of “something’s off”—a love letter to the golden age of unsettling American cult storytelling. It manages to transport you back into a time where horror need no cheap jumpscares nor complicated shenanigans to be effective. There’s also this creepy Twilight Zone-ish vibe where Harvey’s criminal actions were debatably attributed to the supernatural. And when you play the game a second time, (and I’m not gonna tell you exactly what part/s of the game this is because I myself was questioning whether this happened on my first run or not), but some characters act like this all happened already. Also a few of the easter eggs in this game were an homage to the world’s most famous emo icon, Edgar Allan Poe. Kind of makes one want to zoom in on everything in-game.
➽ The easter eggs
I’m not really a huge bookworm myself but I do appreciate the little easter eggs splattered around this game. From an homage to Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Tell Tale Heart” to this library cat named after the sad, decrepid Ms. Havisham from Great Expectations, it sort of took me on a side quest of revisiting all these classic literature as an adult. And boy, has it made my day. Not going to spoil everything here, but if you’re an easter egg hunter, you might find yourself zooming in on a bunch of stuff in this game.
➽ The mid 20th American horror vibes
This takes the biggest slice of the cake for me. Literally every other flaw in this game is forgiveable because of the cinematic experience. The hand-drawn aesthetic is like a graphic novel came to life and decided to haunt you. The score knows when to whisper and when to scream. Amber Lee Connors, the woman who voiced Lena. Oh my glob. Her voice acting was hauntingly crisp and eerie and I seriously wish she had a podcast. I stalked her a bit on IMDB and turns out she’s been a go-to voice actress for anime English dubs. Just a reference for you fellow geeks–she voiced Pieck Finger in Attack on Titan and Mei Mei on Jujutsu Kaisen. Yeah. Sounds like I’m overselling it a bit. I mean, this game is no God of War, but for simple cozy gamers like me, I live for this game’s art direction.
➽ That sexy dark humor
Slender Threads is like if Twin Peaks and Monkey Island had a beautifully weird baby. It’s eerie, yes, but it never takes itself too seriously. The protagonist, Harvey, has the kind of dry, awkward wit that makes every interaction feel like a weirdly funny therapy session.I love the way it breaks some stereotypes like sometimes a cult that performs summoning rituals in the forest could be the best red herring in a mystery game that involves unexplained weird shit happening everywhere.
Gotta give my props to Blyts’ writer Stephen Barlow for the masterful blend of creepy undertones and delightfully funny dialog. I think this personally hits the spot for me: Marrying horror and comedy–not everyone can pull that off without bordering on parody territory.
The hotdog vendor was my favorite side character and I just had to highlight this. haha! The self-depressive quips sold me. I’ve had the most fun clicking through his dialogs. It’s like he deserves his own little weird short movie. Would have been nice if I could at least sample a hotdog, but it’s like the game wanted to keep him poor. And that is funny, too.
➽ Puzzles that tickle your braincells
This game isn’t handing you answers on a silver platter. There’s no way randomly clicking and combining things would get you anywhere. The game isn’t broken into chapters and there’s a chance you’re racking your brain trying to figure something out when the answer is yet to be unlocked after you figure something else out. Plus the hints aren’t really hinting well. I get it, this could get annoying. But when you’re finally able to put the pieces together? Such a validating moment.
My personal favorite was the mini-puzzles inside the doctor’s clinic. As a medical professional, it’s like child’s game to mess with body part monsters while enjoying the trippy aesthetic.
Things that could have been better
Not to be a total negative Nancy here, but there are certain parts of the game that could have been better. It’s undeniable that the development focused heavily on the aesthetic experience over the actual game.
➽ The ending was abrupt and the entire game was short
TL;DR: If you’re not a fan of cliffhangers, this game is probably not for you.
I am a simple game enjoyer. And while I thoroughly enjoyed playing through this game, I couldn’t shake the feel that it was maybe too short. After completing the game and getting 100% on achievements, I was stuck mentally debating whether I was just too hyped or that I expected too much given the 3 years of waiting. I scrolled over the Steam comments and discovered I wasn’t alone in this sentiment. A lot of them were like, “That was it?” when it comes to both the length of the game and the story itself. Some expressed disappointment over the abrupt ending and felt that the character could maybe have had more character development instead of just shoving a huge bombshell of a twist right when we’re finally getting some action.
Don’t get me wrong. I am fine with endings where “It is what it is“. I feel like this stems from reading too much Junji Ito manga. Not every story deserves a triumphant ending. There’s a real horror to realizing you’ve fought hard for things you simply can’t change. There’s also this existential dread that makes you ponder whether we’re our own sentient beings or that we’re only 3D puppets in someone else’s world where freedom is a delusion.
But still, I feel like there should have been more.
If this was a matter of budget or time constraint, I would have been content with a notion that this was only the First Act, and would loyally wait for the next installments that delve into the secret life of puppets. Another puppet who’s maybe his own hero in his own story who realizes he had the power to break the fourth wall, add in another weird little town with another set of quirky characters–I think this would make for a cool second act. The hotdog vendor, perhaps? Seriously, he needs a main character role.
➽ That walk everywhere achievement
Another thing that grinds my gears is that this game is not achievement hunter-friendly. There’s this one achievement where you literally have to walk everywhere and never use the map travel. Although Villa Ventana is a relatively small town with only three blocks, it also has a forest, a lighthouse, a mental institution, a mountain peak, and an observatory. Trying to figure out the puzzles took a ton of back and forths and simply walking everywhere is the part where I found myself drifting away. FYI, I played this after my 8-hour shift so… Yeah, you get it.
That’s why in the middle of the game I was like fuck this and used the map travel option. I did a second run where I’m already well aware of the bigger picture just to get that damn achievement. Yeah, I had time.
Achievements
This game is not divided into chapters. It has a more fluid structure where you’re free to roam everywhere, grab items and talk to people in order to put the pieces together from a bird’s eye view. It could get confusing and as I wrote earlier, there’s a ton of chances where you’ll be trying to solve this puzzle when it isn’t its time yet to get solved. As for the achievements, there are 25 total. I’ve listed them below with helpful hints, hopefully none that will spoil it too much, but just enough so you won’t need to play this game 2-3 times like I did lol..
Before you start, there are 4 achievements that affect the entire game:
★ No Notes: Complete the game without EVER checking your notepad for hints. Although you’re still free to Google. No one’s a saint here.
★ Get Your Steps In: Complete the game without EVER using the map to fast travel. Careful when you open the map and you might accidentally click and teleport to a location.
★ Slender Threads: Finish the game.
★ Among the Shadows: Finish the epilogue.
★ Ding Ding Ding: Annoy the hotel manager by ringing the bell numerous times until you can’t anymore.
★ Welcome to Villa Ventana: triggered when you get the map. Note that for this to work, you need to trigger a cutscene by trying to open Oswaldo’s desk, and then causing someone to crash their car by the crosswalk.
★ Constructive Dialog: Annoy the construction worker until he tells you he ain’t got nothing to say no more.
★ Bleak House: Go back to the Clerk’s Office and hand over your “credential” and get Lena’s address. There will be a cutscene and you’ll be instantly transported in front of Lena’s house.
★ Free Fosco: Go back to the open house and take the umbrella off the door. Before you head on over to your next quest, I think it’s common courtesy to let our friend out. Don’t worry, he has already forgotten about his ID.
★ Space Invader: In the appliance store, talk to the electric fan. This is so random, I love it.
★ Give yourself a pep talk: Inside the barber’s shop, talk to yourself in the mirror. Before you take another life. 🙂
★ Who watches the watcher: Use the spyglass on the watcher. Make sure you use the spyglass on the watcher before you use it on the radio transmitter because the spyglass will then be consumedand you won’t be able to do this anymore.
★ Into the woods: Entering the forest for the first time. Once you’ve conjured the elements that make a lit lamp, head on over and enter the forest.
★ Scaredy cat: Get jumpscared by 3 cats: one inside the hood of the car, another on the tree by the nursery, and finally by the garbage outside the hunters’ club.
★ The Strong Silent Type: Talk to three statues: The wax statue at the museum, the Watambu stonehead, and the left statue at the hunting club
★ Routine Checkup: Go to the Doctor’s Office on First St. and knock on the door. You will be greeted by a nurse that feels like Constance’s older sister. She’s going to turn you away because a) HIPAA and b) you don’t look sick enough. Take the shrooms. Now this is undoubtedly my favorite part. You’re going to wake up like you’re on LSD. Everything is colorful and hazy. For a girl who’s semi-dependent on glasses, this part almost gave me vertigo–and I LOVE IT.
Some fun side quests when you’re exploring the town:
★ Street Artist: Use the nail polish to vandalize three wanted posters: One by the police station, another by this abandoned building, then by the right side wall of the hunters’ club. **Make sure to do this before you paint the poker chip as the nail polish will get consumed.
Make sure you accomplish these two before using your coins on the motortour dude as your coins will be consumed:
★ Three Wishes: Keep tossing a coin three times in the fountain in front of the City Hall.
★ Ooh La La: Use the coin to watch a peepshow by the grocery store
★ The Hidden Temple: Once the glowing green light sets upon the giant Watambu stonehead, touch it and enter. I’m glad you’re just reading this because that sounded, uhm, nevermind.
Heading inside the Sanatorium, you will meet a burly nurse that will guide you to Lena, but at the same time leave you. He does give a hint that “If separated, find Neverland“, which is such a nutty thing to say. It’s like “The moons of Uranus are on fire“–if you got this reference, we’re best friends already.
I’m not the biggest fan of door puzzles but I feel like it’s mandatory for every point and click game. So for my fellow impatient girlies: 4-5-2-3-4. This is the sequence of doors you have to open to get to Lena.
★ Straight on Til Morning: Survive this door puzzle without asking anyone for help. It’s the second star to the right. It’s not always the obvious stars.
★ Clockwork Man: You cannot enter the factory by the front door. Use the key on the cellar door instead.
★ Debugging Session: Program punch cards and get the codes wrong at least 5 times
This is a bit of a tedious puzzle but you will need to use the wrongly programmed punch card on the conveyor, waste a mechanical doll, watch it get wrecked, then go down to grab another mechanical doll and do it all over again. Once you get the achievement, do it right this time: Forward, forward, forward, backward, forward, wait, forward, forward, deploy.
The doll’s head will cause a jam in the machine and would allow you to go in and cross the conveyor yourself.
★ RIP Vine: Use the herbicide on the vine in the basement.
★ The Garden Party: Sabotage your competitors and win the flower arrangement competition by spritzing herbicide on the other flowers.
The Epilogue will be a series of mini-games that are inspired by the adventures of Harvey Green, but painted differently. And I was like–ah, “Slender Threads”. Finally made sense lol I do appreciate the little easter eggs that pop up every once in a while that allude to the overarching theme. I could get obsessive and be like one of them easter egg hunters that pause the game every second but this blog would have been longer than it already is.
Here’s a fun one though:
Geppetto, get it?
Final Thoughts
Slender Threads is one of those rare indie gems that quietly pulls you into its world and lingers long after the credits roll. With its surreal atmosphere, slow-burning mystery, and thoughtfully crafted puzzles, it’s more than just a point-and-click adventure—it’s an experience. If you’re in the mood for something a little eerie, but equally quirky, this one’s worth the journey.
