Tearoom of Terror serves tea, scones and murder
You inherit a tearoom from a distant aunt. You are also the prime suspect in her murder.
That is the setup for Tearoom of Terror, an upcoming game on Steam, the PC storefront, from independent developer Sundew Studios. The game was featured during the Cozy After Dark Showcase on 12 October, with a demo now available on Steam GameSpot.
GameSpot pitched it as something to try while waiting for Haunted Chocolatier, the long-awaited shop sim from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe. Tearoom of Terror is described as a cosy gothic murder mystery, and on Steam as a cosy-gothic narrative cooking mystery about the death of an estranged aunt GameSpot.
The job is simple to state and messy to do. You must find your aunt's killer by Hallowe'en. Along the way you brew tea and bake scones while working out whodunit, rebuild your aunt's special collection of ingredients, and try to avoid suspicion from the new police officer Steam.
Recipes are the core system. Players combine ingredients to discover new recipes, which can unlock secrets or kill customers. The Steam listing promises more than 13 customers to serve, read and, possibly, poison.
Sundew Studios, which both develops and publishes the game, was founded by Allie Ast. Ast is credited as writer and designer on the project GameSpot. The studio says it makes games built around funny, dark and whimsical themes, and describes this one as comedy-horror. The art is built entirely from hand-drawn images.
The reveal came with a developer spotlight segment as part of Cozy After Dark, a showcase for games that look cosy on the surface and turn creepy underneath. It is presented by Dames 4 Games, a registered US nonprofit organisation that spotlights women and femme-identifying people in games and tech through showcases, mentorship, micro-grants and community programmes Dames 4 Games.
This edition features more than 50 games with trailers, developer appearances and announcements. It premiered on 12 October at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM UK / 8 PM CEST, with Twitch and IGN as streaming partners. A linked Steam event runs from 12 October through 19 October. Draknek & Friends and CONTINUE are listed as partners for the showcase.
What makes this stand out is the tone. Murder, tea, scones. The mystery has a deadline, the customers have secrets, and the player starts under suspicion. Fans can try the demo on Steam now while Sundew Studios finishes the full game.
