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The Game
Imagine waking up in an alien labyrinth, surrounded by invisible walls, trapped in a hostile environment where every second counts. In the Walls of Eryx isn’t just a game—it’s a psychological survival experience that plunges you into the despair and dread of an explorer lost in the depths of Venus.
What Can You Expect?
🫧 Constant Atmospheric Tension – Oxygen is scarce. Every breath brings you closer to the end.
🌀 An Invisible Maze – No maps, no checkpoints (both optional). Only your instincts and memory against an environment that defies perception.
🎧 Total Immersion – Enveloping sound design and an oppressive atmosphere recreate the anguish of the original story by H.P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Sterling.
🌑 Minimalist Survival Mechanics – No combat. No allies. Just you, the labyrinth… and your own mind.
Will You Escape Before the Air Runs Out?
You're not the first to enter this maze. Others have tried—and failed. Somewhere within these unseen walls, you may stumble upon the remains of a lost explorer, his body frozen in time, his journey unfinished. His oxygen tank might still hold a few precious breaths. And perhaps, clutched in his lifeless hand, the Venusian crystal he never escaped with.
Will his failure be your salvation?
💀 Or will you join him in the dark? 💀
To move in the game, use these controls: (yep, quite simple)
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MOVE FORWARD |
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TURN LEFT |
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TURN RIGHT |
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MOVE BACKWARD |
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Synopsis
In a future where humanity has colonized Venus to extract valuable energy crystals, explorer Stanfield embarks on a routine mission that quickly turns into a nightmare. During his expedition across the planet’s muddy, hostile terrain, he discovers an enigmatic structure: a crystal suspended in mid-air, trapped within what appears to be an invisible field. As he attempts to approach it, Stanfield becomes ensnared in a labyrinth of transparent walls—an alien trap crafted by the planet’s native inhabitants. To his horror, he also discovers the lifeless body of another explorer near the crystal, a silent omen of what could soon be his own fate.
The labyrinth defies all logic. Its invisible walls distort perception, creating a constant illusion of proximity and escape, while the sticky, muddy ground clings to every step, slowing his progress and draining his strength. The absence of clear reference points turns each attempt at navigation into an exercise in frustration, amplifying the sense of claustrophobia. What seemed like a simple physical barrier reveals itself to be a psychological challenge, designed not just to trap bodies but to break minds.
As oxygen runs low and supplies dwindle, Stanfield faces a desperate struggle against time and the deterioration of his own sanity. Isolation, hunger, and the persistent sensation of being watched by the native Venusian beings—silent witnesses to his agony—erode his mental stability. The labyrinth itself seems to shift, as if responding to his despair, turning every escape attempt into an endless spiral.
More than just a survival story, Stanfield’s tale is an exploration of human limits when faced with the incomprehensible. The labyrinth is not merely an alien structure; it is a reflection of humanity’s fragility when confronted with a universe it cannot control or understand. The true trap is not in the invisible walls but within the explorer’s own mind, caught between his colonial arrogance and the abyss of his own despair.
Inspiration
"In the Walls of Eryx" is a science fiction and horror short story written by H. P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Sterling, first published in Weird Tales in October 1939, after Lovecraft's death. It is one of the few Lovecraft stories that blends elements of science fiction and horror, set in an extraterrestrial environment.
Plot
The story is presented as the personal report of a human explorer, Kenton J. Stanfield, working for a mining corporation on Venus. His mission is to collect energy crystals, valuable resources at the center of a conflict between the human colonizers and Venus's native reptilian inhabitants, whom the humans view as primitive and inferior.
The protagonist describes his experiences in the Venusian jungle, filled with exotic plants and creatures. During his exploration, he discovers a large crystal suspended in mid-air within what appears to be an invisible field. As he tries to approach it, he becomes trapped in an invisible maze—an unbreakable, transparent force wall that isolates him from the rest of the environment.
While struggling to find an exit, the explorer faces mounting challenges: lack of food and water, physical and mental exhaustion, and the silent observation of the Venusian natives, who watch him without directly intervening. His desperation grows as he realizes the maze seems designed as a death trap. In the end, he collapses and dies, leaving the natives to collect his equipment.
Main Themes
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Colonialism and Exploitation: The narrative explores the tensions between human colonizers and Venusian natives, highlighting themes of arrogance and exploitation.
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Isolation and Despair: The story intensely captures the protagonist’s sense of helplessness and desperation while trapped in the maze.
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Alien Technology: The invisible walls represent technology far beyond human understanding, challenging the colonizers’ perception of superiority.
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Cosmic Horror: Although not purely Lovecraftian, the unknowable nature of the natives and their alien technology evokes a sense of human insignificance.
Style and Structure
The story follows a diary or report style, typical of Lovecraft, with detailed descriptions of the environments and the protagonist’s thoughts. Although it leans more toward science fiction, it retains a focus on psychological horror and mystery.
Influences
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"A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum: The Venusian jungle and natives are reminiscent of Weinbaum’s ideas about alien environments and unknown cultures.
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"The Minotaur and the Labyrinth": The invisible maze is a futuristic version of Greek mythology’s labyrinth.
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Lovecraft and Cosmic Indifference: Though more subtle, the idea that humanity cannot fully comprehend alien technologies and cultures is fundamental to the story.
Credits
This game is a free adaptation of the science fiction story "In the Walls of Eryx", written by H. P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Sterling, first published in 1939.
Developed by DFX — defectosespeciales.com
Programmed in Three.js
Images generated with various AI models from Hugging Face
Sound effects and background music sourced from pixabay.com
Intro music generated with suno.com
3D models provided by rigmodels.com
© 2025 DFX. All rights reserved.
This project is a work in progress and may be updated in the future.