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Critical Reflex Time

Reveals include the dimension-hopping psychological RPG amFM, bizarre keyboard-eater KEYKRUNCHER™, and the shadow-drop of Italian-cooking horror game Cucina Stellata

Play the new Steam demos for the co-op screensaver game Pipes.exe, survival-horror nightmare Drowned Lake, and surreal ear-cleaning sim Tiny Chills
 

NICOSIA, Cyprus – Oct. 20, 2026 – CRITICAL REFLEX, indie curators of the surreal, terrifying, and sometimes adorable, are back to recap the second annual CRITICAL REFLEX TIME’s broadcast! This new showcase delivered a fresh batch of announcements from across the publisher's genre-bending lineup, starting with the announcements of the bizarre, dimension-hopping, contraption-building amFM and the psychological horror game about eating keyboards KEYKRUNCHER™, as well as public demos for Pipes.exe, Drowned Lake and Tiny Chills - Not From Ear, plus a 2027 release window for the atmospheric metroidvania Being and Becoming. The showcase also featured updates from across the CRITICAL REFLEX library, as well as the launch of the bite-sized-but-filling Italian-gastronomy horror game Cucina Stellata, available now for free on Steam. Let’s eat!

CRITICAL REFLEX TIME Showcase: YouTube
 

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • NEW GAME! amFM: In this surreal psychological RPG, tune into the minds of others, looking for the truth behind a catastrophic rainfall that destroyed civilization. Switch dimensions at any time, build elaborate mechanisms to destroy foes in creative ways, and adapt your machines to withstand the protests of your unwilling test subjects. amFM is coming to PC and XBOX Series  X|S. Wishlist it now on Steam! (amFM Trailer)

  • NEW GAME! KEYKRUNCHER™: A surreal psychological horror game about eating keyboards in the name of professional treatment. Confined to an assessment room, consume keys, meet escalating targets and gamble for new tools while something waits in the hallway. KEYKRUNCHER™ is coming to PC and XBOX Series  X|S. Try the demo and wishlist now on Steam. (KEYKRUNCHER™ Publisher Announcement Trailer)

  • FREE GAME LAUNCH! Cucina Stellata: The one-sitting culinary horror game launches on Steam today, free for everyone who dares take a bite. (Launch Trailer)

  • DEMO OUT NOW! Pipes.exe: The co-op horror game has released a new demo on Steam that's a must-play with friends, including sly Twitch integration letting viewers add words to the in-game profanity filter. Pipes.exe will be coming to Steam, XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC. (Demo Trailer)

  • DEMO OUT NOW! Drowned Lake: Discover the truth behind the disappearance of an amateur documentarian through found footage in the demo for this atmospheric survival horror experience, out now on Steam. Drowned Lake is coming to PC and XBOX Series X|S. (Trailer)

  • DEMO OUT NOW! Tiny Chills - Not From Ear: Uncover a small community's horrific secrets with a pinch of ASMR in the first demo for Tiny Chills, available now on Steam. (Demo Trailer)

  • RELEASE WINDOW ANNOUNCED! Being and Becoming: The atmospheric, pixel-art metroidvania is set to launch in 2027 on Steam, XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Experience its surreal world in the Steam demo, released earlier this year. (Release Window Trailer)

  • COMING TO PLAYSTATION & NINTENDO SWITCH! Buckshot Roulette: The indie-horror phenomenon, which recently reached 10 million copies sold on PC and XBOX, is coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch SOON! (Trailer)

  • COMING TO CONSOLES! Inkblood: The occult puzzle game, already announced for PC, is coming to XBOX Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch in 2027. Aspiring inquisitors can take their first spin in the carriage by investigating three macabre mysteries in the game’s Steam Next Fest demo, out now! (Trailer)

  • COMING TO NINTENDO SWITCH! Altered Alma: The pixel-art dating sim and metroidvania mash-up is now available to wishlist on XBOX and PlayStation and will be coming soon to all consoles, including Nintendo Switch. (Trailer)

  • COMING TO XBOX! SATED: Drooling for a taste of this cooking horror roguelike? Sign up for the upcoming playtest on Steam or wishlist the game to be notified when its first demo launches soon. SATED is also coming to XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC at launch.

  • COLLAB REVEAL! TANUKI: Pon's Summer: A new trailer for the BMX adventure game revealed crossover hats inspired by Hollow Knight: Silksong, Shovel Knight, and PEAK, alongside other beloved IPs. TANUKI: Pon’s Summer is coming soon to Steam, XBOX Series X|S (including XBOX Game Pass), XBOX on PC, and Nintendo Switch. (Radical Hats Trailer)

RECENT NEWS FROM THE CRITICAL REFLEX LINEUP

Premiering immediately after the ID@XBOX Showcase, CRITICAL REFLEX TIME also recapped a trio of thrilling announcements for console players. The acclaimed psychological-horror experience Mouthwashing is coming to XBOX Series X|S (plus XBOX Game Pass and XBOX on PC), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on October 29, while the viral end-of-days thriller No, I’m not a Human is heading to XBOX (including Game Pass), PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch in 2027. The showcase also marked the surprise launch of the surreal egg-flipping simulator Arctic Eggs on XBOX Series X|S, with a release on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch coming soon.

Trailers: Mouthwashing | No, I’m not a Human | Arctic Eggs

CRITICAL REFLEX TIME also featured two recently released Steam demos from earlier this month. Players can explore two chapters of their oppressive new life as an apartment block caretaker in the Steam demo for Grobnopolis | Last Days, and can attempt to escape the watchful eye of the Colossal Policeman in the demo for the surreal immersive sim Militsioner.

Trailers: Grobnopolis | Last Days | Militsioner

Dive deeper into all things CRITICAL REFLEX at www.criticalreflex.com, and follow along with the latest updates on X/Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube!

Please refer to the CRITICAL REFLEX TIME Portal for request pages, assets and news breakdowns for each game.

About CRITICAL REFLEX

CRITICAL REFLEX is an indie game publisher obsessed with genre-blending, rule-breaking, brain-melting games. We help devs polish the weird, sharpen the wild, and launch their projects loud. Known for titles like Buckshot Roulette, Lunacid, Mouthwashing and No, I'm not a Human, we champion unforgettable experiences. Genre is a prison and we ate the warden.

Media Contact

Tony Rivera
Sandbox Strategies for CRITICAL REFLEX
[email protected]
www.sandboxstrat.com

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