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POOLS
Walking simulator. Explore, admire and listen. Uncanny. Relaxing. Unnerving. Eerie. Immersive. No monsters chasing you or jumping at your screen, but can feel oppressive at times by invoking fears of getting lost, the dark, tight spaces and liminal space architecture. Inspired by backrooms.
TIMELINE
POOLS — Base Game - Chapters 1-6
Developer
Tensori
Released
Apr 26, 2024
Platform
Windows
2h
Main Story
h
Main+Extra
3.5h
Completionist
Navigate through vast labyrinthine pool complexes. Six chapters of VHS found footage exploring liminal poolrooms, water slides, deep pools, complex mazes, and abstract spaces. Atmosphere creates tension without monsters or jump scares.
Chapter 0 — Free DLC - Prequel
Developer
Tensori
Released
Apr 21, 2025
Platform
Windows
Navigate through ship corridors, hotel rooms, sewers, and backrooms-style buildings. This prequel chapter was added 1 year after release as free DLC. Unlocks after completing the base game.
FAQ
What is POOLS?
POOLS is a walking simulator horror game developed by Finnish studio Tensori. It drops you into vast labyrinthine pool complexes presented as VHS found footage. There are no monsters or jump scares - tension comes purely from atmosphere, sound design, and the fear of getting lost in endless tile corridors and poolrooms.
How many chapters does POOLS have?
POOLS has seven chapters total: Chapters 1-6 released with the base game on April 26, 2024, and Chapter 0 was added as a free update on April 21, 2025. Chapter 0 serves as a prequel featuring ships, hotels, and sewers, and unlocks after completing the main game.
Is POOLS scary?
POOLS creates psychological horror through atmosphere rather than traditional scares. The Steam page explicitly states there are no monsters or jump scares. Instead, it plays on fears of isolation, getting lost, dark spaces, and the uncanny feeling of liminal architecture. Some find it deeply unsettling while others find it relaxing.
What are the Poolrooms?
The Poolrooms are a branch of the Backrooms liminal space phenomenon, originally created by artist Jared Pike in his Dream Pools series (2020-2024). POOLS is an interactive adaptation of this concept - endless swimming pool facilities with yellow-tinted lighting, reflective water surfaces, and maze-like tile corridors that feel abandoned yet maintained.
Can I play POOLS in VR?
Yes, POOLS supports PC VR through OpenXR (added May 30, 2025) and PlayStation VR2 on PS5 (released November 25, 2025). The game also supports standard gamepads and motion controllers. VR support is officially only guaranteed on Windows for PC.
What platforms is POOLS available on?
POOLS is available on Steam (Windows, macOS, Linux), PlayStation 5 with PSVR2 support, iOS (iPhone, iPad), and Apple Vision Pro. The game supports Universal Purchase on Apple devices, allowing cross-device play with a single purchase.