Please Watch The Artwork isn’t just a game you play, it’s a shift in how you look at art. A museum night guard sees paintings come to life each night. Your job is simple: spot anything wrong before the quiet tension becomes full-blown paranoia.
Revealed during Day of the Devs at Summer Game Fest, this new entry from Studio Waterzooi builds on their puzzle roots with something eerier. You’ll explore six themed galleries of animated art. Yet there’s no screaming or sudden scares. Instead, the tension rises through subtle changes and low, thoughtful dread.
The game leans on the vibe of Edward Hopper, lonely rooms, empty chairs, moments that feel too still for comfort. Paintings aren’t painted; they flicker to life. Shadows shift. Figures move. You’re not meant to fight or run. You’re meant to watch.
Choose your pace from three difficulty options (including a cozy mode) and learn through observation. It’s a kind of psychological spot-the-difference. Small, sinister shifts build until you realize the safe-looking canvas may be a trap.
It’s the opposite of a hidden-object calm. Instead, it’s slow terror wrapped in art. Studio Waterzooi delivers a new experience rather than retreading old ground. Over 40 paintings come to life in this quiet, unnerving space.
Please Watch The Artwork launches later in 2025 on PC via Steam. For anyone who loves art and craves quiet horror, this will keep you staring long after the lights go out.
