2025's scariest game recreates the site of a real tragedy (Piotr Surmacz)

Plus, why you shouldn't overlook Steam's OTHER big announcement

Image: Cave Crave

I was stunned when I first saw Cave Crave, a VR game in which the player squeezes through dark tunnels, the gaps so tight that the character must hold their breath, causing red light to pulse. As your virtual lungs empty, you see the blood vessels in your eyes

To my surprise, the dark, suffocating caves of Cave Crave were just the beginning of both its terror and its depth.

This week on Post Games: A trip into a real cave that became a tomb

• Act 1: The game that traps you in a dark, tight hole

• Act 2: Recreating the infamous Nutty Putty Cave

• Patreon Bonus: A history of the Steam Machine and the “living room” PC

• Act 3: News of the week

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Image: The Game Awards

On the Patreon:

• An extra-long segment in which I break down the history of the Steam Machine, the living room PC, and Gabe Newell’s grudge with Microsoft and Apple

• Early access to ad-free episodes

• Video versions of new episodes!

• Five hour-long episodes of Video Game Journalism 101, including the new episode on storytelling

• Free game of the week

• This week in video game links, including some great reads on The Game Awards

• What else I’m enjoying

• All of that and more for only $5 a month!

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Image: Cave Crave

Act 1: The game that traps you in a dark, tight hole

• Cave Crave (Steam)

• This One Hits Different! Cave Crave Review on Quest 3 & PSVR2 (Gamertag VR)

• The 4 Types of Players | Bartle Taxonomy of Player Types | How to Design Games (Fomo Ludens)

• Cave Crave Review – Father Of The Year (Nerdy Bird Games)

• Cave Crave Review: All The Thrills Of Cave Exploration, Minus The Danger (UploadVR)

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Image: Cave Crave

Act 2: Recreating the infamous Nutty Putty Cave

• You can explore Nutty Putty Cave again — but only in virtual reality (The Salt Lake Tribune)

• Nutty Putty Cave accident: How John Jones got stuck and never came out. (The Salt Lake Tribune)

• 15 years after a man died in the Nutty Putty Cave, his family and rescuers still struggle to escape the darkness (KTVZ21)

• Caver trapped forever | The Nutty Putty Tragedy (Fatal Breakdown)

• The Last Descent - Official Theatrical Trailer (Excel Ent)

• A Virtual Tour of the Nutty Putty Cave with Caver/Rescuer Brandon Kowallis (Brandon Kowalis)

• Exploring NUTTY PUTTY Cave In VR! (JustinWiebVR)

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Image: Valve

Patreon bonus: A history of the Steam Machine and the “living room” PC

• Links and extras available on the Patreon!

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Image: Valve

Act 3: News of the week

• Valve’s Steam Frame VR Headset: Hands-On + Impressions, Specs + Tech Breakdown (Digital Foundry)

• The Steam Frame is a surprising new twist on VR (The Verge)

• Rockstar’s controversial dismissal of 31 employees is such a big deal, it’s made its way to UK Parliament (Eurogamer)

• 220 Rockstar staff sign letter to management calling for “immediate reinstatement” of fired workers (RPS)

• The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6 (People Make Games)

• Egging On (Steam)