Normally, when it comes to writing about games, I’d either delve into the game itself, its lore, or even the intricacies of what makes it special, or what makes the developers so great. But today is a special case. Today, we look not only at bits and pieces of these but also at the potential of game development in the Philippines. But first things first: how we even got here.
Hidden gaming gems in the Philippines
The internet is oftentimes a strange place, highlighting the weird and wacky with tons of intrigue in between. Truth be told, anything could trend with the right backing and circumstances. I remember a time earlier this year when a certain little horror indie game was making rounds, and let’s just say, after that, balut scares me. Kidding aside, prior to me streaming it, bigger streamers such as PaoLUL locally and even CaseOh internationally streamed it. The reach a local game can get through this is just something else.
Filipino indie horror games are a staple at this point, and when my editor approached me to try a horror game about an internet café, I was stoked! If a horror game about being a balut seller or even a water delivery boy gave me a good jumpscare, then this should do it too.
Pisonet (2025)
A first-person horror game developed by solo indie game dev Tiertierra Interactive, it revolves around a pisonet caretaker experiencing abnormal activities while on his night shift. The plot is novel. In my experience, it’s actually the first time an internet café was used as the backdrop of a horror story. And honestly, it had a good amount of jumpscares too!
The detailing was nice, being reminiscent of computer shops across the years. From decorations from the 2000s in its game posters to even more recent times with its pancit canton. My only gripe with it was its length, lasting only around 20 minutes. Just as it gets even better, the screen cuts to black. Also, there were some instances where the highlighted items couldn’t be interacted with, which led to me restarting the game. But to be fair, there could be any number of reasons this happened, and the fact that it wasn’t replicated a second time was enough for me to brush it off.
I’m not one for horror, but all things considered, the story and attention to detail were what really drew me in. The gameplay was linear, but when it comes down to it, Tiertierra has a knack for storytelling and worldbuilding. And with how short the game was, there was time to try out another of their games: Gunita.
Gunita (2025)
Gunita, translated to “Memory” or “Remembrance,” is another first-person interactive story by Tiertierra. You play as Angelo, a grandson navigating his day-to-day moments with his beloved grandmother. Unlike the previous game, which guides you from point A to point B, Gunita actually offers multiple options with their own cutscenes and even multiple endings depending on how in-game events pan out.
It may be a bit on the slower side compared to Pisonet, but what it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in depth. Unlike Pisonet, which is contained within a single room, Gunita offers a full-on provincial house with impressive details. Each can has a label, and even the newspapers are fully readable. Funnily enough, I think grandma (or Lola) has it good out here since she even had a bidet. Kidding aside, Gunita was a short but interesting title that showed me just how much potential Tiertierra has. I really wish some of their game titles were longer down the line.
But wait—there’s more!
Playing Tiertierra’s games like Pisonet and Gunita brought me back to my childhood in one way or another. The fact that I’m still hankering for more (especially from Pisonet) shows just how fun it was for me on a personal level. There’s so much potential hidden within the indie game dev scene, especially here in the Philippines, and I’m genuinely hopeful for our game dev community. With government-backed organizations like Cybercraft Philippines, which promotes and develops Filipino-made and Filipino-themed digital creative original IPs, and GDAP (Game Developers Association of the Philippines), the momentum is building.
What we lack in power, we make up for in creativity—and the ingenuity of Pinoy game devs like Tiertierra to create compelling stories out of day-to-day experiences is something to watch. There are tons of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered, and I, for one, can’t wait to try them out. Here’s to hoping someone makes a commuting horror game, because I think that’d be really fun to stream!
Closing
Tiertierra Interactive is a solo indie game dev, and they’re definitely worth checking out! I’m excited for what’s to come. If you want to see their updates too, check out their links below:
FB Page – https://www.facebook.com/Tiertierra
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@tiertierrainteractive
YouTube –
Itch.io – https://tiertierra.itch.io/
