"Meiri Games" Creates Comfortably Uncomfortable Cozy Horror Games

Psychological horror is without a doubt my favourite genre of horror in media, whether through books, games, film, or other mediums. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of jump scares or horrifying visuals. What I do love, however, are stories that invoke just the right amount of discomfort with a dash of unpleasant. Fortunately, when I'm craving a tale like that, I don't have to look far. I know one person who has nearly perfected the art of directing and publishing incredible games that dig into the psychology of the people: Mei, also known as Meiri Games.

Mei (pronouns: she/her) is a game dev combining her love of indie games with her specialisation in psychology. By day, she's a psychologist (yes, an actual one!), but off the clock she works with a different type of patient: the gamers who love the uneasy (but somewhat comforting) stories that she tells through her visual novels. As huge fans of Miss Games' work, we put together a list of our favourite games from the Meiriverse to give you a glimpse into what you can expect out of her portfolio.

Hydrangea

To some, flowers are a reminder to live in the moment, to savour life slowly. But to others, it has a meaning far from enjoyable. Look all you want, but don't let the abundance of floristry take your mind away from the undercurrent of horrors in Hydrangea, one of the Meiri Games classics. A psychological horror visual novel inspired by the Hanahaki disease, this game will have you testing your limits on how much love (and yourself) you can give to the one you call your "sweetheart."

Pierrot Review for Hydrangea coming soon!

One Last Story

A writer has passed. Moved on. Their final blog post has become their last mark in this lifetime. To them, their words may have little to no meaning. However, their typed-out timeline has struck the chords of some expected (and unexpected) individuals. In One Last Story, players will explore the minds of different people who, in some capacity, had a connection to the writer through their monologues. Due the depth of sensitive topics mentioned throughout the game, we (along with Mei) recommend that you only play this game if you feel you are in an appropriate headspace for it.

*Note: All screenshots provided below were approved by Mei prior to publishing.

Pierrot Review for One Last Story coming soon!

Divorce Chatroom

You've heard of romance sims, but have you ever encountered an anti-dating sim? Fortunately, now you have. Mei (as she always does) has once again given the people what they want with Divorce Chatroom, an anti-dating anti-romance sim where the goal of the game is, as you can guess, divorce your main "love interest(?)." It might seem simple at first glance, but believe us when we say: you may want to reconsider your decision. Also, you're doing this whole divorce thing online, which makes this divorce goal all the more interesting.

Pierrot Review for Divorce Chatroom coming soon!

Metahorror Therapy Session

This visual novel is for all of you out there who have been consistently told that "you'd make a good therapist because you listen to all of your friends and give them the space to air out their feelings and process their emotions while you yourself have been provided virtually no space to breathe and take care of your own problems."

Metahorror Therapy Session invites you to a one-on-one conversation with Noel, who doesn't open up at first, but slowly reveals their thoughts and intentions to you. What will you discover about Noel (and yourself) within these four walls?

Pierrot Review for Metahorror Therapy Session coming soon!

Down Memory Lane

[Chants] ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!

A lost girl. A sweet old lady. A kid who's still trying to understand the world. You'll be able to experience them (and so many more characters) in Down Memory Lane, an adventure visual novel that follows Charlie (a lovely human) and Vonny (a lovely van - yes, the car has a name) as they hit the road to visit a familiar face. Take the scenic route, eat some pancakes, and discover the power of friendship (and found family) along the way. Just remember to gas up Vonny!

Editor's note: to clarify, we mean fill Vonny up with gas. Because Vonny is a car.

Pierrot Review for Down Memory Lane coming soon!

BONUS: Doce Fim ~sweetend placebo~

What happens when all of the characters you've ever created and built a world around suddenly meet? How would they interact? These questions are exactly the type that you'll be answering when you play the demo for Doce Fim (Translation: Sweet End). In this game, you'll get to meet Meiriverse fan favourites, including Rikka, Komi, Syun, Lion (pronounced Lee-on, not like the animal), and so many more as they navigate their local writing contest, and...the end of the world. We're not joking. Really.

Pierrot Review for Doce Fim ~sweetend placebo~ coming soon!

Follow Meiri Games on Social Media

Website // Bluesky // Instagram // Itchio // Ko-fi // Patreon // Twitter (X) // YouTube

About Viv

How’s it honkin’, folks? I’m Viv, founder and owner of Big Top Indies. You can think of me as an indie media ringmaster who enjoys nothing more than showcasing fun, fresh, and fruity media created by independent creatives. From video games to music to animation to film, I love using my circus tent as a space for creative works to shine. Who knows what I'll showcast next? (:

Follow Viv on Social Media

Bluesky // Instagram // Itchio // Patreon // YouTube