City of Dolorosa: A Hellish Trial in Hand-Drawn Ink

One of the standout reveals at the Six One Indie Showcase was City of Dolorosa , an upcoming interactive fiction and first-person exploration game by Cuelebre Cult. Described as a blend of visual novel and walking simulator, the game uses hand-drawn India ink art to render its eerie underworld setting. 

In City of Dolorosa, the player finds themselves in Hell, facing judgment after death. You'll traverse the titular city, encounter its bizarre demon inhabitants, and interview the Five Great Powers in order to uncover secrets about your own fate. The thematic mix of satire, horror, and metaphor is evident: the game promises "goofy words" alongside branching dialogues, moral choices, and multiple endings. 

Behind the scenes, the development team shared that the game began as a more conventional dungeon crawler before it evolved into what they describe "the most evil city in the world." The art style, they say, was chosen not to mimic existing games, but to bring spontaneity and craft back into each visual: traditional drawing infused into digital rendering. 

Though City of Dolorosa is slated for a 2026 release, its Showcase presence and the creative energy behind it have already made waves among indie fans. For those looking for a dark, stylized journey through judgment, sin, and underworld intrigue—this may be one of the more memorable indie novels of the next year.

Related: Vanran: From Chains to Conquest in the Demon Realm

This story was originally reported by GameDaily on Sep 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add GameDaily as a Preferred Source by clicking here.