Former animators behind the Spider-Verse films have unveiled Tulpa the Unseen Lover, an upcoming psychological visual novel centering on an isolated artist and a manifestation of his own mind.
Developed by Horse Position, a duo consisting of a married pair of former Spider-Verse animators, the title follows Nick, a 23-year-old solitary manga creator. The story revolves around Nick's creation of a mental entity known as a "tulpa"—a concept rooted in Tibetan Buddhist traditions where a thoughtform gains autonomous presence. In Nick's case, this entity manifests as a cheerful anime girl residing inside his head.
Gameplay mechanics allow players to customize the tulpa by assigning her a name and selecting her attire. Narrative pathways will govern her ultimate impact on Nick's well-being, tasking players with steering choices to prevent the companion from turning the protagonist's existence into chaos despite her outwardly upbeat persona.
The visual novel showcases styling influenced by the development team's previous work, featuring comic-like halftone textures, expressive animation, and dynamic framing. Tulpa the Unseen Lover currently does not have an official release date, though the project is available for wishlisting on Steam.
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