The Church in the Darkness ™

The Church in the Darkness ™

Released Aug 2019

The Church in the Darkness is an action/stealth game where you infiltrate a religious cult and the story changes every time you play. It's 1977 and your nephew has moved deep into the South American jungle. Sneak into his commune, find out what's going on, and try to get the best ending you can.

60% positive · 162 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence

Where to buy

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Evaluation

The Church in the Darkness launched on August 2, 2019 as a complete action/stealth game. Its only associated store content is a soundtrack DLC that was released on the same day as the game itself. Developer news activity across 49 posts shows zero major content updates, zero announcements of future content, and zero developer statements about the game's ongoing development. The final game update was version 1.42, released in December 2020 — after which all developer communications shifted exclusively to sales, discounts, convention appearances, and physical release merchandise. No roadmap, expansion, or post-launch content of any kind has been announced or delivered beyond that final patch. The game launched as a complete, self-contained experience and has been fully finished since December 2020.
Evidence
Version 1.42 was the final game update. All 49 developer news posts after this point consist solely of sales notifications, discount announcements, convention participation, and physical release news — no development activity of any kind.
news post · Dec 1, 2020 development ending
high
Only DLC is the original soundtrack, released on launch day alongside the base game. No additional paid or free content has ever been listed.
dlc listing · Aug 2, 2019 source content shipped
high

Content

1 of 1 released · no outstanding content

Media

Details

Publisher
Fellow Traveller
Achievements
48
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

An action/stealth game where you infiltrate a realistic cult in the 1970s, see if your nephew is safe, and try to get the best ending for everyone.

No one is forced to join a cult. It welcomes you. It understands you. It envelops you until the words become more than truth—they make you whole.

In the late 1970s, the charismatic Isaac and Rebecca Walker lead the Collective Justice Mission. Labeled radicals and feeling persecuted by the US government, they relocate their followers to the one place they believe they can create a socialist utopia: the jungles of South America. There they build Freedom Town. But relatives left behind in the US become worried: what exactly is going on at this compound in the jungle?

You play as Vic, an ex-law enforcement officer who has snuck into Freedom Town to check on their nephew, Alex. Whether you choose stealth or violence, you must infiltrate the commune, find out what’s going on within, and locate your nephew, before it’s too late.

  • The dynamic story of The Church in the Darkness changes every time you play. It's up to you to explore Freedom Town, figure out the shifting personalities and motivations of the cult leaders, and decide what to do.

  • What ending will you get? Will you get Alex out, whether he wants to go with you or not? Will you confront the cult leaders? Will you join the cult?

  • Try to find the best ending you can live with for each scenario by trying different play styles or making different choices.

  • Multiple ways to play: Avoid detection completely, taking out guards and civilians non-lethally, or kill anyone who gets in your way.

  • Interview characters from Freedom Town and search for clues. Documents and letters scattered around camp will hint at the true nature of the commune.

  • Fully voiced game, starring Ellen McLain (best known as GLaDOS in Portal) and John Patrick Lowrie (the Sniper from Team Fortress 2) as the cult leaders, Rebecca and Isaac Walker.

  • Directed, designed, and written by Richard Rouse III (The Suffering). With guest writing contributions from legendary game writers Chris Avellone, Marc Laidlaw, Steve Meretzky, Brian Moriarty, and Brenda Romero.

How dangerous are the Walkers? How far will you go to uncover the truth and save Alex? Could it all have turned out differently?

Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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