The Cabin Factory by International Cat Studios
The Cabin Factory is a horror walking simulator and anomaly game inspired by liminal space games like Pools, The Exit 8, and The Backrooms and yes, that famous cabin in the woods.

Inspect, Reject, Survive
The premise is simple. You arrive for your shift at the Cabin Factory. Your job is quality control. You will inspect each cabin as it comes down the conveyor belt. These are meant to be scary, but they only want simulated hauntings for a theme park. You have to inspect them to make sure that all is well. Any movement or anything that differs could mean it is indeed haunted and must be rejected. You have a quota to make to be successful.
The instructions are simple, but right off the bat, there is a sense of unease. You are alone under the fluorescent lights of the warehouse. It seems like you are being watched, but there is no interaction. This is a solo job. The first cabin is shunted down the line, and it’s time to start your shift.

Mannequins and Mayhem
In The Cabin Factory, you inspect the same cabin repeatedly. If you find differences, it may be haunted, especially if a movement is out of the ordinary. There seem to be unlimited versions of this cabin.
You will sometimes be lulled into a false sense of security after inspecting the seemingly same cabin several times over. It’s always spooky, though. The cabins are always dark inside with the sound of a snowstorm outside. Some movement is always there, such as drifting dust motes lazily flickering by the fire in the stove and quilts hanging from the eaves that sway ever so gently.
But the sound design is designed to play tricks on you. Are those footsteps up above? Did a door just creak open? You have to inspect every inch of the cabin, and the anticipation and dread that build is real!
Tricks of the Light
The Cabin Factory was made with Unreal Engine 5, and it’s beautifully done and leaning towards photorealism. The darkness and shadows caused by the flickering firelight play tricks on the eyes and make it palm-sweatingly unnerving to go up that dark staircase and investigate. There are moments of pure terror where I screamed out loud several times.
You can turn off jump-scares if you want, and I recommend trying it both ways. I found at times that the horror of the cabin was purely psychological and didn’t need anything overt. When you leave the cabin, you have to either clear it or reject it for being haunted, and many times I cleared a cabin only to discover that I had gotten it wrong, lost my streak, and would have to start all over again. This was frustrating but also made me more eager to explore and discover what I had missed.
Sometimes, you have to run for your life. And sometimes, you have to figure out your next move and even solve some puzzles.

The Verdict
The Cabin Factory is a must-have for fan of horror games. I “finished” the game in two different ways, and apparently, there are more different endings to be discovered. I’ve only scratched the surface, and for that, I am glad! I loved every horrifying moment and will keep trying to discover new hauntings.
I wish I could show some of the scary surprises and mind-bending thrills and chills, but that would spoil the surprises. The Cabin Factory is an original take on the ‘liminal space’ horror genre and somehow manages to keep the terror fresh even though you are inspecting multiple copies of the same setting. It will keep you guessing long after you clock out for the day.
The Cabin Factory is available via Steam.
Watch the trailer for The Cabin Factory below: