Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Monsterhearts: Welcome to Drowned Lake
Ludic Lemur Entertainment · Published by Ludic Lemur Entertainment · Official site ↗
Last updated 28 Sept 2026
A queer horror narrative deckbuilder about the messy lives of teen monsters.
Adventure, Indie, RPG · More free games
In Monsterhearts: Welcome to Drowned Lake, explore the chaotic world of teenage monsters as you build and guide your character's narrative in an indie RPG.
About this game
There’s something sinister in the small town of Drowned Lake—and the murder of your best friend’s just the tip of the iceberg. In this queer horror narrative deck-builder based on the acclaimed Monsterhearts TTRPG by Avery Alder, you navigate the drama of your fellow high-schoolers, investigate the town’s dark secrets, and tap into your supernatural side. What horrifying truths will you uncover?
Welcome to Drowned Lake, a small mountain town where supernaturals live among unsuspecting humans and high-school drama draws you into dark places. It’s the 1990s, and you’re a sophomore student recovering from the murder of your closest friend.
MAKE YOUR MOVE, THEN FACE THE CONSEQUENCES
Talk to characters both familiar and unknown, in and out of school. Use action cards called Moves that come in different types—Hot, Cold, Dark, Volatile—to develop relationships or break them down. Uncover secrets, confront foes, and maybe find some love along the way.
PLAY THE HAND YOU’RE DEALT
Use cards to sway the outcome of your Moves. Strings give you influence over others, while Conditions can be a thorn in the side. Strategically work your way through sticky moments—but be warned, Chance is always there to nudge your fate.
BUILD YOUR DECK OF EXPERIENCES
Earn new cards from the consequences of your actions, whether they’re good or bad. Discover cards with intriguing effects and a range of exciting upgrades, and use these to steer your personal arc through the game.
SOLVE THE MYSTERY…OR NOT
Will you try to find the truth behind your friend’s murder? Investigate your classmate’s esoteric rituals? Manipulate the upcoming student council elections to your benefit? Or will you strike out on a path entirely your own?
EMBRACE THE MONSTERHEARTS SPIRIT
Discover iconic features from the acclaimed Monsterhearts tabletop game, part of the Powered by the Apocalypse system. From Strings to Moves to the Darkest Self, it’s all reimagined for a digital experience that stays true to the tabletop game’s spirit while taking them in intriguing new directions.
ABOUT THE DEVELOPER
Ludic Lemur makes games that are radically playful. A queer women-led indie studio, we’re on a search for new play and new players. We believe that well-designed games help people grow, joyously improving lives and society. That’s why we make games that expand play to a new level of inclusivity.
Ludic Lemur’s first game was an experimental interactive audio narrative called Calm the Storm, which was nominated in the Achievements in Accessibility category at the Indie Game Awards in 2025. Our narrative paint-by-numbers game, Sun Catcher, will be released in the summer of 2026.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: x86_32 CPU with SSE2 support, x86_64 CPU with SSE4.2 support, ARMv8 CPU
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Integrated graphics with full OpenGL 3.3 support
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 200 MB available space
- Sound Card: Any
- VR Support: N/A
Supported Languages
Latest news
AnnouncementsOfficial
BackerKit Campaign 450% Funded!!
We ran a BackerKit campaign to add controller support and Steam Deck playability to Monsterhearts, and it was such a huge success that we ended up adding not one, not two, but NINE stretch goals. And we hit every. Single. One!!What does that mean for you? It means there are some cool changes coming soon to Welcome to Drowned Lake! Specifically, we’re bringing you…For All Players:Controller supportSteam deck playability LATAM Spanish translationCharacter animationsPartial voice actingNew customization optionsLinux supportCustom color optionsFor Separate Purchase:Drowned Lake Monsterhearts 2 TTRPG Supplement featuring our main cast and 3 brand-new charactersMonsterhearts Drowned Lake short story anthologyBeta Steam Keys were a big part of the campaign, and we’ll be considering whether to create more opportunity for you to get your hands on those, so keep your eyes peeled.Monsterhearts: Welcome to Drowned Lake will launch in beta later this year. The full game will be out Q4 this year or Q1 next year, with our launch date depending on how QA goes. So keep your eyes peeled here for more updates in the months to come!If you did back the campaign, thank you for your support! Stay monstrous🩸🦇Read full article on Community Announcements (Ludic Lemur)AnnouncementsOfficial
One Week Left in BackerKit Campaign!
We are entering the final week of our BackerKit campaign, and we’ve got a few updates for you:First off: We’re adjusting our Producer Full Physical Bundle Tier, lowering the price from $1400 to $999 CAD ($700 USD). That means if you want the final option to Become/Design an NPC, you get can get that, and the rest of the Producer tier perks for only an additional $299 CAD ($210 USD)! There is only one of this tier available, so be sure to grab it before it's gone! We’re also revealing our final stretch goal: a Monsterhearts: Welcome to Drowned Lake short story anthology! Dive into the lore of Monsterhearts and Drowned Lake with expanded NPC backgrounds, brand new characters, and everything from spine-tingling horror stories to swoon-worthy romances— and some stories that are a bit of both!If this stretch goal is reached, everyone who backed that the Beta Tester tier or higher will receive a FREE digital copy of the anthology (+ the Producer Tier will receive a special physical copy). It will also be added for purchase to the add-ons section for anyone who backed at the Standard or Early Bird tier.Spread the word and let people know: this is your last week to get your copy of Monsterhearts: Welcome to Drowned Lake at our Backerkit prices and/or with our BackerKit additional rewards! Head there now to back!Read full article on Community Announcements (Ludic Lemur)AnnouncementsOfficial
BackerKit Campaign is Live!
Our BackerKit campaign is live!June 15 — July 16, we’re crowdfunding to bring you cool things like controller support, animations, and localization!Head over to BackerKit to check out the campaign tiers. We’ve got basic rewards like discounted game codes, early access, and physical items (stickers, patches, t-shirts, etc). Ever wanted to see yourself in a video game? Our limited rewards let you turn yourself into a Monsterhearts character — or even become an NPC in the actual game. Back us on BackerKit and get campaign updates to keep up to date on stretch goals. And don’t miss the early bird deal that gets you a copy of the game at a discount! There are 20 of those spots available.Back Us NowRead full article on Community Announcements (Ludic Lemur)
