Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗The Subject
DarkStone Digital · Published by DarkStone Digital · Official site ↗
Mixed — 69% positive (61 reviews) · 25 achievements
Last updated 27 Sept 2026
You have been taken prisoner and sold to a deep space testing facility. Upon arrival, you are fitted with a device forcing you to participate in their experiment. Released into a massive complex, the dark halls wind around testing rooms and conceal pieces to puzzles. There is no option but to comply.
£3.99
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£3.99
Price history
3 Sept 2026Lowest: £3.99 · Highest: £3.999 Oct 2026
Adventure, Indie · 2018 · More under £5 games
Escape from a deep space testing facility as The Subject, piecing together clues to break free. Navigate the dark, winding halls of a massive complex filled with hidden puzzles and lurking threats.
About this game
STORY
In 2194 humanity has populated the entire galaxy. As our existence expanded, crime became harder and harder to control in the vast reaches of space. As a result, laws became more strict. Government attempts to wrangle the issue bolstered a growing police force and, over many years, the reach of law enforcement grew larger and more aggressive. The general population, simply wanting to feel safe, grew more accepting and the first fully commercially run prison systems took form.
Nearly one hundred years later, in 2290 imprisonment is commonplace. A blind trust has been placed in the commercial justice system eventually landing everyday people in jail for years for even the smallest offenses creating a massive divide between the idea of prisoner and person. Hundreds of commercial prisons and law enforcement companies thrive.
Devaluing of prisoner lives and massive prison overpopulation gave birth to an auction system where anyone could purchase prisoners for any use free of legal ramifications.
Acquired in the most recent bulk order of prisoners for BioMass Labs, you are being shuttled off for study at the Kohate testing facilities. No information is known about the details of the study.
You have been black-bagged, loaded onto a transport shuttle, and are waiting for law enforcement to release you to the company.
THE GAME
The subject is a sci-fi puzzle game designed to combine a mix of classic puzzle adventure games with horror elements and visual aesthetics of early 80s sci-fi.
You will need to learn to navigate the complex to find your way to the various testing rooms set out in the experiment and collect items needed to progress through the maze.
You are being monitored by those running the tests and are required to visit a bio-data terminal periodically to record your vital signs and other data for record keeping. If you fail to do so, you will be removed from testing by euthanization.
Features
- Puzzles
- Collection
- Casual Mode
- Twitch Integration
- Stealth
- Survival
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
Minimum:
- OS *: Windows 7
- Processor: 2 GHz or higher
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce 730 or equivalent
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 2 GB available space
- Sound Card: Any
Recommended
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: 3 GHz or higher
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce 970 or equivalent
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 2 GB available space
- Sound Card: Any
Supported Languages
English*
*languages with full audio support
*languages with full audio support
Latest news
AnnouncementsOfficial
Try my latest sci-fi horror for only $4.99
After Our Secret Below, I wanted to take the time between launch and Halloween to push and get a fun little game out in time. KOHATE I decided The Subject was a great setting to be able to expand upon and built a new experience around the Kohat complex location from the game. Kohate is a, small, stand alone project with a single goal of having a fun time in a single sitting. https://media.giphy.com/media/d38AjwqfiqcCX4eIF7/giphy.gif Stealth horror Multiple endings secrets to discover Casual mode (no monster) Designed to be played in one sitting Kohate a fun and easy way to support my larger projects. I hope you have a chance to give it a try and have some fun! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35240255/f601b251d2013305319f2a63debaadf4990dd590.pngRead full article on Community Announcements (DarkStoneDigital)AnnouncementsOfficial
Kohate launch & Mortuary Assistant full development
After I launched Our Secret Below in July, I looked at the calendar and thought it might be cool to try and get a short game in out in time for Halloween. I wanted to jump right into The Mortuary Assistant but figured a few months on MA would not be as impactful as a full new title! So I started on Kohate. A spin-off of my first project The Subject, Kohate focuses much more on the survival aspect as apposed to the puzzle-heavy aspect of The Subject. It's short, fun, and filled with secrets, lore, and multiple endings. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37527154/f601b251d2013305319f2a63debaadf4990dd590.png I also have an updated planned with a fourth ending for October 22. Kohate launches today for $4.99! I hope you can go pick it up and be sure to leave a review! The Mortuary Assistant Now that Kohate is finished, I have started on full development of The Mortuary assistant! The environment is larger, there will be more dead bodies, and you will actually embalm them! I'm very excited to start on this project as it is very special to me. There is currently now launch date set other than an aim for spring-summer next year. So be sure to follow my Twitter and keep an eye on development! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37527154/f858cfe19ad9d7afdcf31f7a3d85938716febe62.jpgRead full article on Community Announcements (DarkStoneDigital)AnnouncementsOfficial
Return to the Kohate Complex October 15th
CHECK OUT KOHATE LAUNCHING OCT 15 >>> I'm very excited to announce a new chapter in The Subject universe with Kohate. Return to BioMass Labs' mysterious complex with an all new experiment, a heavy focus on stealth, survival, and story. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/33190446/8c0c1fc70945b7a1704884c7b2cbebe20f125e60.gif Kohate is a departure from the puzzle-themed nature of The Subject that focuses heavily on the atmosphere and lore surrounding Kohate. Work your way through the complex to the completion room on the other side while collecting blood samples for processing. Avoid the abomination roaming the halls at all costs Play stealthy or play loud, but stay alive Multiple endings Find story rich data blocks Secrets and Easter eggs to discover Only $4.99 - WHAT!? {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/33190446/f601b251d2013305319f2a63debaadf4990dd590.png DEVELOPER NOTE I was going to jump directly into The Mortuary Assistant development after Our Secret Below launched in July. But I looked at the calendar and thought it might be cool to try and get something a little extra out for Halloween. The Subject will always be dear to me as it is my first ever solo project, but I have grown a lot since then as an indie dev and I wanted to build upon what I set out to create. While Kohate is a short experience, I believe there is a lot to it that makes it extremely fun. I hope you feel the same way. Thank you so much for your support and taking the time to check out this post. -BrianRead full article on Community Announcements (DarkStoneDigital)AnnouncementsOfficial
Our Secret Below launching July 10th!
I'm extremely excited to be launching my second full solo project Our Secret Below. Nia Davis has been abducted and taken to her captor's basement. She will need to escape her cell and uncover her captor's past to unlock her future. Our Secret Below will be launching this Friday (July 10th) for $14.99 I'm very pleased to be launching this game. I've worked extremely hard for the past year and I'm happy with how it's all come out. I hope you get a chance to give it a look. There is currently a demo available right now on the Steam page! -BrianRead full article on Community Announcements (DarkStoneDigital)AnnouncementsOfficial
Our Secret Below Demo
I'm really happy to be bringing the Our Secret Below demo to steam finally! I originally had the demo available on itch for the Kickstarter project. Now that the Kickstarter is done and successful, I wanted to take the time to setup the demo for my main platform I'll be releasing on, Steam! So now is your chance to get a taste of my next major project that I've been burning on and don't forget to wishlist it! VISIT OUR SECRET BELOW STEAM PAGE {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/33190446/e3f814a564b34a743610abf20d5f04110b525386.pngRead full article on Community Announcements (DarkStoneDigital)
