Strange Scaffold, known for developing genre-bending titles like Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, is set to release its newest game, Something is Wrong with the Library. The game centers on the player's task of organizing the Alex Dieter Public Library and Center for Reflection, which has become haunted due to the bodies of houseless individuals being concealed within its walls.
According to the game's premise, a billionaire revitalized a small mountain town by introducing modern amenities and transforming it into a tech hub. As part of this development, numerous houseless people were killed and their remains were placed within the library's structure, leading to its spectral haunting. The reveal trailer highlights this unusual situation, with the studio noting that "At the time, I didn't immediately think my boss was filling the walls of our place of business with corpses."
Players will be tasked with cleaning and organizing the library over the course of a single night, aided by the former administrator, Phillip Shed. The objective is to unravel the story behind the library's haunting and bring it peace. The game's Steam page describes the library's state as one where "shelves are in disarray, books thrown to the floor by supernatural forces and long-departed patrons." The library's organization system will utilize the Dewey Decimal System, with the challenge amplified by a "modular chaos system" that ensures a different set of books to shelve in each playthrough. The game also features an enigmatic element known as "The Drowning Room."
Beyond the supernatural elements, the game appears to engage with the problematic history of the Dewey Decimal System itself. Melvil Dewey, the system's creator, has been noted for his racist, anti-semitic, misogynistic views, and faced accusations of sexual assault. The system has also been criticized for inherent biases, prompting calls for its removal from educational institutions. It remains to be seen how Something is Wrong with the Library will address this historical context.
Something is Wrong with the Library is slated for release by the end of the year and is available to wishlist on Steam.