The upcoming psychological visual novel, Tulpa the Unseen Lover, is being developed by a team that includes former animators from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The game centers on a 23-year-old manga artist named Nick who, battling depression, manifests a tulpa—a being brought to life through the power of the mind, inspired by Tibetan Buddhism.
Players will have the ability to name this anime girl and customize her attire, with the narrative task of preventing her from destabilizing Nick's life. The game's visual style reflects the influence of its developers' work on Spider-Verse, featuring a comic book aesthetic with pronounced character animations and dynamic framing.
The narrative premise draws parallels to Satoshi Kon's unfinished manga, Opus, which explores a manga artist becoming entangled in his own creations. Tulpa the Unseen Lover delves into the psychological implications of Nick's manifestation, hinting at darker undertones that may emerge depending on player choices. The developers, a married couple under the studio name Horse Position, are exploring the motivations behind Nick's creation of such a character.
Tulpa the Unseen Lover does not yet have a release date but is available to wishlist on Steam.