"Whoever strips the skin of Huanyin with their hands shall bear the aftershocks of history with their body."
Accompanied by the proverb left by the previous owner, the Victorian-style studio flickers with shadows amidst the low rumble of earthquakes. You pull yourself together, pick up your tools, and aim at the dull raw stone in your hand, suddenly feeling dizzy. That tassel-like brilliant color is not the appearance of normal ore. But you have no choice but to explore the truth behind it, even if the cost is madness.
Above is the mysterious world presented by Abyssal Jeweler, which was nominated for the Best Design Award at indie play 2026. The game is currently part of this Steam Next Fest and has a public demo available.
Abyssal Jeweler is a workshop management game featuring "stone gambling" elements. Players inherit the old jewelry shop "Vermilion Hall" in the underground city of Fathomholm. Within limited business hours, they must select raw stones, cut gems, and design jewelry, relying on their eye for detail and craftsmanship to complete various client commissions, earn profits, and restore the "Vermilion Hall" to its former glory.
Unlike typical simulation management games, Abyssal Jeweler adds a touch of mysterious Cthulhu elements to the already thrilling "one cut makes you poor, one cut makes you rich" stone gambling experience, cooling down the game's frenetic tone.
Within the unassuming raw stones acquired, players will not only discover perfect gems capable of making them rich overnight but also encounter some indescribably eerie substances. All of this seems closely related to the disappearance of the Vermilion Hall's previous owner—the protagonist's older sister.
In the stone mining gameplay mode, Abyssal Jeweler introduces an attribute called "Awareness." Contacting specific ores, cutting abnormal crystals, and other actions will increase the player's Awareness. After crossing the threshold, players will discover various bizarre anomalies within the "Vermilion Hall." These "things that should not exist," stripped from the ores, are often both sources of danger and keys to breaking through.
Of course, in the world of Cthulhu, blindly seeking the truth only leads to madness. The game intentionally slows down the eerie pace, allowing players to gradually immerse themselves in this fictional world through regular management routines. Amidst continuous business, players can accumulate reputation, upgrade licenses, and thus access rarer ores.
To handle the diverse commissions from clients, players must learn to use various hand tools in combination to strip away the raw stone without damaging the gem inside. The detailed strategy involved is no less than performing a "comprehensive surgery" on the stone.
After obtaining gems, players also need to choose appropriate cutting methods to enhance the gem's aesthetic appeal and further increase its value. Sometimes, multiple perfect strikes can even put the character into a flow state, creating works that surpass perfection.
These meticulously polished, dazzling treasures can be crafted into various exquisite jewelry pieces, in addition to being delivered directly to collectors.
Whether selling them at auction for profit, displaying them in the showroom to boost reputation, or keeping them to gain various strange abilities, the choice is entirely up to the player.
So, are you ready? If you wish to find perfection in carving and experience anomalies in your daily routine, join the public demo of Abyssal Jeweler now and step into its mysterious and brilliant ancient era.
Remember, your ████ is very important!