POOLS — Is It Worth Playing?
Walking simulator.

Official trailer & screenshots via Steam
About POOLS
One could say POOLS is like an art gallery where you look around and listen to the sounds. Very few things to accomplish or solve, practically a few mazes. Sometimes POOLS can challenge your navigation skills. But mostly you're just... there. Note: There are no monsters chasing you or jumping suddenly towards you, but the game can feel oppressive. POOLS plays on fears of getting lost, the dark, and tight spaces. The game has no user-interface and no dialogue. No background music. Instead, the game uses sounds to make you feel like you're really there. The sounds and echo change depending on the room you're in. Walking in water is slower. All of these things makes the game feel more real and creates a tense atmosphere. There's no typical story, no characters to meet, and you won't find any notes in game. But as you explore and advance further, you start to notice that the game's world changes around you. Rooms look and feel different. Each chapter has something unique. Constantly you're exploring new places, each with its own kind of mystery. Base game has six unique chapters, each taking 10 to 30 minutes to play. POOLS is inspired by a internet phenomenons " Liminal spaces ", " Found footage " and " Backrooms " - specifically " Backrooms Pools " or " Poolrooms ". One of the original artists behind the Poolrooms concept is Jared Pike . Other inspirations include: Matt Studios : Poolrooms videos from 2022 Mortain Colors Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1 by Andrew Quist Kane Pixels : The Backrooms (Found Footage)
Description via Steam.
Key Stats
Should You Play POOLS?
One could say POOLS is like an art gallery where you look around and listen to the sounds. Very few things to accomplish or solve, practically a few mazes. Sometimes POOLS can challenge your navigation skills. But mostly you're just... there. Note: There are no monsters chasing you or jumping suddenly towards you, but the game can feel oppressive. POOLS plays on fears of getting lost, the dark, and tight spaces. The game has no user-interface and no dialogue. No background music. Instead, the game uses sounds to make you feel like you're really…
POOLS is single-player on Steam and runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. It's on our trending radar right now.
Opens the official Steam store page.
System Requirements & Platforms
View PC requirements & supported platforms
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Minimum
Processor: Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 from around 2016 or later · Memory: 8 GB RAM · Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 or newer · Storage: 12 GB available space · VR Support: OpenXR. Supports standard gamepads and motion controllers. Only Windows is officially supported for VR · Additional Notes: Lower resolution for additional performance. Laptops can work too. Tested on 2021 Lenovo thinkpad, works smoothly with low settings and lower resolution setting. NOTE: You can always try the Demo to see how game runs.
Recommended
OS: Windows 10 or newer · Processor: Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 7 from 2018 or later · Memory: 16 GB RAM · Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or newer · Storage: 12 GB available space · VR Support: OpenXR. Supports standard gamepads and motion controllers. Only Windows is officially supported for VR · Additional Notes: Tested with high settings on 1080p. For 4k with high settings NVIDIA 4080 or AMD RX 7900 is recommended. NOTE: You can always try the Demo to see how game runs.
POOLS — Frequently Asked Questions
- When does POOLS release?
- POOLS released on Apr 26, 2024 and is available now on Steam.
- What kind of game is POOLS?
- POOLS is an Adventure game. Walking simulator.
- Is POOLS multiplayer or co-op?
- No — POOLS is listed as single-player only on Steam.
- Is POOLS on Steam Deck or consoles?
- POOLS runs on Windows, Mac, Linux via Steam; native Linux support makes it a strong Steam Deck candidate. No console release has been confirmed.
- How much does POOLS cost?
- POOLS is priced at $6.85 on Steam.
- What are POOLS's system requirements?
- The developer has not published detailed system requirements yet.
- Is POOLS worth playing in 2026?
- Plenty of players think so — POOLS peaked at 136 concurrent players on Steam in the last 24 hours as of 2026.
- Who made POOLS?
- POOLS is developed by Tensori and published by Tensori, UNIKAT Label.
- What games is POOLS similar to?
- POOLS sits alongside Adventure games such as Slime Jump, Emissary Zero, Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout.
- What platforms is POOLS on?
- POOLS is available on Windows, Mac, Linux.
Data & media via Steam · updated 2026-07-17 · all trending games →