Published Aug 24, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT
Sharmila is an engineer-turned-gaming hardware journalist and freelance contributor at ScreenRant who has been covering the gaming and tech industry since 2021. While she first built her expertise writing about video games, she has since pivoted towards gaming hardware, with a focus on PC components, peripherals, handhelds, and performance-driven tech. When she’s not testing gear or writing about the latest hardware trends, she can usually be found diving into competitive shooters or keeping up with the evolving esports scene.
Imagine waking up somewhere that isn’t your bedroom, surrounded by strangers in skull masks holding cake and balloons, and slowly realizing you’re dead. Now, imagine that this is a free, highly rated video game that lives quietly on Steam and somehow blends the philosophical afterlife charm of The Good Place (a sitcom) with the heart-punch combat of Undertale, an immensely popular RPG.
Let’s get the obvious comparison out of the way first: yes, Grimm’s Hollow is yet another game about a character who dies and gets stuck somewhere between life and whatever comes next. Yes, that premise has been done before. But it earns its spot next to Undertale rather than just riding its coattails. It’s an Undertale-esque experience that carries its own heart and soul, putting a fresh spin on the familiar setup of a character trapped in the afterlife and forced to reckon with their purpose. And like The Good Place, it’s less interested in scaring you with the afterlife than it is in using it to ask what you actually owe the people you love.
This Free Steam RPG Is A Genuine Banger
You play as Lavender, who wakes up one morning surrounded by a crowd of overly excited strangers in skull masks, holding cake and balloons. Naturally, she assumes something’s off, and it turns out she’s right: Not only is she dead, but she’s also just joined the ranks of the reapers. Rather than sit back and accept her new afterlife, she sets off to track down her missing brother and get out.
The most interesting bit? Grimm’s Hollow was built by just one person, Mahum Najam, working under the name Ghosthunter, using RPG Maker 2003. That’s a genuinely impressive solo effort, especially considering how much personality this turn-based RPG gem manages to pack in. You can explore around a spooky little town called the Hollow, chat with its residents, buy snacks that heal you, and fight ghosts in turn-based battles that lean into a skill tree instead of endless grinding. It’s the kind of game that respects your time, which honestly feels rare these days.
And gamers have, obviously, noticed. The game currently sits at an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, backed by more than 14,500 reviews, which is a wild number for a free indie project that most people probably found by accident.
Grimm's Hollow Is A Moving Adventure
Here’s where things get a little heavier. Underneath the pixel art and the cute ghost designs, Grimm’s Hollow also carries some real emotional weight. I don’t want to spoil too much, but the story eventually reveals an unexpected bit of lore about Lavender’s father, and that grief set off the chain of events that ultimately left Timmy in a coma. It’s the kind of detail that recontextualizes everything you’ve played once it clicks into place. Not to forget, the ending, when it comes, hits harder than you’d expect from a free RPG Maker game you found on a Tuesday.
If you’ve got a couple of hours free and want to experience a nice little game that’ll actually stick with you, go grab Grimm’s Hollow on Steam. It costs nothing, and it gives back way more than you’d expect.
English (US) ·