Rufe der Polarnacht (summer semester 2024)

Calls of the Polar Night is an immersive puzzle horror game based on the Lovecraft universe.
It is winter in Antarctica and Prof. Sybille Cunningham is relatively new at the “Zecher-Gutennest” Research Station for the Analaysis of the Earth's Magnetic Field, Climate and Ocean Sounds. The research station is severely isolated due to its location. One day the power goes out and suddenly she finds herself in a time loop. She hallucinates terrible occult acts, but it soon becomes clear that it's not all imagination. She must fight through her own notes, uncertain memories and visions and find a way out of the time loop.
Here the focus of the game is on exciting and challenging puzzles. Players can move freely in the game world and work through the puzzles at their own pace. They receive help from a mysterious voice on the radio, as well as glowing clues that are only visible in the dark. Players must carefully search for items and think outside the box if they want to solve all the puzzles and reach the end of the game.
Melodie der Meisen (summer semester 2024)

Melody of the Tits is a picturesque adventure game with the main focus on music.
Tits and sparrowhawks once lived in harmony and shared their native forest. But over time, the sparrowhawks began to envy and despise the titmice for their ability to sing. Over many generations of sparrowhawk oppression, the titmice lost their beloved songs and many of their abilities. The protagonist grew up in a now desolate and silent forest. But his grandmother passed on to him his love of music and the desire to revive the forest and live in harmony with the sparrowhawk once again. That's why our little titmouse sets out to rediscover the songs of titmice by helping others and exploring the forest. However, the sparrowhawks always keep an eye on the tits.
Players move around a picturesque game world in jump-and-run style. Over time, they learn additional skills through songs that allow them to explore more and more of the game world and avoid enemies. In the village they can accept quests, communicate with non-player characters (NPCs) and unlock shops where helpful items can then be purchased.
Stranded Station (summer semester 2024)

Stranded Station is an immersive story-driven VR horror game.
Alex is a storm researcher currently stationed in Antarctica. He and his wife are cut off from the outside world by a storm. He has to watch, without hope of help, as his wife is killed by a monster. Then everything starts all over again. He can interact with his environment and, among other things, scan objects and solve puzzles in order not only to communicate with his wife, but also to confront his past. Can Alex escape the time loop and save his wife?
This is the first VR game that was created at the University of Paderborn using the newly installed VR Lab. Using a VR headset, players can immerse themselves directly in the world of the game, move objects and solve puzzles to learn the truth about the game world. At the same time, the players are under timer pressure as they are caught in a fixed time loop.