Pumpkin Eater

Pumpkin Eater is a psychological horror visual novel about a family trying to care for their pumpkin-headed son while confronting grief and denial. The story is presented through the perspective of the family and their changing relationships.

Players advance through a fixed sequence of text and hand-drawn illustrations. There are no choices or branching paths; the experience centers on witnessing the story unfold and reading descriptions of the body’s decomposition.

The illustrations change as the story progresses, while educational material on decomposition is available in a glossary and timeline. The story is designed as a short, roughly 40-minute experience.

Players who enjoy the game often praise its detailed, research-informed descriptions of decomposition and its unsettling treatment of grief. Watercolor artwork and atmospheric music also stand out for some reviewers, as do the glossary and timeline. Reactions to the story are mixed: some find it affecting and memorable, while others feel it is too short or underdeveloped.