I am back again with another one of my Kickstarter pieces for you to read and enjoy. I recently Kickstarted a horror-based game which has made me excited. I love to back horror games, especially unique indie titles that have so much potential going for them because of the creative aspect that comes with them. Also, the choice of survival, jump scare, psychological, true story, and other elements must be considered as well as if to include a weapon or maybe you have just a flashlight or camera? The variety of tools and situations make the horror experience an unpredictable and for me an entertaining experience.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
Unstill is a horror game made by Delirium Loop which consist of a Jacob and Victoria as well as a pet named Fiji. They love horror games and with their combined talents of art and psychology they decided to create one of their own. We are all collectives of our environment, education, and experiences so it is exciting to me about what the merger of each of their talents will create for the players.
I was lucky enough to interview Jacob Tylek, who initially reached out to me in Kickstarter. He thanked me for backing Unstill and one of the reasons he reached out was I was an early backer who was outside of the backers they recognized. He reached to inquired on what had interested me in the project and to provide some possible feedback to him, I responded by saying, “I really love to back indie games especially horror projects. I tend to gravitate towards something that I know I will enjoy.” This is when I told him about my Kickstarter series I write and this brings us to the interview, so enjoy!
Interview Questions.
Who are you and what role do you play in your company?
I’m Jacob, co-founder of Delirium Loop. I lead game direction and systems design on UNSTILL, translate our “personal horror” philosophy into concrete mechanics, and own the Fear Director ruleset. Day to day I build levels in Unreal Engine 5, integrate art and audio, and tune pacing, lighting, and interactions so the world feels reactive and focused. I also manage production: milestones, scope, and performance budgets, and work closely with Victoria (our psychologist/artist) to turn psychological insights into moment-to-moment gameplay.
Tell us about Delirium Loop and its History?
Delirium Loop is a two-person studio: I’m a programmer, and my partner Victoria is a psychologist and an artist. We also have an unofficial third member, our cat Fiji, who is in charge of keeping team morale high. We both love horror in games, film, and beyond. After playing countless titles together we decided to make our own. We started with the concept for UNSTILL, then, a little while before launching our Kickstarter, we formally created Delirium Loop to focus on building it. Our roles complement each other: I handle systems and Unreal, while Victoria brings psychological insight and visual direction. Today the studio exists for one purpose – crafting UNSTILL as a tightly focused, personal horror experience.
Have you used Kickstarter before or is this your first experience with it?
This is our first experience with Kickstarter. We chose the platform because it puts us in a direct conversation with the horror community and forces a clear, honest pitch. We came prepared with our core systems in place, a trailer, and a production plan that explains exactly what funding accelerates: content, audio, and polish, without inflating scope. Our rewards are deliberately simple and mostly digital so we can keep attention on the game, and we’re committed to frequent, transparent updates and realistic timelines. It’s new territory for us, but we’re approaching it with the same discipline and care we bring to development.
What do you like about Kickstarter?
It puts us in direct conversation with the people we’re building for. The format forces clarity, one page, one pitch, real deadlines and the feedback loop is immediate. If the idea lands, we can move faster and put funds straight into production instead of spending months pitching elsewhere. It also builds accountability: backers see progress, and we stay focused on delivering the game.
How was Unstill conceptualized and what horror games inspired it?
UNSTILL began with a question: can a horror game adapt to the player, not the other way around? That became our Fear Director – a rule-driven layer that continuously reads play rhythm (tempo, confidence, hesitation, backtracking, fixation on certain sights) and adjusts tension in real time. There’s no AI/ML, it’s a handcrafted system with clear inputs and deterministic outputs. The FD decides when to tighten or loosen pressure, how densely to layer “micro-horrors,” how bold lighting and sound should be, when to distort spaces, and how close a threat should orbit. It nudges rather than railroads: no cheap jumps, just pacing that bends toward the person at the controls. We’ve built safeguards so it never soft-locks progress, respects narrative beats, and remains testable with seeds for QA. If the player opts in, the FD continuously uses microphone input – breath, whispers, sudden sounds as a live signal throughout play, its core remains timing and atmosphere, making dread feel tailored rather than universal.
For inspiration, we always come back to Frictional Games. I played Amnesia very young, and that sense of defenselessness stayed with me, the idea that sustained pressure and meaning are more terrifying than weapons or routine jump scares.
Who or what drives your motivation behind this project?
We’re driven by the pursuit of truly personal horror, tension that feels aimed at you, not a pre-set rollercoaster. The goal is for the game to read a player’s rhythm and lean into it so dread feels intimate rather than generic. Over the past few years, we’ve played a lot of horror and kept seeing the same flaw: most games are one-size-fits-all, but fear isn’t. What shakes one player barely moves another. That’s the gap we want to close, shaping the experience around the person at the controls so the horror is unmistakably yours.
What inspires you in your career and personal life within the gaming industry?
I’m driven by how players react in real time and by the belief that tension should feel aimed at you, not delivered on a timer. Victoria’s psychology background shapes how we frame fear, anticipation, and empathy, which guides pacing, environmental cues, and when to let a scene breathe. Sound and silence carry equal weight for us, the absence of noise is a tool, not an accident. Ordinary architecture can turn uncanny with the right rhythm of light and framing. And being a small team keeps our choices purposeful: constraints sharpen decisions and push us toward craft over spectacle.
Any advice for people thinking about starting a Kickstarter campaign?
Keep scope brutally clear and show working systems, not just promises. Ship frequent, honest updates. Make rewards simple, timelines realistic, and explain exactly what funding accelerates. Don’t wait for “virality”, line up external posts (short videos, articles, small creators) and stagger them through the first two weeks.
Where can people reach out to you?
Email: deliriumloop@gmail.com
X (Twitter): @DeliriumLoop
Kickstarter messages on the UNSTILL page
(Discord and Steam pages are coming shortly – watch our X for dates.)
Bonus question: What are your favorite video game franchises? Have you heard of Boss Rush Network before this Interview?
Favorites: Amnesia and SOMA – their commitment to atmosphere and meaning over spectacle is a big touchstone for us.
Boss Rush Network: I hadn’t heard of it before Shane reached out. I’ve since taken a look and really appreciate how you spotlight smaller teams; coverage like that makes a tangible difference for indies.
A Note from the Team
Thank you for spending a moment with UNSTILL. If our idea of personal horror resonates, any support helps—backing the Kickstarter, following us on X, or simply sharing this piece. Big thanks to Shane and Boss Rush Network for the spotlight.
— Jacob & Victoria (and Fiji), Delirium Loop
Thank You!
I want to say thank you to Jacob for this incredible interview. The answers were fulfilling to read, and I know the audience will enjoy it as well. Thank to Victoria and Fiji as well. I know the road to making a playable and enjoyable game is tough, but I know you can accomplish what you set your mind to. Good luck on the road ahead.
As usual I personally want to one day take part in a Kickstarter campaign to see for myself the challenging work that goes into the whole ordeal. For now, I will continue my Kickstarter journey, so please check out my past series and if you have a campaign that you would like me to interview you on or check out, please let me know. Contact and reach out to (Stillsaneshane) I would love to hear from you. Also, you can now go to my website at Stillsaneshane.com. Remember to keep making and backing those amazing projects!
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
Share your reactions below or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord.
Shane Kelley is a Senior writer for Boss Rush Network, as well as a writer for Another Zelda Podcast. His favorite game is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. You can find him on X or Bluesky to talk video games, Marvel, cribbage, and axe throwing. Or please reach out on his website Stillsaneshane.com.
Featured Image: Kickstarter.com
Additional Pictures: Provided by Delirium Loop
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