The Haunted PS1 community surprised everyone on December 5, 2025 by releasing Madvent Calendar 5: Post Mortem, a free collection of 24 micro horror games designed to be unwrapped one per day until Christmas. This marks the return of the beloved tradition after a two-year hiatus following Madvent Calendar 4: End of the Line in December 2023. The 4.2 GB launcher is available now on itch.io for Windows, featuring games from 17 different developers organized by DinoBit16 and Alexander Kroot. Each experience captures the unsettling aesthetic of PlayStation 1 era horror, delivering everything from shooters to fishing games wrapped in deliberately outdated graphics that somehow feel more disturbing than modern photorealism.
What Is Madvent Calendar
Madvent Calendar is the Haunted PS1 community’s horror-themed advent calendar tradition where one new game unlocks each day from December 1st through December 24th. The concept frames the experience as discovering an abandoned postal station isolated in time, where the stars align and pyres need tending. Players gather 24 dreams to light the way through increasingly strange and unsettling interactive experiences. Some doors lead to full games with mechanics and objectives, while others present atmospheric scenes or experimental interactions that defy traditional game structure.
The lore suggests it’s been two years of unending silence since the fall of the North Pole, and with no one to shepherd the flock, the world has only grown colder. A new voice beckons, tinged with rust and merriment, calling players to venture North past endless tracks and ruined factories. The tagline they say dead is better, but Madvent is the exception perfectly captures the spirit of celebrating Christmas through deliberately creepy retro horror aesthetics. CBR described it as just weird enough to become a Christmas tradition, while Indie Game Magazine advised players to open yourself up to whatever comes and let the fear wash over you.
The Haunted PS1 Community
Haunted PS1 began as a Discord server created by developer Hackett to connect with other creators making low-res horror games. The community started hosting game jams in October 2018, with the first Haunted PS1 Halloween Jam encouraging spooky and low-res entries. Participation growth in these jams led to the expansion of the community and the creation of the Demo Disc compilations that became their signature release format.
The Demo Disc series imitates the design of demo discs commonly distributed by gaming publications during the PlayStation era, with visual presentation evoking the feeling and aesthetic of late nineties games. The graphics deliberately reference PlayStation horror classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, capturing that specific unsettling quality of early 3D graphics where low polygon counts and texture limitations created accidentally disturbing imagery. The games span multiple genres but maintain focus on horror and exploration experiences that feel like lost artifacts from gaming history.
Demo Disc Legacy
Since the first Haunted PS1 Demo Disc in February 2020, the community has released numerous compilations showcasing indie developers working in the retro horror aesthetic. Major releases include Demo Disc 2021 with 25 games, the Spectral Mall compilation with 18 games in August 2022, and C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. featuring 39 games in June 2023. The most recent release before Madvent 5 was Demo Disc: Flipside Frights in January 2025, which featured 24 bite-sized demos presented as a double-sided disc with 12 games per side.
The series has been credited with revitalizing the retro horror genre and shining a spotlight on indie developers whose projects might otherwise fall through the cracks. PC Gamer’s Fraser Brown noted the compilations showcase talents to the industry and encourage more players to explore the retro-styled horror landscape. The Verge’s Alexander Chatziioannou stated the series has revitalized a format oddly neglected in the medium while examining the resurgence of retro horror as a genre.
Success Stories
Several games that appeared on Demo Disc releases have been developed into full commercial titles by their creators. Toree 3D, a bite-sized platformer with PS1 aesthetics, appeared on Demo Disc 2021 before becoming a successful paid release. Dread Delusion, an open-world RPG with retro visuals, used Demo Disc exposure to build its audience before launching in Early Access. Fatum Betula, a first-person exploration game with branching narrative, similarly graduated from Demo Disc appearances to commercial release.
The Haunted PS1 community serves as both a creative incubator and marketing platform for developers exploring deliberately ugly aesthetics that many perceive as obsolete and unpleasant. Academic research has examined how the community formed itself using a messy mold of deliberately ugly aesthetics, DIY collaboration, and fan-like interaction to create an appealingly distasteful new genre of videogame that exceeds uncritical enthusiast nostalgia. The shared focus on the low, the dark, and the messy allows diverse creators to find community despite working on vastly different projects.
How To Play Madvent Calendar 5
Download the free launcher from the Haunted PS1 itch.io page, which includes all 24 games totaling 4.2 GB. The launcher unlocks one new game each day from December 1st through December 24th, treating it like a real advent calendar where you can only open the door if that day has arrived. If you download through the itch.io app, you’ll automatically receive future updates or bug fixes. Version 9 was released just hours after the initial launch, showing the team actively addresses issues as players discover them.
The games range from short 5-minute experiences to longer 20-30 minute adventures. Some feature traditional gameplay mechanics like shooting, exploration, or puzzle solving, while others present atmospheric scenes or experimental interactions. The variety is intentional, with organizers encouraging players to open themselves to whatever comes rather than expecting consistent genre conventions. Special thanks go to Vladimere Lhore for organizing previous years, with full credits for game, art, and music contributions available in the launcher from the many talented Haunted PS1 community members.
FAQs
What is Madvent Calendar 5?
Madvent Calendar 5: Post Mortem is a free collection of 24 horror micro-games released by the Haunted PS1 community. One new game unlocks each day from December 1st through December 24th, creating a horror-themed advent calendar experience with retro PlayStation aesthetics.
How do I download Madvent Calendar?
Visit the Haunted PS1 itch.io page and download the free launcher for Windows. The 4.2 GB file includes all 24 games. Using the itch.io app ensures you automatically receive any updates or bug fixes.
Is Madvent Calendar free?
Yes, completely free. All 24 games are available at no cost through itch.io. The Haunted PS1 community releases these compilations to showcase indie developers and celebrate retro horror aesthetics without monetization.
What is Haunted PS1?
Haunted PS1 is a community of indie game developers creating horror games with deliberately retro PlayStation 1 aesthetics. They release annual Demo Disc compilations and seasonal collections like Madvent Calendar featuring dozens of games from community members.
Can I play Madvent Calendar games after Christmas?
Yes. While games unlock daily during December, you can play them anytime after their unlock date. The advent calendar format creates anticipation but doesn’t permanently lock content once Christmas passes.
What games have come from Haunted PS1?
Several commercial successes started as Haunted PS1 Demo Disc entries, including Toree 3D, Dread Delusion, and Fatum Betula. The compilations serve as a launching platform for indie developers to gain exposure and community support.
Why are the graphics intentionally bad?
The low-polygon PS1 aesthetic is deliberately chosen because early 3D graphics have an uncanny, unsettling quality that suits horror perfectly. The community explores how outdated visuals perceived as ugly can be more disturbing than modern photorealism.
Conclusion
Madvent Calendar 5: Post Mortem proves that horror and Christmas make a surprisingly perfect combination when filtered through deliberately obsolete PlayStation 1 graphics. The Haunted PS1 community has created something genuinely special by turning advent calendars into a vehicle for experimental indie horror that would never find distribution through traditional channels. Whether you’re opening one door per day to savor the anticipation or binging all 24 games in a single sitting because you have no self-control, Madvent Calendar delivers a refreshing alternative to the relentless cheerfulness of standard holiday gaming. The fact that it’s completely free makes it even better, giving players no excuse not to experience whatever weird nightmares these talented developers cooked up. Download it now, embrace the deliberately ugly aesthetics, and discover why dead really is better when it comes to Christmas horror traditions.