Two independent horror games from Southeast Asia are catching the attention of international gamers. Hapunan by Yikon and Brother Hai’s Pho Restaurant by Marisa0704 went viral this year. Both are distinctly homemade with a rough art style and simple gameplay, yet gamers around the world have been playing them nonstop since their release, with even popular streamers like CaseOh and KingWoolz Games taking their shot at the games.
Hapunan is a first-person horror game set in the fictional barangay of Sak Dudol. Gamers play as Niko, a hardworking Filipino balut vendor who gets stuck in a dangerous situation and unearths a deadly secret involving the Barangay Captain, his dangerous friends, and a violent past. This game was released in December 2024 and rose to virality in just two months because of its portrayal of Filipino culture, melding it with suspense and action for an intense and emotional experience.
Brother Hai’s Pho Restaurant has a similar gameplay and design that’s set in a seemingly peaceful village in Dan Phuong District, Hanoi. Gamers play as Anh Hai, a new pho restaurant owner, who later uncovers a dark mystery about the village. He has to fight for his survival and his business, while also dealing with unexpected events and his own haunting past. The game was created with Vietnamese culture in mind by a student from Hanoi University of Science and Technology and was released in October 2025. In Vietnam, the game itself has become especially popular, gaining traction within the month of its release.
Both games are passion projects by their creators and reached a combined total of 1.6 million downloads and counting. While some may view this as surprising, the popularity of both games have been attributed by various critical and consumer reviews to their immersive gameplay that incorporates local culture. What can be seen as crude and simple game design paved the way for accessible stories to take the spotlight, making it relatable to locals from the Philippines and Vietnam, and prompting the curiosity of gamers from other countries around the world.
Have you played any of these games before? Tell us your experience in the comments below!