Vancouver game studio recreates Toronto's TTC for psychological horror game Stuck in the Present
Embersail's side-scrolling game follows two characters navigating Toronto subway stations while reliving painful memories, inspired by the studio's collective immigrant experience.
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A Vancouver-based indie game studio has recreated Toronto's subway system as the haunting setting for a psychological horror game that traps players in the TTC while they confront painful memories.
Stuck in the Present, created by Embersail, is a side-scrolling game following two characters, Faye and Rich, as they relive trauma while navigating the twisting Toronto subway stations. Players progress by interacting with objects and structures in different TTC stations, navigating through Faye's anxieties as the pair deal with increasing dangers.
The game is deeply personal to Embersail's team. As most staff are immigrants, the studio realized that waiting on immigration paperwork perfectly encapsulated the feeling of being "stuck in the present." "That hit home for everyone in the room, so the whole game became an immigration story," said Mars Balisacan, the studio's founder and director of operations. "We knew we wanted a setting that could hold that feeling of being trapped, somewhere enclosed, moving but never really arriving."
Since one of Embersail's developers lives in Toronto, the city's subway system was the natural choice. Balisacan said one game designer "even flew out just to photograph the subway lines so our art team had real references to work from."
The studio chose psychological horror to mirror the emotional weight of the immigration experience while giving room to explore each character's past trauma. Both game characters are Filipino, with small cultural details woven throughout that Filipino players will recognize.
The game is full of easter eggs: all advertisements scattered around the subway are parodies of real ads. Balisacan said "stories rooted in cultural heritage are something we want to keep exploring," and Toronto's cultural diversity continues to inspire the studio. "Toronto's got such a rich mix of cultures, it's the kind of place that'll keep inspiring us for a long time."
The facts
Who created Stuck in the Present?
Embersail, a Vancouver-based indie game studio, created Stuck in the Present. The studio was founded by Mars Balisacan, who serves as director of operations.
What is Stuck in the Present about?
Stuck in the Present is a side-scrolling psychological horror game following two Filipino characters, Faye and Rich, as they navigate Toronto subway stations while reliving trauma and confronting painful memories.
Why did Embersail set the game in Toronto's TTC?
One of Embersail's developers lives in Toronto, making the city's subway system a natural choice. The studio wanted a setting that could convey the feeling of being trapped—somewhere enclosed where players are moving but never really arriving—which mirrors the immigration experience that inspired the game.
What inspired the game's story?
Most of Embersail's staff are immigrants. The studio realized that waiting on immigration paperwork perfectly captured the feeling of being 'stuck in the present,' and this concept became the foundation for the game's immigration story.
