Mato

Mato is a narrative card adventure steeped in Chinese folk horror, survival, and a cycle of death and rebirth. Drag your character’s portrait left or right to make choices, survive unsettling encounters, and find your way down a mountain where even your own senses may betray you.

You awaken in a Taoist temple with no memory of who you are. Only one thought remains: get down the mountain.

Along the way, villagers welcome you, a theatre troupe offers you a role, and a monk urges you to stay. Everyone has their reasons. You must decide whom to trust, what to accept, and what you are willing to sacrifice.

Is the Choice Really Yours?

Accept a meal, question a stranger, pick up a curious object, or walk away. A simple decision can change your condition, your possessions, and the encounters ahead. Keep hunger and health in check as you weigh immediate relief against consequences you cannot yet see. When words fail, close the distance, retreat, or strike as you face grotesque creatures.

Is Any of This Real?

Your sanity shapes the story you experience. A village, a familiar face, or a tempting meal may take on a different form in clarity and madness. Look closely, compare what you remember, and follow the contradictions. What changed—the world, or you?

Uncover the Darkest Secrets

Unlock supernatural Vision and spend precious Inspiration to look beneath the surface of certain encounters. Reveal hidden clues, discover new choices, and decide how much you are willing to spend for a glimpse of what lies beyond ordinary sight.

Return with What You Remember

Death sends you back onto the mountain path. Remember the choices that killed you, the conversations left unfinished, and the objects you passed by. Return to familiar encounters with new understanding, explore different branches, and seek other endings. Some choices leave traces that survive even death.

All you want is to leave the mountain. Everyone you meet has other plans.