The third week of October on Steam has been a whirlwind of new releases and demos from the Steam Next Fest. We saw titles like the Tarkov-inspired 'Escape from Duckkov' and the block-breaking roguelike 'Ball x Fit' earn 'Overwhelmingly Positive' ratings, while the dungeon-crawling MMO 'Fellowship' sits at 'Mostly Positive'. 'Nesees' also made a splash upon its full release with 'Very Positive' reviews. Amidst this, the one catching our eye is 'Undusted: Letters from the Past' (hereinafter 'Undusted'), launched on the 13th by 5minlab, a subsidiary of Krafton.

In Undusted, you step into the shoes of Adora, a young woman returning to her childhood home following the passing of her mother. As she sorts through the house and scrubs away the grime, she begins to unearth memories of a strained relationship. Why did things drift apart? What left-over words remained unsaid? That is the emotional core you will navigate as you play.

The title 'Undusted' isn't just a poetic name; it is the literal gameplay loop. You spend your time scrubbing away layers of filth from various household objects. Unlike the real world, where you might worry about snapping a delicate trinket, here you can scrub with total abandon—no risk of breaking anything, just the satisfaction of seeing things sparkle.

The cleaning process is refreshingly straightforward. You start with a trusty toothbrush. As you scrub those dark, grime-covered mementos, they slowly reveal their former selves, triggering fragmented memories of Adora and her family. A progress bar at the bottom keeps track of your work. While you are aiming for that perfect 100%, you can actually trigger the next story beat once you hit the 99% mark.

Your cleaning arsenal expands as you progress. You start with the toothbrush, which is perfect for precise, small-scale work. Eventually, you get a scrubber—great for covering large areas, though it lacks the finesse of the brush. Later on, you will even find cloths for glass and air blowers to handle the trickier spots.

Despite having the right tools, hitting that 100% mark is surprisingly tough. Once you hit 90%, it becomes genuinely hard to tell what is dirt and what is just a pattern on the object. Thankfully, the game includes a 'Hint' function. When used, the remaining grime glows brightly, making it easier to spot. You unlock this feature once you have cleaned a certain percentage of the object.

The real charm of Undusted lies in the same vein as 'House Flipper' or 'PowerWash Simulator'—there is an undeniable, meditative peace in turning a filthy mess into something pristine. The sound design is particularly effective, with each tool and surface offering a unique sensory feedback that borders on ASMR-level satisfaction.

As of the 20th, Undusted holds a 'Very Positive' (95% positive) rating on Steam. Players are calling it "a short, healing experience perfect for a 2-hour session," and noting that "the sad story between mother and daughter really hits home." Others have praised the "heartfelt themes of love and regret," even if the emotional beats are somewhat predictable, stating, "I love the level of interactivity with the objects."