No-clip into the abyss. Backrooms Level X, Firenut Games’ chilling take on liminal horror, arrives on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on February 19, 2026. At the heart of this infinite nightmare is lead developer Jose Manuel Conesa Hernandez, whose creative vision transformed a viral creepypasta into a deeply immersive survival experience. Jose Manuel guided the artistic process from initial mood boards to final polish, drawing inspiration from real abandoned spaces to craft decaying yellow mazes that evoke uncanny dread. “The creative spark came from late-night sketches of warped rooms under flickering fluorescents,” says Jose Manuel. “We iterated through hundreds of concept art rounds, blending analog horror vibes with intricate entity behaviors that feel alive and unpredictable.” His hands-on approach shaped Level X‘s core loop: evade sound-hunting monsters, decode environmental puzzles from faded lore scraps, and question if escape is real or another illusion.
The creative journey was a tapestry of collaboration and iteration. The standout evolution came from programmer Fernando Fernandez and artist Jaime Jimenez, who expanded the game with two massive dual-level designs. Fernando shares: “Levels 12 & 13 form interconnected twins, dark flooded basements mirror glitchy offices. We hand-coded stealth paths and puzzle chains, layering variety through environmental interactions that reward exploration.” Jaime adds: “Artistically, Level 12 and 13 drips with darkness and environmental puzzles. Custom textures and lighting passes create moody contrasts, ensuring every room tells a fresh horror story.” Their work extended playtime by 40%, turning runs into epic voyages of discovery.
No release skips rigorous testing, and Backrooms Level X gleams thanks to QA tester David Cabrera. “We ran exhaustive playtests on every maze segment, entity patrol, and puzzle flow, dozens of full runs until I knew every shadow and safe spot by heart,” says David. “A tricky entity pathing glitch took 150-plus sessions to perfect; now it’s flawless.”
