Twisted Squirm

Mechanic

Twisted Squirm appears on the ceilings. Getting too close to him will cause him to reach down and grab the player. Clicking side to side quickly enough will let the player go, otherwise, Twisted Squirm damages them. After Twisted Squirm grabs a player, he traverses to a different area.

Appearance

Twisted Squirm retains the general silhouette of his Toon counterpart but exhibits several striking differences. His color palette is noticeably washed out and desaturated. He hangs from the ceiling inside a cracked, light green chrysalis that is both coated and filled with Ichor, suspended by strands of the same dark substance. In place of his original arms, he now sports sharp Ichor-formed claws, and his antennae have grown significantly longer with Ichor coating their tips. His eyes display the characteristic Twisted traits: red sclerae, black irises, and red pupils. Notably, Twisted Squirm appears perpetually sorrowful, with a watery, glistening quality to his eyes and an expression of visible remorse whenever he successfully strikes a Toon. During Blackout events, his eyes emit a red glow, which makes him easier to spot on the ceiling.

Description

Unlike every other Twisted in the game, Twisted Squirm positions himself on the ceiling rather than roaming the ground. Players who wander too close will trigger him, causing him to reach down and seize them. To break free, the player must rapidly alternate between left and right inputs (A and D keys or arrow keys on PC). Failing the quick-time event results in losing 1 Heart, after which Twisted Squirm relocates to a new position elsewhere on the map. His new location can be tracked by following a trail of dust puffs drifting along the ceiling in the direction he traveled.

The quick-time event itself scales in difficulty with repeated captures. Players begin with a threshold of 20 clicks to escape, and each subsequent grab adds 5 more clicks to the requirement. This escalating difficulty means that getting caught repeatedly in a single run becomes progressively more punishing, making avoidance an increasingly important priority as a Floor progresses. Console players face an additional challenge since the escape mechanic requires vigorous joystick movement rather than keyboard alternation.

Twisted Squirm also interacts with the environment in notable ways. If he spawns near or above a bookshelf, he will consume all the books inside it, mirroring a behavior associated with his Toon counterpart. After a certain period without spotting a Toon, he will automatically burrow through the ceiling and relocate to a new position, producing distinct audio cues when doing so. During Blackout events, his eyes emit a red glow, which is a deliberate design choice to compensate for the fact that Toon-produced light typically does not reach the upper portions of maps. This glow makes him easier to detect even in near-total darkness, though players can still be caught off guard if they are not actively scanning the ceiling.

How to Deal With Twisted Squirm

For players with sharp observation skills or fast clicking ability, Twisted Squirm is relatively manageable. His grab attack can be countered through rapid alternating clicks between the A and D keys or arrow keys, functioning similarly to Treadmill Machine Skill Checks. Console players may find this more challenging since it requires vigorous joystick movement rather than simple keyboard alternation, though with dedicated practice it becomes second nature. Keep in mind that the quick-time event scales in difficulty with each successive capture: the first grab requires 20 clicks to escape, and every subsequent grab adds 5 more clicks to the threshold. This escalating difficulty means that repeated captures in a single run become progressively more punishing, so avoidance should always be the primary goal rather than relying on your ability to click out of every grab.

If rapid clicking is not your strong suit, keeping your camera angled upward while still watching for other Twisteds and the distractor is a solid preventive measure whenever you know Twisted Squirm is present on the Floor. Spotting him early lets you simply reverse direction or find an alternate route before entering his 12-unit strike range. Pay extra attention near doorways, as they can obstruct your upward view and leave you vulnerable to a surprise grab. You can also track his position after someone triggers him by following the trail of dust puffs that drift along the ceiling in the direction he traveled. Listening for his audio cues is equally important, since he produces distinct sounds when burrowing through the ceiling to relocate, and these audio signals can warn you before you round a corner into his new position.

When Twisted Squirm positions himself directly above a high-rarity Item, a Machine, or a critical pathway, you may need to accept the risk of getting grabbed or have a teammate with better Stealth stats draw him away. If you spot him, communicate his location to your team immediately so everyone can adjust their pathing. Triggering him forces a relocation, though he will also move on his own after enough time passes without spotting a Toon, so patience can sometimes resolve a bad position without anyone taking damage. Coordinating with your team to intentionally trigger his relocation can be a valid strategy when he is blocking essential resources, but the volunteer should ideally be at full health and confident in their ability to clear the quick-time event.

While serving as a distractor on a Floor where Twisted Squirm is present, make a habit of periodically glancing at the ceiling to adjust your pathing. Getting grabbed during a distraction run is extremely dangerous because other Twisteds will continue pursuing you during the grab animation, potentially landing hits or eliminating you while you are locked into the quick-time event and unable to move. A teammate with higher Stealth could volunteer to trigger Twisted Squirm and force him to reposition ahead of your distraction route, but this carries significant risk if that teammate is at 1 Heart or is playing as Cosmo. On Floors that feature multiple Twisteds alongside Twisted Squirm, prioritize learning his current position before committing to long corridors or open areas where a grab would leave you exposed to other threats.

Certain abilities interact favorably with his grab mechanic and can turn a dangerous capture into a survivable one. Connie's Haunting Escape and Goob's Hug! can both activate while a player is seized, making them valuable tools for rescue situations where someone fails the quick-time event or is caught at low health. Additionally, Twisted Squirm cannot initiate a grab if you quickly break his line of sight, similar to how other ranged Twisteds function. If you stumble into his strike range, immediately turn back before the 1.5-second strike delay expires. Using a Smoke Bomb right away will also discourage him from completing his pounce, effectively wasting his attack window and buying your team time to reposition.

During Blackout events, Twisted Squirm's eyes emit a red glow, which is specifically designed to compensate for the fact that Toon-produced light typically does not reach the upper portions of maps. This means that spotting him on the ceiling remains feasible even in near-total darkness, though you may still be caught off guard if you are not actively scanning upward. On Floors with exceptionally tall ceilings, such as the outdoor section of Sprout's Floor or the fossil area of Shelly's Floor, locating him can be especially difficult during Blackouts because the distance between the ground and ceiling makes his red glow less prominent. In these situations, relying on his audio cues and maintaining a consistent habit of looking up becomes even more critical than on standard Floors.

Trivia

• When Twisted Squirm spawns near or above a bookshelf, he will consume all the books inside it, mirroring a behavior associated with his Toon counterpart.
• Twisted Squirm is the first and currently only Twisted that exclusively occupies the ceiling and never touches the ground. Because of this, he has unique walking and running animations in Roleplay Mode.
• He is not the first Twisted with unique movement animations in Roleplay Mode, as most stationary Twisteds also feature custom movement.
• Twisted Squirm is the first and currently only Twisted built entirely on the reworked Twisted AI code introduced in v0.15.1, enabling him to utilize a broader range of abilities, mechanics, and behavioral patterns.
• His eyes produce a unique glow effect during Blackouts, designed to help players detect him since Toon-produced light typically does not reach the upper portions of maps. This also makes him the first Twisted whose eyes glow during a Blackout.
• He is the second Rare Twisted classified as stationary, following Twisted Blot. However, since Twisted Squirm burrows and repositions around the map, Blot technically remains the only Rare Twisted that stays completely stationary for an entire Floor (excluding his hands). Both are also the most recently added base-game Rare Twisteds.
• Twisted Squirm is the first and currently only Twisted whose official render is depicted upside down, reflecting his ceiling-based gameplay mechanic.
• After a certain period without spotting a Toon, Twisted Squirm will automatically relocate to a different position.
• A known bug exists where if Twisted Squirm attempts to grab a player who moves just barely out of reach, he can become stuck. However, moving far enough away or breaking his line of sight will cause him to reset to his original position.
• Despite his body hanging upside down, his tears still flow downward toward his cheeks rather than toward his forehead. Since Ichor is a non-Newtonian fluid, his tears may be partially congealed or less fluid than normal.
• The quick-time event difficulty escalates with repeated captures. Players start with a requirement of 20 clicks, with each subsequent grab adding 5 more clicks to the threshold.
• When a Toon is caught by Twisted Squirm, they display their hurt expression and assume a rough T-pose as if their arms are being restrained. Pebble and Coal are exceptions, as they lack arms or wings and only show their hurt face.
• Twisted Squirm is one of the few non-Main Character Twisteds with custom sound effects. He actually has the most custom sounds among non-Main Twisteds, surpassing even some Main Character Twisteds.
• If a player gets grabbed by Twisted Squirm while entering the elevator, the quick-time event ends early and he despawns once the doors close.

FAQ