Don't Scream

Last updated

Don't Scream
Designer(s) Joe Henson
Engine
Platform(s)
Genre(s) Survival horror
Mode(s)Single-player

Don't Scream is an indie survival horror game, designed by British video game designer Joe Henson. [1] The game became popular when it released for early access on 27 October 2023. [2] Version 1.0 was released on 28 October 2024.

Contents

Gameplay

Don't Scream is 18 minutes long; time only moves in the game when the player moves. [3] The game is set in a forest in 1993, near the site of what appears to be a plane crash. The game is played from the perspective of a camcorder, which the protagonist is assumed to be carrying. [4] The player can choose different paths which will lead to either a homestead, a farm, a mini-mart, or a cemetery. There are random encounters of ghostly spirits that haunt the forest who will attempt to scare the player. The player character dies if they scream or make a loud noise; the game allows this mechanic to function by accessing players' microphones, with their consent. [5] [6] Players can restart when they die. [7]

Development

Joe Henson, who designed and developed the game, said that "The rise of PlayStation-esque visuals in a lot of indie horror titles is a testament to how undefined visuals can increase the fear factor." Henson added that the "loss of details plays into our imagination". [8]

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References

  1. Stuart, Keith (31 October 2023). "Little monsters: why indie developers make the best horror games". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  2. "Early access release date set for an immersive, microphone-required horror indie game "Don't Scream"". PC Invasion. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  3. Wood, Martin (19 October 2023). "Don't Scream's Titular Premise Leans on Player Accountability". Game Rant. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  4. McCaffrey, Ryan (13 October 2023). "Don't Scream, a '90s Found-Footage Horror Game, Announced". IGN India. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  5. "Viral horror game requires a microphone and has a brutal game over condition - you die if you scream". Yahoo Entertainment. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  6. Macgregor, Jody (15 October 2023). "If you scream while playing Don't Scream you have to restart the game". PC Gamer. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  7. Lewis, Catherine (16 October 2023). "Psychological horror game Don't Scream challenges you to play for 18 minutes without screaming, and you'll be forced to restart if you do". TechRadar. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  8. Stuart, Keith (31 October 2023). "Little monsters: why indie developers make the best horror games". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 26 April 2024.