A terrifying new horror game challenges players with a deceptively simple task: don’t scream.
If you think you’re tough enough to go the distance, the aptly named ‘Don’t Scream’ will put you through your paces.
While you can whisper softly, you must remain almost silent for 18 minutes as you explore the mysterious Pineview Forest.
Don’t Scream requires players to calibrate their microphones – with even a squeak or gasp forcing you to start from the beginning.
While there isn’t much of a traditional story to follow, developers Joe Henson and Joure Visser say the Pineview Forest is full of lore for the curious, and brave, player to discover.
In ‘Don’t Scream’, the player must make their way through the mysterious Pineview Forest for 18 minutes without screaming or making a noise
While 18 minutes might not seem long, the in-game timer will only progress while the player is moving, meaning there’s no hiding from the scares.
Joure and Joe admit that you could make the game a lot easier by bypassing the microphone calibration, but add that ‘it’d spoil the thrill.’
Inspired by 90s found-footage horrors like The Blaire Witch Project, the game uses an eerie VHS aesthetic for maximum spookiness.
Joure and Joe say they love this effect for the extra level of uncertainty that it brings to the game.
‘We love the raw look of camcorders. The grainy effects make the horror even more intense. It makes you wonder: Did I really see something scary far away, or was it just the camera playing tricks on me,’ they explained.
Players will need to calibrate their microphones so that even the slightest gasp or whimper will register and cause the game to restart
With a retro VHS aesthetic, the game is heavily inspired by found footage horrors such as The Blaire Witch Project
How can I play Don’t Scream?
The game isn’t out yet, but you don’t have to wait long to try it.
Don’t Scream will enter early access on October 27, and is expected to retail at £7.50 ($9.13).
If you’re really desperate, the developers have said on X (formerly Twitter) to DM for a private demo.
There is currently no date for a full release but the developers say they will periodically update the game based on feedback from early access.
Horror fans will be able to play the game just in time for Halloween as it releases on October 27
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And, designed in the advanced Unreal Engine 5, the graphics are so good you could almost forget it is a game.
With significant optimization from Joure and Joe, the game should run on most decent computers, as the minimum requirement is 8 GB RAM and a Nvidia GeForce 1080 TI or AMD 6800-XT graphics card.
The game has already created a lot of hype on social media, with horror fans desperate to test their bravery.
Popular gaming YouTuber Jacksepticye tweeted: ‘I have never ever screamed, I can do this!’
Meanwhile, another, more honest user wrote: ‘I will scream but I’m down’.
Others expressed their excitement for the game’s release, with one fan saying: ‘This looks BEYOND cool! I neeeed it’.
In the comments for the game’s trailer on YouTube, commenters excitedly discussed the prospects of a virtual reality version of the game.
‘Imagining if they do bring this to VR makes my skin crawl,’ wrote one commenter.
Another added: ‘ok now make a vr version NOW please’.
Since the scares are unpredictable and the area to explore is huge, there should be plenty of replay potential to keep players screaming.
Users will be able to get early access on October 27 – just in time for Halloween.
A full release is intended in the future, with Joure and Joe saying that, if the game proves popular, they wil add more content, including achievements, full controller support, more locations and lore to explore.
On X (formerly Twitter) horror fans shared their excitement for the game, although some were less confident in their ability to hold back from screaming
With the lights off and headphones on, Don’t Scream promises to be a terrifying experience for even the most hardened horror lover
However, there are no plans for any multiplayer content, as Don’t Scream is intended to be an offline experience only.
Joure and Joe are no strangers to this style of game development, having made another found-footage-style horror game in October 2022.
The game, Paranormal Tales, asks the player to experience different tragic and mysterious stories in a body-cam style video created in Unreal Engine 5.
The game started as a passion project between the two horror fans and soon amassed millions of views and a number of positive reviews.
