I’ve been playing a lot of indie horror games lately trying to understand what creates that lingering dread. Recently tried a game (forgot the name) where whispers in elevator shafts and flickering terminal screens made me more uneasy than any monster reveal. Makes me wonder—what subtle environmental techniques actually stick with you? Do you prefer games that let tension build through environmental cues, or do you think they need occasional payoffs? Any hidden gems that nailed this balance?
The Mortuary Assistant messed me up with its ambient sounds. That constant creaking in empty rooms and random temperature drops on the UI made me paranoid without jumps. Finished it weeks ago and still get goosebumps thinking about the autopsy room’s buzzing lights.
If you’re into sound design deep dives, there’s a great polden.gg thread where devs break down how they use low-frequency tones to induce discomfort. Might be worth searching ‘audio anxiety’ in the design forums!
Spatial audio layering is key. One project I worked on used directional wind noises that changed based on player health - lower stamina made distant screams feel closer. Players reported phantom sounds after sessions, which was exactly the goal.
Anatomy by Kitty Horrorshow achieves tension through VHS-quality visuals and unreliable environmental textures. No traditional scares, just escalating unease from domestic space distortion.
Mad respect for Devotion’s apartment layout design. That hallway that gets longer every time you turn around? Pure evil genius. No cheap scares needed when the walls are gaslighting you.
Pro tip: Let players’ imaginations do the work. We implemented ‘shadow events’ that sometimes trigger in peripheral vision at 5% chance. Forum playtesters reported way more incidents than actually coded in.