Two independent game developers have announced Don’t Scream, their new Unreal Engine 5-powered, found-camcorder-footage horror game set in the early ’90s that leans into an incredibly unique hook: you have to literally stay quiet while playing it. So yes, a microphone will be required to play. Check out the gameplay reveal trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.
Time will only progress when you move in the Pinewood Forest, and the events are all dynamic, meaning you don’t know what might make you scream next. How long, you might ask? The scene lasts for 18 minutes. The developers call it “the perfect game to scare the pants off your friends and family.”
The developers also laid out these three microphone-related tips:
“1. Calibrate Your Microphone:
Set it up in-game. It’s not just tech setup; it defines your challenge. A mere squeak or quiet gasp could be flagged as a scream, pushing you to restart.
2. Mind Your Voice:
You can talk during gameplay, but keep it low – slightly softer than normal. Too loud and it’s game over.
3. Play Fair:
You could bypass calibration to shout through scares, but it’d spoil the thrill. For a genuine horror experience play as designed.”
Wishlist Don’t Scream on Steam if you’re interested in learning more and tracking its progress.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.