This solo-made Steam game is a terrifying alternative to PT and Resident Evil

What a year it’s been for horror with both Resident Evil Requiem and Silent Hill: Townfall delivering unforgettable experiences.

There’s plenty to look forward to on the horizon, including Alien: Isolation 2, Resident Evil Veronica, Until Dawn 2, and ILL, to name just a few.

One upcoming horror game that may not yet be on your radar but absolutely should be is Whispers in the Fog.

This visually impressive offering is being created in Unreal Engine 5 by solo developer Pasquale Scionti - and for us, it’s ticking all of the right boxes.

Whispers in the Fog is a psychological horror played from a first-person perspective; you’ll step into the shoes of protagonist Adrian, who’s looking for his missing brother.

His search leads him to the “forgotten town of Whispers”, a deeply unnerving little slice of rural America with Adrien’s brother’s voice seemingly luring him further into the depths of this town.

“Surrounded by dense forest and swallowed by an unnatural fog, the town holds traces of people who vanished without explanation,” begins the game’s synopsis.

“Follow his trail from a rain-soaked road and an abandoned gas station into overgrown forest paths and deserted streets. As the fog thickens, distant figures emerge between the trees, and a familiar voice calls from somewhere you cannot see.”

Exploration and puzzle-solving make up the core gameplay loop

While there are plenty of spooks and frights within Whispers in the Fog, it’s a game that’s not all that concerned with combat.

Instead, it’s very much narrative-driven, focusing on exploration and environmental storytelling.

Again, Whispers in the Fog is being made in Unreal Engine 5, and while it’s an engine that’s been met with mixed reception over the years, the recently celebrated The Blood of Dawnwalker exhibited just what wonders it’s capable of.

Across the town of Whispers, Adrien will need to bravely step inside abandoned rooms, seeking out clues and traces of those who once called the town home.

You’ll find notes, photographs, and more that could help you get one step closer to finding your brother.

As Whispers is abandoned and shrouded in fog, it’s not a locale known for its visibility, so prepare to walk around with the weak, wavering light of a torch, unsure of when it might give out on you or land on something you’d rather not see.

Adrien will be able to find useful items while exploring, like keys and decipher codes, which can help solve environmental puzzles; solving puzzles will unlock new areas across the town.

Whispers in the Fog’s atmosphere looks to be its greatest selling point. The game features dynamic weather, volumetric fog, and cinematic lighting, resulting in that constant, ever-present feeling of isolation and dread.

So as not to break the immersion, Whispers in the Fog has minimal UI, plus there’s spatial audio so every footstep and whispered voice creates maximum tension.

I said the game wasn’t overly concerned with combat, but your torch - or flashlight - will help you against certain supernatural entities.

Little is said about the horrors haunting Whispers besides the fact that fog thickens around said supernatural beings, so use that as a guide.

There are improvised weapons and a couple of firearms across the game. It sounds similar to Silent Hill: Townfall, though, in that your best bet may be staying out of sight.

Whispers in the Fog is yet to lock in a final release date, but it’s coming to PC via Steam and can be wishlisted now. It certainly looks like a game well worth keeping an eye on.