Are YOU brave enough? Psychological horror game challenges you to play for 18 minutes without SCREAMING – and you’ll be forced to restart if you do

A terrifying new horror game challenges players with a deceptively simple task: Don’t scream.

If you think you’re strong enough to go the distance, the aptly named Don’t Scream will put you through your paces.

While you can whisper quietly, you must remain nearly 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.

Although there isn’t a lot of lore to follow, developers Joe Henson and Juri Visser say 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 noise.

Although 18 minutes may not seem like a long time, the in-game timer will only advance as the player moves, meaning there’s nowhere to hide from scares.

Joure and Joe admit that you can make the game much easier by overriding the microphone calibration, but add that “it will spoil the thrill.”

Inspired by ’90s found footage horror like The Blaire Witch Project, the game uses a creepy VHS aesthetic for maximum horror.

Gore and Joe say they like this effect because of the extra level of uncertainty it brings to the game.

‘We love the raw look of camcorders. Grainy effects make the horror more intense. It makes you wonder: Did I really see something scary in the distance, or was the camera just fooling me, they explained.

Players will need to calibrate their microphones so that even the slightest gasps or whines will be recorded and cause the game to restart

With a retro VHS aesthetic, the game is heavily inspired by found footage horror like The Blaire Witch Project

How do I play “Don’t Scream”?

The game hasn’t been released yet, but you don’t have to wait long to try it out.

Don’t Scream will enter early access on October 27, and is expected to retail for £7.50 ($9.13).

If you’re really desperate, the developers on X (formerly Twitter) have DMed you for a private demo.

There is currently no full release date but the developers say they will update the game periodically based on feedback from early access.

Horror fans will be able to play the game in time for Halloween as it will be released on October 27

Designed using advanced Unreal Engine 5, the graphics are so good you’ll almost forget it’s a game.

With significant optimization from Joure and Joe, the game should run on most suitable computers, with the minimum requirement being 8GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce 1080 TI or AMD 6800-XT graphics card.

The game has already caused quite a stir on social media, with horror fans looking to test their bravery.

Popular gaming YouTuber Jacksepticye tweeted: “I’ve never screamed, I can do this!”

Meanwhile, another, more honest user wrote: “I’m going to scream but I’m frustrated.”

Others expressed their excitement for the game’s release, with one fan saying: “This looks so cool!” I want that.

In the comments of the game’s trailer on YouTube, commentators enthusiastically discussed the possibilities of a VR version of the game.

“Imagining they brought this to VR makes my skin crawl,” one commenter wrote.

Another added: “Okay, now make the VR version now please.”

Since the scares are unpredictable and the area to be explored is huge, there should be plenty of replayability to keep players screaming.

Users will get early access on October 27 – just in time for Halloween.

A full release is scheduled for the future, with Joure and Joe saying that if the game proves popular, they will add more content, including achievements, full controller support, and more locations and lore to explore.

Horror fans on X (formerly Twitter) shared their excitement for the game, though some were less confident in their ability to hold back from screaming.

With the lights off and your headphones on, Don’t Scream promises to be a terrifying experience for even the most hardened horror fans.

However, there are no plans for any multiplayer content, as Don’t Scream is only intended to be an offline experience.

Joure and Joe are no strangers to this style of game development, having created another found footage-style horror game in October 2022.

Paranormal Tales asks the player to experience different tragic and mysterious stories in a body camera style video created in Unreal Engine 5.

The game began as a passion project among horror fans and quickly amassed millions of views and a number of positive reviews.