“WHISMIE,” a new psychological horror puzzle adventure game currently in development by solo developer Yaroslav, has recently garnered significant attention from gamers following the launch of its Steam page. Inspired by acclaimed indie games like “House,” “Undertale,” and “Fran Bow,” the game aims to differentiate itself through its unique worldview and gameplay mechanics.
“Treatment or Show?” The Unique Worldview of “WHISMIE LIVE”
WHISMIE’s most distinctive feature is its unique setting, “WHISMIE LIVE.” The game is set in an innovative social rehabilitation program that transforms human suffering into a spectacle for millions of viewers. Participants are connected to a neural network and immersed in an AI-generated virtual world, reflecting their fears, memories, and guilt.
Emily, the protagonist, is a new participant in the program, whose virtual reality is transformed into her childhood home. Under the supervision of a curator, Emily relives her past, initially with peaceful memories but gradually transforming into distorted visions of love and fear. The player must determine whether Emily is truly healing, or if she has become part of the show.
Unique gameplay created by a roguelike structure and time loop.
WHISMIE features a “time loop” mechanism at its core. Time flows independently of the player, and the house itself constantly changes and becomes alive. Each cycle is a new trial, with a timer ticking, and the world evolves independently even if the player stands still.
The roguelike structure of the game allows for different events, random phone calls, and conversations to occur with each playthrough, gradually revealing Emily’s story. Puzzle-solving also emphasizes variety. Rather than a single correct answer, the game is designed to offer multiple paths to solve problems, organically combining point-and-click interaction using the mouse cursor with keyboard-based movement and action.
Living, breathing environment and high interactivity
The gameplay is highly interactive. Players can move objects, open curtains, and pick up items that could be key to survival or trigger new horrors. The longer you spend within the program, the more distorted the world becomes, with changes in sounds, interior details, and even the behavior of its inhabitants.
The environment evolves over time, with players unlocking rooms, discovering secrets, and solving environmental puzzles to uncover pieces of Emily’s past. The house changes with each cycle, acting as a living entity that responds to the player’s actions and Emily’s emotional state.
Narrative-driven storytelling and multiple ending systems
WHISMIE is a narrative-driven game where the player’s choices and playstyle directly impact the story’s progression. Every choice, every death, every step creates a unique broadcast finale. The game’s core element is a gradual buildup of psychological tension. Rather than jump scares or immediate fright, it aims for psychological horror, where anxiety and tension build gradually.
The game, in particular, reacts as if the protagonist were part of a live broadcast. Comments, events, and the feeling that millions of people are watching your every move create a unique sense of tension.
Global language support is planned, and initial user reactions are “half curious, half excited.”
The Steam page has a variety of tags, including Psychological Horror, Horror, Atmospheric, Adventure, Immersive Sim, and Story Rich, with user-added tags like Mystery, Surreal, Choices Matter, and Multiple Endings.
Although there are no official reviews yet as it is pre-release, the game’s unique concept and meta-element of a “live broadcast” format are garnering attention from horror game fans.
The game will support 29 languages, including English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Russian, German, French, and Spanish. It has also garnered international attention, having been featured on major Japanese gaming media outlets like 4Gamer and Dengekionline.
The development team is currently working on a playable demo version, which will be released soon. The official release date is listed as “Coming Soon” and will be announced at a later date.
Steam Store Page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3401710/WHISMIE/
