The House Below
Release date: Jun 4, 2025
Developers: MrPenguin437
Publishers: MrPenguin437
Genres: Indie
Categories: Single-player, Playable without Timed Input, Save Anytime, Stereo Sound, Family Sharing
Supported languages: English

The House Below is a short, first-person psychological horror game where atmosphere, tension, and subtle storytelling drive the experience. You awaken in a place that doesn’t feel real — a maze of dark rooms and crumbling hallways beneath the surface of something familiar. There’s no clear direction, no weapons, and no escape in sight. All you know is that you need to keep going… and that something is watching. This is a game built to unnerve. The tension builds slowly — but when it hits, it hits hard. Expect moments of quiet dread broken by disturbing surprises, eerie shifts in your surroundings, and sharp, terrifying jump scares. Key Features 🕹 Immersive First-Person Exploration Navigate abandoned corridors, dim stairwells, and shifting spaces that seem to respond to your presence. With no HUD and minimal handholding, you're left to rely on your instincts and observations to move forward. 🧩 Environmental Tasks and Light Puzzle Mechanics Progress by completing subtle tasks — flipping switches, unlocking doors, triggering events — all integrated naturally into the environment. There are no quest markers; instead, players must explore and experiment to find a way forward. 👁 Unseen Horror and Persistent Dread Rather than relying on jump scares or chase sequences, The House Below builds fear through isolation, quiet tension, and the ever-present feeling that you're being watched. The horror lies in the atmosphere, not in your face. 🎧 Reactive Ambient Soundtrack and Sound Design The soundtrack adapts to your movement and the environment, intensifying key moments and leaving long stretches of silence to let unease creep in. Every creak, distant thud, and breath matters. 📖 Narrative Through Environment There is some dialogue or exposition. Instead, the story is told through spaces, objects, and unsettling changes in the environment. Players are encouraged to interpret what’s happening and draw their own conclusions about the character’s past — and their fate. 🕒 Focused, Replayable Experience Expect a complete experience in 10–20 minutes, depending on how thoroughly you explore. It's designed to be played in one sitting — a slow descent into something deeply personal and wrong. What to Expect A linear, story-rich horror experience with strong atmosphere and jump scares Minimalist gameplay with no combat or inventory — just you, your flashlight, and whatever waits in the dark A short narrative-driven journey that prioritizes dread, pacing, and surprise A single ending with layered environmental storytelling and interpretive meaning