Psycho Fear Dark Panda Montreal

Psycho Fear: A SAW-inspired horror escape-room game, but keep it cozy

We spoke with the founder and creative director of Montreal indie studio Dark Panda about how their four-person team created this super fun game.

In Psycho Fear, you explore a dimly lit insane asylum — or some such booby-trapped, blood-soaked, abandoned institution — as you work your way through a series of escape room puzzles. Armed with your trusty terrible flashlight, you’ll find plenty of body horror, gore, creepy dolls, jumpscares and Satan-worshippers along the way. 

Levels are timed and failing to find your way out of each room results in a variety of torturous deaths. 

The puzzles are varied and satisfying with some good replayability, as items and clues aren’t always found in the same place. Plus the developers offer weekly content updates with new rooms to explore and puzzles to solve.

Decide whether or not to be benevolent or brutal to maintain your Karma — a value that gives you the chance to continue after you’ve died. Play solo or in a three-person co-op mode and try to escape the gauntlet of deadly obstacles, traps and brainteasers.

Psycho Fear is being co-developed by Montreal indie studio Dark Panda alongside Equinox Games. We spoke with Dark Panda founder and creative director Stéphane Woods about how their four-person Psycho Fear team created the game.

 “We have a developer who focuses on the programming, mechanics and technical aspects of the game. Our art director oversees the overall visual style and aesthetic, ensuring the game has a cohesive and immersive atmosphere. Alongside them, we have a talented 3D artist responsible for creating detailed models and environments that bring our world to life. Finally, our 2D artist works on the game’s concept art, UI elements and textures, adding an extra layer of depth and polish to the final product. Despite our small size, we are a passionate and versatile team, fully committed to delivering a high-quality experience to players.”

SAW-inspired battle of good vs. evil

“The main inspiration behind Psycho Fear stems from exploring the complex duality between good and evil,” explains Woods. “We wanted to create a game that challenges players to confront their own moral choices and the consequences that come with them. Additionally, the SAW movie series had a significant influence on the game’s concept, especially in terms of its intense atmosphere, intricate puzzles and the psychological tension it evokes.”

Woods hopes players get truly immersed in the intensity of Psycho Fear, wanting them to feel “… both the stress and the thrill of navigating through the dark. Our aim is to push players out of their comfort zones, forcing them to confront difficult decisions that challenge their perception of right and wrong.”

Support from the horror community

Psycho Fear has seen considerable support from the horror community, most notably from genre-focused outlet Bloody Disgusting, Game Spark in Japan and influencer Will Horror Game Central. ”Their support has not only helped us reach a broader audience but also provided valuable feedback that has been instrumental in refining the game. The horror community’s enthusiasm and passion have been a constant source of motivation, pushing us to deliver a truly intense and captivating experience,” says Woods.

Throughout development, Woods also states that maintaining clear focus on the core elements has been a challenge. The team often finds themselves “…resisting the temptation to add too many new features or ideas that could dilute the original vision. It’s easy to get carried away with new concepts, but we constantly remind ourselves to stay true to what makes the game unique and engaging.”

The Dark Panda team released three demos to the public prior to launch which returned tons of player feedback. “These demos provided invaluable insights,” explains Woods. “But incorporating that feedback while still preserving the game’s essence required careful consideration and flexibility. Balancing player expectations with our creative direction has been a learning experience, pushing us to refine the gameplay, mechanics, and narrative to deliver the best possible experience.”

With support for both mouse and keyboard and controller, our play-through lasted about four hours and it felt like we were only scratching the surface of what Psycho Fear has to offer. Honestly, this game was super fun and we could have kept playing for hours. If Silent Hill were a cozy game, it’d be Psycho Fear. ■

Psycho Fear is available now on Steam. This article was originally published in the Oct. 2024 issue of Cult MTL.


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