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Steam Greenlight Spotlight: HUSH

• Sean Flint
• May 2nd, 2015

https://youtu.be/N6rLRwsF198

Today’s standout on Greenlight is Hush, an action-adventure game that aims to recreate our childhood fears. The game is said to draw the majority of its inspiration from the irrational fears that we all felt in our childhoods. The amount of times we were startled by a lamp or a coat hanger when the lights were out, or being terrified when we were home alone and see our shadows cast on the wall. The game challenges you to face your fears, and dares you to overcome that which left you awake at night as a child.

The interesting concept of Hush is definitely the fact that you not only have to face your fears, but use them in a way that will help you overcome the various challenges that the game presents. While I’m not typically a fan of horror games, as I feel they are often very similar and contain very little substance (as a general rule, there are definitely the standouts of the genre), I feel that Hush brings something new to the genre. Not only does it present a cartoon-like visual aesthetic, but it also manages to focus on things that are not actual scary, but are thought of as such because of the ideas that we get in our heads, and the way our minds distort reality when the lights go out.

Hush draws you in with its interesting environments that, according to the devs, are “capable of bringing out your innermost phobias”. Those who dwell in the establishment which you will be exploring, known only as “The Forgotten”, will assist you in your quest to escape the terrifying orphanage that you have spent the majority of your life in. These mysterious inhabitants will provide you with hints, as well as give you a bit of their backstory.

Containing an interesting combination of action, puzzle, and exploration mechanics, Hush promises to provide a challenge to hardcore players, while still keeping the game accessible to those who consider themselves more casual. You can expect to face several challenges in each level that will test your skills in the aforementioned categories. Whether it’s quick reflexes, solid memorization, or just having the right item to progress, Hush definitely will keep you on your toes as it switches between the skills that it will require you to use. Finally, each chapter of the game will end with a boss fight based on the specific fear that forms the basis for that chapter.

Horror games are one of the most popular genres in today’s market, and while some of them are definitely enjoyable, it is more often that we see games that focus more on jump scaring the player rather than providing an atmospheric sense of terror. Hush definitely seems like it focuses more on the actual feelings of the player, and uses these against them to cause fear, instead of relying on cheap scares to get the job done. Have a look at Hush’s Greenlight page, and consider leaving a quick vote and some feedback on what you think of the game.