HYPNAGOGIA

Trailer

Have you ever had an unexplainable urge to scare someone to death as in making them experience their worst fears? Maybe an enemy, frenemy or if you’re a really terrible person, your friends? We bet you’ve tried everything, but it simply doesn’t seem to be enough. Many horror experiences lack interaction and immersion. And some things are simply impossible to simulate in real life due to a slight risk of death. It really is a pity… Or is it?

We present to you Hypnagogia! Forget about all those limitations stopping you from giving your loved ones a heart attack and experience a VR horror game that forces the player to face some of the most common phobias in the world. Traumatise people today with extreme heights, clowns, and extremely small enclosed spaces! Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Gameplay

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"What a beautiful day! A cosy house surrounded by a peaceful forest. Your jam is playing in the background. Oh. You're thirsty? Then just drink some water genius!"

This is the first scene the player encounters. A nice room where everything is seemingly normal. There is a warm Jazz track in the background and the birds sing happily. That is until the player drinks the water.

"What just happened? I think you passed out. You're still in your room but it's not quite the same space. Everything looks darker and where did the jazz track go? Oh well, I guess you should probably check if everything is fine. Maybe the water had something in it and you are just hallucinating… Go open the door."

After passing out, the player is teleported to the second scene. It's an iteration of the first room, and it marks the beginning of the horror game by setting a dark, unsettling atmosphere. Once the player walks out the door, the game starts.

"What??!! Where are you? Why are you on top of a skyscraper?? What is happening? Ok, calm down… Get out of there first. You just have to be really careful and DON’T LOOK DOWN!"

…

The first level is acrophobia (fear of heights). An extreme mental and physical challenge where the player not only needs to find courage but also physically move in order to escape this terrible parkour-like challenge. It is set in a city with mostly skyscrapers and surrounded by a misty fog that only intensifies the vertiginous feeling.

"Ok, you really don’t have a choice. You’ve made it this far, so leave through this door as well."

"Why? More? Oh, amusement parks are nice, wouldn’t you agree? Why is that lady laughing though? Is the balloon funny? Guess you should go get it for her."

When the player finishes level 1, they are teleported to this intermediate scene. It's quite simplified and sort of bizarre. It doesn't seem real, even within the nightmare scenario. It's weird and it looks like the player can see the building blocks of the game as if it were a dream. It throws them off for a second and nothing prepares them for what comes next.

"*#**#****??! What just happened? Why is it nighttime all of a sudden? Why is there a clown?! This is creepy! I can’t deal with this. Good luck getting out of there!"

…

Once the player tries to grab the balloon, they officially start level 2, Colrouphbia (fear of clowns). A terrifying experience set in the same abandoned amusement park, and it shatters the player's trust by surprising them constantly with jumpscares and horrifying soundtracks. Probably the most relatable scary scene, as it mimics the sort of feeling we get when watching horror movies. The goal is to get to the end. And as simple as that sounds, it is definitely not an easy task.

"Ok, this door has to be the one… Hopefully, you are done by now. It’s probably just a nighm…AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"Oh, come on… More? This is so creepy!! What is that sound? WHY ARE THE WALLS GETTING CLOSER??? Oh, look! In front of you, there are some random-looking objects. Maybe they can help you get out of here?"

…

Finally, level 3 is Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces). Taking place in a never-ending corridor, the player is not only challenged with puzzles but also emotionally pressured by the time constraint and a growing but steady realisation that the walls are closing in. It is necessary to find all the solutions to the challenges in order to get out. Otherwise, the player is stuck in a perpetual cycle of death. Once they open the correct door, they find a water bottle and are suddenly reminded of how it all started. But they have no other option. They must drink it.

"The bottle again? NO. Do not drink the water again. Don’t drink it! DON’T DRINK IT!!"

"Why did you drink it?? Honestly, you are just a … Oh wait! Look you’re back! Guess it was probably just a nightmare, now you can go back to watching tv and… WAIT! You didn’t have a tv before… and why is your house an apartment in the city? You live in the forest, right? No. It can’t be. Now I’m even doubting myself and the power of being a second-person narrator."

It all ends in this room. Where it all started. It all looks like it is back to normal but not quite. This final iteration of the first two rooms introduces elements that were seen throughout the game. The city outside, a picture of a clown, the playing cards from the hallway, and even a TV. It makes the player question whether everything they went through was real. Maybe it wasn't a dream? Or is it still a dream? It's up to you to decide.

"Ok, but at least you're back. Go out for some fresh air maybe? Wait that doesn’t sound right… WAIT DON’T GOOOOO…"

The End?

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For any horror game aficionados or clueless victims out there, our game provides an unforgettable immersive experience for anyone that wants to be scarred for life.

What do you think? Are you brave enough to give it a go? Or would you rather chicken out and traumatise one of your friends instead? Highly recommend the latter.

Group Members:

Game Design and Development: Margarida Belo, Jason Cui (BA Virtual Reality)

Sound: Margarida Belo, Hanrui Zhang, Si Ting Wang, Ties Linssen, Harvey Young, Bohang Zhang (BA Virtual Reality and BA Sound Arts)

University of the Arts London - London College of Communication