We enjoyed our time with Riley in Oxenfree 2 back when it was released, a factor that certainly helped it score high in our review. We also praised developer Night School Studio for its ability to craft a unique idea and make an interesting gameplay loop around it in that one.
Well, the studio is at it again, as it’s working with Netflix to bring us Unhinged, a horror experience like no other. It’s about two neighbors, played by Zoe Kravitz and Sadie Sink, trying to navigate a home invasion. Equally popular is Troy Baker, who plays a currently undisclosed role, but we’re willing to bet that he’s the creepy bad guy in this one.
Even more interesting than the cast is that you’re going to be playing this one on your phone, with the game streaming directly to your TV via Netflix. That means you’ll take calls when it rings, and use its flashlight when the need arises in an interactive gameplay loop that’s probably going to raise a few eyebrows when it’s not raising your blood pressure. It’s a short experience, clocking in at a little under one hour, but that might be more than most of us can manage, considering the dark tone and the fact that its narrative is structured like a very intense Netflix episode.
Director Sam Warner told Rolling Stone that the game was influenced by his time with the Nintendo Wii and DS, besides stating that “novel innovative play” was a facet of the experience that he wanted to highlight. Unhinged is out on June 30th for all Netflix subscribers.
