This Horror Platformer Is Not For Those With A Fear Of Heights

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As a fanatic for horror games, I can’t help but dig deep into platforms like Steam, searching for under-the-radar treasures. To my delight, many of these hidden gems hail from DreadXP, the independent publishing label spun off from the veteran horror platform, Dread Central. However, even within their peculiar collection, White Knuckle manages to stand out. Unlike most horror games that rely on monsters or malevolent entities for scares, this game delivers chills through a gradual build-up of tension in a colossal silo. A single misstep could lead to a plummet downwards, adding an extra layer of fear to the experience.

White Knuckle is a chilling first-person vertical survival horror game where you find yourself scrambling to outpace a menacing sludge as it inexorably climbs an immense silo of unclear purpose. The eerie atmosphere surrounding this location adds to the intrigue and mystery of White Knuckle, leaving players eager to unravel the story behind the silo.

Initially, I struggled with the game’s complex platforming sections because the controls seemed confusing, leading me to question if they might hinder my progress. However, as I continued playing, I found that White Knuckle eventually became more intuitive and smooth. It just takes a few extra minutes to get accustomed to its unique control scheme compared to other games where the controls feel natural from the start.

As I navigate through this game, I’m grappling hand over hand, driving pitons in with each swing, hurling rebar from afar for a crucial grip when the slime beneath me starts boiling up towards my sanctuary. It all made sense eventually. Occasionally, I’d scale high enough that the silo would seal off a section below me, serving as a momentary checkpoint – I could tumble onto it instead of plunging back to the start, so long as the slime hadn’t risen to cover the floor yet.

Given the limited supplies at hand, I found myself making tactical choices swiftly. Should I grab the mysterious canister filled with a stamina-boosting liquid, thus potentially relieving my weary hands from the strain hundreds of feet up in the air, or opt for an extra piton to ensure a risky maneuver becomes safer somewhere along my journey?

Despite my limited budget often associated with horror games, I was actively seeking out other traditional elements of horror. The game’s chilling audio and eerie atmosphere definitely spooked me, but without a conventional scary scene to engage with, I found myself questioning how truly terrifying it would be. Could it merely be classified as a horror game due to its subtly unnerving setting?

As I ascended higher, it dawned on me that I had been needlessly searching for or anticipating monstrous encounters. In truth, the very act of scaling these towering structures had taken on a horrifying quality within my mind, transforming the game into a chilling experience. It was during my hands-on time that this revelation struck me, as I found myself hanging perilously hundreds of meters above the ground. Suddenly, it hit me – this was truly terrifying. The fear of misjudging a leap, of fatiguing and losing my grip, or of stumbling so often that the viscous goo would eventually catch up to me – it was exhilarating. It seemed as though Mirror’s Edge had been reimagined as an endless series of night terrors.

This revelation tied all the events together for me. At that moment, I was more resolute than ever to decipher its mysteries, reading its peculiar symbols and straining to hear its disembodied announcements about workplace happenings that always seemed like fragments of a clue as to what this silo’s purpose was initially. With the stakes high and my character’s vulnerability apparent, I could feel each step in my gut. I yearned to learn more about its world, and I aimed to comprehendif not yet commandits mechanics. Finally, I grasped the gameplay loop. I felt prepared to advance when the Steam Early Access game launches later this week on April 17.

White Knuckle differs significantly from anything DreadXP has previously released, which is quite remarkable given their eccentric nature. It’s not going to be a walk in the park, and if you’re afraid of heights, it might be best to steer clear. However, for those brave enough to face its wall-climbing terrors, there’s a chance we could both reach the end and help each other decipher the peculiar, low-fi, high-tension world that is White Knuckle.

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2025-04-14 23:09