SINISTER

A Psychological Horror Experience

Elevator Pitch

Sinister is a psychological horror RPG where memory lies and monsters wear your face. As you descend into a cursed dungeon to find your missing father, the deeper truth begins to emerge: you’re not just fighting demons. You’re becoming one.

Core Concept

• Genre: Psychological Horror / Narrative-Driven RPG
• Engine: Godot
• Inspiration: Silent Hill 2, OMORI, Zelda-style dungeons
• Unique Hooks:
  • Retro CRT aesthetic with in-world retro consoles
  • Inner voice becomes second personality
  • Morality is ambiguous and intention-driven

Story Overview

You return to your hometown after your father's disappearance. The men are vanishing, drawn to a fog-drenched dungeon none return from. At first, you're trying to save them. By the end, you're not sure you didn't send them there yourself.

Visual Style

• Pixelated low-poly visuals + hand-crafted 2D overlays
• Simulated CRT distortion and ghosting
• Psychological cues like glitched reflections, corrupted UI, and hallucinations

Gameplay & Mechanics

• Zelda-style dungeon layout with keys, rooms, and secrets
• Light combat: sword and shield based
• Exploration includes interactive memory sequences
• Linear but interactive cutscenes triggered by POIs during early exploration
• Dialogue evolves with your sanity — inner thoughts become arguments
• Metagame: fake save files, corrupted menus, broken in-world games

Target Audience

• Fans of narrative horror: OMORI, Lisa: The Painful, Undertale
• Players who love uncovering psychological twists
• PC-first, Web-ready, console (Switch) potential

Development Status

• Engine: Godot (mechanics prototyped in Phaser)
• Story: Fully outlined and drafted
• Visual & Audio Style: Established direction
• Goal: Demo late 2026, full release 2027 to 2028

The Team

Jacob Briley – Writer, Designer, Programmer, Composer

Background in hardware modding, music distribution, and creative storytelling.

Building Sinister as a deeply personal exploration of trauma, faith, and fractured identity. Every mechanic and narrative beat is designed to confront what it means to remember — and what it means to forget.

Ask & Vision

Looking for:

• Narrative design feedback
• Funding for art/sound collaborators
• Publisher partnerships or platform exposure

Vision: Create a horror experience that makes the player question their own morality — not just the character’s.

“You like to think you have a choice... But you were never a player. You were a pawn.”