Psychological horror unfolds through atmospheric school setting
H.Studio's boarding school horror experience follows a mother searching for her son Andrey Shabanov during what should be a routine weekend pickup. The atmospheric single-player Presence relies on psychological tension rather than traditional jump scares, using sound design and unsettling situations to create personalized fear through imagination and environmental storytelling.
Mother's weekend visit becomes terrifying school nightmare
In Presence, the protagonist arrives at a seemingly normal boarding school to collect her son, only to find the building mysteriously empty. As the player, you must explore the school building, searching for keys and items to overcome obstacles while uncovering the tragic events through scattered notes and other clues.
Without specific visual threats, it targets individual fears by letting your imagination fill the gaps. This psychological approach, combined with effective sound design, creates a uniquely personalized horror experience that adapts to one’s deepest anxieties. However, some users note that the gameplay can be completed between 20 and 30 minutes.
Atmospheric design creates personalized terror experience
As an atmospheric horror game, Presence demonstrates how effective sound design and psychological tension can surpass traditional jump scares. The mother's search through the empty boarding school reveals a bloody tragedy, while challenging you to confront your personal fears through environmental storytelling and imaginative horror rather than explicit visual threats.
