Indie developer Miss Self Destruct has unveiled Hell Is Other People, a psychological horror game focused on social anxiety. The game, revealed in a trailer during the Cozy After Dark Showcase, draws inspiration from the eerie atmosphere of early 2010s horror titles such as Slender: The Eight Pages, as well as games with a Tim Burton-esque aesthetic like Fran Bow and Alice: Madness Returns.
The protagonist of Hell Is Other People is a young girl with distinctive onyx eyes and long, dark hair. The game's narrative centers on her struggles with social anxiety, framed by her mother's critical remarks. In one scene, her mother comments on her daughter's polite but seemingly unenthusiastic response to a party spread, stating, "See what I have to deal with?"
Rather than collecting items, players will gather social skills in Hell Is Other People. The game's Steam description indicates that the protagonist experiences emotions like guilt, which can affect dialogue and perception, causing lines to "jumble and melt together." To navigate these shifting emotional states, players will need to consult an in-game notebook that details how "normal" people behave.
While the game features a striking gothic visual style, including black cats with sharp teeth and patterned wallpaper, its core mechanics are designed to resonate with the experience of social survival. The developer aims to capture the feeling of being misunderstood and the solace found in relating to others who feel like outcasts. Hell Is Other People is slated for release sometime soon.