Horror visual novels Horror Short horror

GATE 37

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Seven nights at the gate. Decide who is human enough to let in.

Platforms: Browser, PC, Mac
Stores: itch.io
Price: Pay what you want
Rated: 4.9 out of 5 from 67 ratings on itch.io; players praise its characters, art and the questions it raises about being human
Length: a few minutes
Players: 1
Controls: Mouse: click to advance the text and choose to allow or deny each visitor
Made by: CRRN
Released: 2025

What frightens You stand guard alone at Gate 37 outside the isolated town of Whitewood for seven nights, with no memory of your past, deciding which visitors at your window to let through: an angel, a fairy, a grandmother with a cat, things with distorted faces; let the wrong ones in and you die, with jump scares, extremely loud noises, glitching flashes and blood.
Content: jumpscares, loud sounds, flashing lights, blood, death, distorted faces.

GATE 37 is a short, free horror visual novel by CRRN, played in the browser. You are a 19-year-old with no memory of your past, standing guard at a gate outside the town of Whitewood for seven nights, and you must decide which strange visitors to let through, in a game that asks what makes someone human.

About GATE 37

GATE 37 is a visual novel by CRRN, made in Ren'Py in 17 days for Halloween 2025 with artwork by sixteen volunteer artists, and released on itch.io at the start of November 2025. It is free to play in the browser, with Windows and Mac downloads, and the maker states that all images and dialogue were made by hand and no AI was used. It takes place in CRRN's own original world, Paradise Lost.

You are a 19-year-old girl. In a past life you cannot remember, you signed up for a volunteer program: stand post at Gate 37, outside the isolated town of Whitewood, for seven nights, allowing or denying entry to passersby, and your criminal record will be wiped along with your memories of the town. The maker names its inspirations as spot-the-anomaly games such as No, I'm Not A Human, Who's At The Door? and Security Booth.

Each night visitors come to your window in a snowy forest full of eyes: an angel, a self-styled Fairy, a Joybringer, a grandmother with a black cat. You read what they say and decide. Some are harmless; let too many of the wrong ones in and you die. The maker calls it a semi-horror game, and warns of jump scares, extremely loud noises, sudden flashing and glitching effects, unsettling distorted faces, blood and death.

It takes a few minutes per run and has several endings. Players come for its characters and art and stay for its questions about what it means to be human. It suits players who liked No, I'm Not A Human or That's Not My Neighbor and want a shorter, stranger, more literary take.

How to play GATE 37

Open GATE 37 on itch.io and press Run game; it plays in the browser.
Choose Start and read the setup of your seven nights at the gate.
Click to read each visitor's words at your window.
Decide whether to allow or deny them entry.
Survive all seven nights; play again with different choices to see the other endings.

Screenshots

A white-winged figure called Fairy with horns and a staff sits at the window and says I hope you like it

A visitor called Joybringer, a pale figure with a fan of white spikes for a head, says I'm here to cheer you up

A grandmother with a black cat in her lap at the window asks Oh? Is someone there? Hello?

A glitching old monitor shows Time of Encounter: 11:00 P.M.

Tips

Listen closely to what each visitor says about themselves; the details matter.
Some visitors are harmless, but only so many of the wrong ones can be let in before it kills you.
Turn the volume down a little; the maker warns of extremely loud noises.