Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper

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Fortify the tree house before the masked kidnapper comes for you.

Platforms: Android, iPhone, PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch
Stores: Steam
Price: Free with ads
Rated: 4.7 out of 5 on Google Play (about 73,600 reviews, 5M+ downloads); 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store (2,647 ratings); Positive on Steam (84% of 65 reviews)
Players: 1
Controls: Touch: left stick to move, swipe to look, buttons to crouch, jump and use items. Gamepad on consoles, keyboard and mouse on PC.
Made by: Euphoria Games
Released: 2022

Google Play App Store (as Horror Tale 1: Scary Kidnapper)Steam Xbox PlayStation Store (PS4)Nintendo eShop

What frightens Children keep vanishing from the town of Lakewitch, and a man in a ragged rabbit mask with a knife is the one taking them; as a boy named Tom you creep around farms, a sawmill and a school to gather what you need while he hunts for you.
Content: jumpscares, violence, blood.

Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper is a first-person horror adventure set in a 1990s American town where children keep disappearing. As Tom you sneak around the kidnapper's farm, a sawmill and the school to collect what your friend Harry needs to fortify the tree house, while a man in a rabbit mask stalks you.

About Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper

Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper is the first episode of the Horror Tale series by Euphoria Games, the studio behind Death Park. It came out on phones in 2022 and was later released on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. On Google Play it has more than five million downloads; the App Store lists it as Horror Tale 1: Scary Kidnapper.

The town of Lakewitch has been losing its children for a long time. Tom is waiting for his parents to come home when he runs into the kidnapper, a man in a hoodie and a ragged rabbit mask with a knife on his belt. His friend Harry has a plan: make their tree house safe enough that the kidnapper cannot get in. To do that, Tom has to go out and fetch the tools and materials, and the places they lie in are the places the kidnapper watches.

Play is close to Ice Scream and Evil Nun: first-person exploring across five areas, among them a farm with a red barn, the kidnapper's lair, a sawmill and a school, with item hunts and small riddles along the way. You crouch behind crates and fences, wait for him to look away, and run if he sees you. The look is bright and stylised, with orange sunsets and purple nights rather than gore, and a difficulty setting lets younger players take it easier.

It is free with ads on Android and iPhone and a paid download on PC and consoles. It suits players who like Ice Scream or Granny and want a story about a group of kids against a stalker, told over several episodes.

How to play Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper

Escape the kidnapper's shed at the start and get back to Harry.
Ask Harry what the tree house needs, then head out to the area where each item lies.
Watch where the kidnapper walks and crouch behind cover until his back is turned.
Pick up the items, solve the small riddles that guard some of them, and carry them back.
Fortify the tree house and see what the night brings.

Screenshots

Horror Tale 1 screenshot: crouched behind a box in a purple-lit shed with glowing symbols, the masked kidnapper standing by captured children

Horror Tale 1 screenshot: hiding behind a crate at sunset as the kidnapper walks under a street lamp near a barn

Horror Tale 1 screenshot: the tree house in the woods at night, a rope ladder and a tyre swing hanging below it

Horror Tale 1 screenshot: an orange walkie-talkie in hand in front of a red barn and windmill at sunset

Tips

Use the crouch button near crates and fences; staying low keeps you out of sight.
Learn each area's paths before you go for an item, so you know where to run.
Choose an easier difficulty if the chases are too much; the store notes you can choose it.
Look around each area for hidden collectibles before you hand in the last key item.

Questions

Is Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper free?

It is free with ads and optional purchases on Android and iPhone. On Steam, Xbox, PlayStation and Switch it is a paid download.

Is Horror Tale 1: Scary Kidnapper the same game?

Yes. The App Store calls it Horror Tale 1: Scary Kidnapper; Google Play and the console stores call it Horror Tale 1: Kidnapper.

Is Horror Tale scary for kids?

It is stylised and not gory, but it is built around a masked man who kidnaps children. Google Play rates it Everyone 10+, the App Store 9+, and the ESRB rates the console version Teen for blood, language and violence.

Are there more Horror Tale games?

Yes. It is the first of a series that continues with Horror Tale 2: Samantha and Horror Tale 3: The Witch.