LIGHTHOUSE

About LIGHTHOUSE

LIGHTHOUSE is a short narrative horror game by xk, made in Unity for the Ludum Dare 47 game jam, where the maker says it placed 7th for mood. It plays free in the browser on itch.io and takes a few minutes. The same maker made DARKLINE for a later Ludum Dare.

The page sets it up with a single log entry: March 23, 1873, day 231, and the noise in the keeper's head is getting louder. In the game the narrator, Adger Hartford, explains that he took a job at the lighthouse to finish his book, for the time, food and a place to sleep. There he meets the keeper, Hanley Kee, and the two of them are stranded on the rock. Someone on the island speaks of being stuck in a loop where every day is the same, and there is an ancient stone with glyphs the narrator cannot understand.

It is told through dialogue boxes over minimalist scenes; the opening is a path of white steps leading to a single light in the dark. The maker tags it creepy, surreal, psychological and Lovecraftian horror; the fear is slow and quiet rather than built on chases. A player on itch.io connects it to the film The Lighthouse.

Players rate it 4.8 out of 5 and mention its atmosphere and minimalist art; one found the story a little confusing in places. It suits players who want a very short, moody piece about isolation and something old on a lonely island, to be played in one sitting.

How to play LIGHTHOUSE

1. Open the game's itch.io page and press Run game to load it in the browser; it may take a moment to load.
2. Read each line of dialogue and click the arrow in the box to move on.
3. Follow the story through to the end; it takes a few minutes.

Tips

• Play with sound on and in a dark room; the game is built on mood.
• Use the fullscreen button under the game window for the clearest view.
• If you like it, the maker's DARKLINE is a longer story in a similar vein.

Questions