Scarlet Hollow

About Scarlet Hollow

Scarlet Hollow is a horror mystery visual novel by Black Tabby Games, the studio behind Slay the Princess, released in Early Access on Steam in 2021. Its first five episodes are out, with one more major update planned before the story ends. Every background is hand-drawn and inked by graphic novelist Abby Howard.

You come to a small town in the mountains of North Carolina to meet your cousin and see her through her mother's funeral. Instead you find coal mines sealed after a deadly collapse, creatures killing livestock in the woods and houses taken over by vengeful spirits. You only have to last a week, but each day brings something new.

The story branches heavily: the developers say you will see less than a fifth of it on one playthrough. You pick a set of traits that changes how you talk and what you notice, and the people of the town respond to how you treat them. The game has no jumpscares; the fear is dread, tension and some disturbing imagery, with monster designs drawn from Appalachian myths and cryptids. It suits readers of horror fiction and players who liked Slay the Princess.

How to play Scarlet Hollow

1. Buy Scarlet Hollow on Steam for Windows, Mac or Linux.
2. Choose your character's traits at the start; they open different dialogue options.
3. Read each scene and pick what to say and do; your choices change relationships and the story.
4. Investigate the town's places and people between the story's events to piece the mystery together.
5. Save anytime and replay to see branches you missed.

Tips

• Check the developer's content warnings page if you want to know what the game shows before you play.
• Try a different set of traits on a second playthrough; much of the story will be new.
• Pay attention to how each character reacts; relationships shape what happens later.

Questions