Spirit Hunter: Death Mark

About Spirit Hunter: Death Mark

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark is a horror adventure from the Japanese studio EXPERIENCE, released on Steam in April 2019 by Aksys Games and also on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. It is the first of the Spirit Hunter games.

A rumour is spreading through Tokyo's H City: a strange mark, like a grotesque birthmark, appears on certain people, and anyone who bears it soon dies of unknown, horrifying causes. You wake with no memory and the mark on your arm, and arrive at a mansion said to protect those who bear it. From there you go out at night, with a partner at your side, to the places where an urban legend has turned deadly.

Most of the game is reading and searching: you sweep dark rooms with a flashlight, pick up items and read the Spirit Files that fill in each rumour. Each chapter ends in a confrontation with the spirit, where you choose items and actions, such as salt water or a hand mirror. A wrong choice can mean a gruesome death, and the store page warns that putting a spirit down the wrong way may leave you wishing you had not survived.

The painted art leans on disfigured faces and dark corners, and the store page warns of blood and gore, sexual themes and a torture-like scene. It suits players who like Japanese ghost stories and dread built from reading.

How to play Spirit Hunter: Death Mark

1. Buy it on Steam, Switch or PlayStation and start a new game.
2. Read the story and the Spirit Files to learn each urban legend.
3. Explore each location with the flashlight, checking spots for items and clues.
4. When the spirit attacks, choose the right items and actions to face it.

Tips

• Check every spot you can with the flashlight; the right item later often comes from an easy-to-miss corner.
• Reread the Spirit Files before a confrontation; the clues tell you how the spirit should be put to rest.

Questions