Psychological horror Horror visual novels Mystery and detective horror

Scarlet Hollow

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Survive a week in an Appalachian mining town where something in the woods preys on more than livestock.

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Stores: Steam, GOG, itch.io
Price: Paid
Rated: Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam (98% of 5,391 reviews); Metacritic 91; OpenCritic 86; itch.io 4.9/5 from 244 ratings
Length: about 4 hours for the main story so far (HowLongToBeat)
Players: 1
Controls: Mouse or keyboard to read and pick choices; full controller support on Steam. Save anytime.
Made by: Black Tabby Games
Released: 2021

No. 4 of the horror games about family · No. 5 of the monster horror games · No. 2 of the ghost horror games · No. 3 of the forest horror games · No. 1 of the small town horror games · No. 2 of the mansion horror games · No. 1 of the horror games set in mines

Get it on Steam GOG itch.io Content warnings (Black Tabby Games)

What frightens Strange creatures stalk the woods, spirits fill old houses and a sealed mine hides what happened there. The dread builds over a week in town, with no jumpscares, and some of the people you meet will not survive your choices.
Content: violence, disturbing imagery, death, grief, drug use, strong language.

Scarlet Hollow is a branching horror visual novel from Black Tabby Games, the studio that later made Slay the Princess. You arrive in a North Carolina mining town for your aunt's funeral and have a week to survive its monsters and mysteries, knowing you will not be able to save everyone. Five of its seven episodes are out in Early Access, and the first episode is a free demo.

About Scarlet Hollow

Scarlet Hollow is a horror mystery visual novel by Black Tabby Games, written and programmed by Tony Howard-Arias with art by Abby Howard, an Ignatz-winning graphic novelist who drew and inked every background. Music is by Brandon Boone. The first episode came out as a demo in 2020, and the game entered Early Access on Steam in June 2021. It is planned as seven episodes: five are out, and the last two will be released together to finish the story. It is also sold on GOG and itch.io.

You come to a small coal-mining town in the mountains of North Carolina, owned for generations by your family, the Scarlets, to see your cousin Tabitha through her mother's funeral. Instead you find a mine with a deadly past, creatures killing animals in the woods and houses taken over by vengeful spirits. You meet a cryptid-hunting YouTuber and her pug, a farmer who resents how the town has changed, and a veiled man who seems to know more than he says. You only have to last a week, but each day brings something new.

At the start you choose your name, gender and background, and two of seven traits: Book Smart, Street Smart, Talk to Animals, Hot, Keen Eye, Powerful or Mystical. Traits open their own dialogue and choices, and can let you avoid the cost of one major decision. The people of the town notice how you treat them, and a few relationships can turn into an optional romance. Choices marked "(Explore)" let you look around without moving the story on. The developers say you see less than a fifth of the game on one playthrough, and a Hardcore Mode unlocks as New Game+, with three traits but no way around the hard choices.

The game has no jumpscares. Its fear is dread, tension and some disturbing imagery, with monster designs drawn from Appalachian myths and cryptids. It suits readers of horror fiction, people who like to replay for different outcomes, and players who liked Slay the Princess.

How to play Scarlet Hollow

Get Scarlet Hollow on Steam, GOG or itch.io for Windows, Mac or Linux, or start with the free demo, which is the whole first episode; saves carry over to the full game.
Create your character: name, gender, background and two of the seven traits. Traits open different dialogue options and choices.
Read each scene and pick what to say and do. Choices marked (Explore) let you look around without moving the story forward.
Investigate the town's places and people to piece the mystery together, and watch how each character reacts to you.
At the end of each chapter you face a major choice. Save before it, and replay to see branches you missed.

Screenshots

Scarlet Hollow: a grey, hand-inked creature with a swollen face rears up in the dark, something sharp sliding from its open mouth

Scarlet Hollow: Wayne, a figure whose head is hidden under a long pale veil, stands at an open dark doorway under a full moon as a frightened blonde woman watches

Scarlet Hollow: a dark-haired young woman sits on rocks beside a pug in a forest at night, as the Street Smart trait tells you that you are being watched

Scarlet Hollow: the character creation screen asking you to select two traits, from Powerful Build, Mystical, Talk to Animals, Street Smart, Keen Eye, Book Smart and Hot

Scarlet Hollow: close-up of the veiled figure with glowing eyes reaching toward you in a decaying wooden hall

Scarlet Hollow: Tabitha in overalls stands at the sink of a cluttered kitchen with a black cat on the table, while a blonde woman eats by the fridge

Scarlet Hollow: Duke, an old farmer in a cap, sits on a fallen log in the woods at night with a can and a rifle, complaining about how the town has changed

Tips

Check the developer's content warnings page if you want to know what the game shows before you play.
Take time on the (Explore) options; they add detail about the town and its people without costing you anything.
Try a different pair of traits on a second playthrough. Much of the story will be new.
Once you finish, Hardcore Mode lets you start again with three traits, but traits can no longer get you out of the major choices.

Questions

Is Scarlet Hollow finished?

Not yet. It is in Early Access and planned as seven episodes. Five are out, and the last two will be released together to finish the story.

Does Scarlet Hollow have jumpscares?

No. The developers say its horror comes from dread, tension and a little disturbing imagery.

How long is Scarlet Hollow?

HowLongToBeat lists about 4 hours for the main story of the episodes released so far, about 9.5 hours with side content and around 37 hours to see everything. One playthrough shows less than a fifth of the game.

Is there a demo?

Yes. The first episode is free as a demo, and your saves carry over to the full game.

Is there romance in Scarlet Hollow?

Yes, but it is optional. Some characters can be romanced, and choosing one closes off the others for that playthrough.

Who made Scarlet Hollow?

Black Tabby Games, the studio that later made Slay the Princess. Tony Howard-Arias wrote and programmed it, and Abby Howard drew the art.