If you know me well or haven’t been hidden away for years, you’re probably aware that horror games aren’t really my thing. It’s not the concept of horror itself that bothers me—I actually enjoy certain spooky settings. The real issue? Those pesky jump scares. I dive into games to unwind, not to keep a spare pair of clean clothes handy just in case. However, I do have a bit of a soft spot for psychological horror. This genre manages to creep me out just enough to be thrilling, striking a perfect balance. And that’s exactly where our focus is today. Let’s take a closer look at DEAD LETTER DEPT., a fresh addition to the psychological horror scene that’s set to hit your screens by the end of this month.
Come January 30th, DEAD LETTER DEPT. is set to make its debut on PC via Steam, and its premise has definitely sparked my curiosity. In this creepy adventure, you’ll step into the shoes of a temporary worker in a postal warehouse. Your main task? Handle all the undelivered mail that’s accumulated due to various reasons. And yes, illegible handwriting is only scratching the surface of unusual excuses for these lost letters.
Playing DEAD LETTER DEPT. means engaging in a seemingly straightforward job: retyping words and addresses on mail that hasn’t reached its intended recipients. It sounds like the most basic of tasks, the kind you might find in any data entry job. But as you delve deeper, familiarizing yourself with the mail, strange patterns begin to emerge. Suddenly, you find yourself wondering if these messages might actually be meant for you.
Here you are, in a dimly-lit warehouse, isolated and completely reliant on the letters to maintain any connection to the outside world. The longer you work, the more surreal the experience becomes. These letters hold stories that seem oddly familiar, and a creeping sense of being watched takes root. Sure, paying the bills is important, but is maintaining your sanity worth staying?
DEAD LETTER DEPT. is a typing-driven adventure where you’ll input various prompts to decode damaged images. Through this process, you’ll glimpse into the lives of those who lost their mail, uncovering secrets buried beneath these messages. Every playthrough promises a different experience, with a seemingly endless stack of mail to sift through. Is the thrill of uncovering hidden tales enough to justify the eerie vibes? That decision is ultimately yours to make.
If sorting through other people’s mail stirs your interest, DEAD LETTER DEPT. is launching soon. And for those impatient to get a taste, a demo is already up on Steam. But if you prefer diving right into the full experience, like me, you only have a few more weeks to wait.