The acclaimed PC psychological horror game, BrokenLore: DON’T WATCH, is officially set to terrify a new audience. Publisher Shochiku and developer Serafini Productions announced the title will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on August 18. This console release comes just four months after its successful debut on Steam, bringing its unique brand of atmospheric dread from the desktop to the living room.
A Story of Isolation and a Watching Presence
DON’T WATCH centers on Shinji, a hikikomori or shut-in, living a life of solitude in a small Tokyo apartment. His world is one of anxiety and detachment, where even video games have lost their appeal. The game masterfully builds a sense of realism through its environment, with details like piled-up trash and unanswered phone messages making Shinji’s isolation feel tangible.
This grounded reality is what makes the impending horror so effective. The story doesn’t rely on monsters jumping from closets. Instead, it introduces Hyakume, an otherworldly entity with one hundred eyes, that begins to break down the walls of Shinji’s world and sanity.
As the game progresses, it masterfully blurs the line between the player and the protagonist. The feeling of being watched by Hyakume extends beyond the screen, creating a deeply personal and paranoid experience that sticks with you long after you put the controller down.
A Different Breed of Horror
If you’re tired of jump scares, DON’T WATCH offers a refreshing alternative. Its horror is a slow burn, built on a foundation of psychological unease and creeping paranoia. The fear comes from the subtle, unsettling moments that make you question what you’re seeing and hearing. It’s the feeling that something is always wrong, just out of sight.
The game uses its own interface to mess with the player. A glitch on the screen, a sound that doesn’t belong, or a fleeting glimpse of Hyakume are the tools it uses to build tension. This approach creates a more profound sense of dread that digs under your skin, a key reason the PC version received so much praise from players who were left genuinely panicked by its subtlety.
What Console Players Can Expect
While the core experience will remain the same chilling adventure PC players loved, Serafini Productions is making several key improvements for the console release. The focus is on fine-tuning the game for a seamless couch experience rather than overhauling the original vision. The minimalist, lo-fi aesthetic is a deliberate choice that enhances the game’s unsettling atmosphere.
Console players can look forward to several specific enhancements:
- Updated Controls: The game’s controls have been re-worked to feel intuitive and natural on gamepads.
- Optimized Performance: Smooth performance is promised across both last-gen (PS4, Xbox One) and current-gen (PS5, Xbox Series) hardware.
- Enhanced Audio: The sound design has been tightened, with improved spatial audio to deepen the sense of immersion and paranoia.
- Graphical Refinements: Minor visual improvements will be present, especially on the more powerful PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
Part of the Expanding BrokenLore Universe
DON’T WATCH is not just a standalone title but a piece of a larger, interconnected puzzle known as the BrokenLore series. Each game in this collection explores different facets of psychological distress, from trauma and grief to delusion, all tied together by a mysterious and unsettling metaphysical lore.
Fans of the series are known for digging deep into the narrative, connecting recurring symbols and hidden clues to piece together the overarching mythos. For players who love a good mystery and a story that doesn’t hand you all the answers, the BrokenLore series offers a compelling rabbit hole to fall into. Shinji’s story is just one terrifying chapter in a much larger, unstable reality.
