Hollow Cries is a tense and atmospheric Five Nights at Freddy’s style jump scare horror game where you talk to ghosts on a Ouija Board and use your flashlight to fend off monsters who attempt to attack you at night.
Currently in development by Hann Made Studios (creators of the similarly themed Dark Veer), Hollow Cries puts you in the shoes of a young child who is terrified of being alone. The child is also keen to find out why life ends (possibly due to the loss of a loved one) and resorts to using a ouija board to find the answer. As any good horror movie buff will know, ouija boards are best left alone and this case is no different, as the child starts to attract monsters that attempt to attack during the night.
The gameplay in Hollow Cries is very similar to Dark Veer, taking place in a low rez bedroom environment and with you using a flashlight to fend off various monsters that try to sneak into your room during the night. You can close your eyes to lower your anxiety levels down and you can use you can press ‘R’ to recharge your flashlight.
Thankfully you don’t need to do the same amount of plate-spinning as FNaF, with most of the monsters just requiring you to shine your flashlight at them, but you do occasionally have to leave the bed to stop a baby from crying. Between each level you can explore the bedroom, find collectibles and use your ouija board to talk to spirits. This provides a welcome respite from the horrors of the night and helps deliver a little narrative.
Hollow Cries is unlikely to sway those who are opposed to the FNaF style horror sub-genre, but for those who like a good jump scare then there’s a lot to like. Even in Alpha,it’s a very polished experience, gloomy low rez visuals are very atmospheric and it’s a lot more accessible than the likes of Freddy Fazbear’s outings. Low rez bed-time jump scare horror well worth shining a light on.
Note: The “Left Window” is actually the one on your right when you’re sitting in the bed.
Download The Hollow Cries Alpha Here (Windows)