Funcom's 'Hide and Shriek' will bring spooky fun to PC gamers this Halloween

Just in time for Halloween, Funcom is putting the fun back into creepy crawling PC games with the release of Hide and Shriek on Steam. Arriving on October 25, it’s a one-versus-one multiplayer game with the goal of scaring the pants off the opponent by setting up traps, jump scares, and using magic spells. The game provides a first-person perspective so when the ghoulies jump out, they’re right in your face.

The catch with Hide and Shriek is that both players are invisible. Thus, in order to find the opponent and give them a good scare, players must keep their eyes open for the likes of opening doors, shuffling chairs, object movement, and so on. The best way to reveal the opponent’s position, it seems, is to set up a trap and wait for him/her to stumble into it.

Each match lasts for 10 minutes, and the ultimate goal is to rack up as many points as possible within that time frame. These points are gained by scaring the other player, luring him/her into a trap, and by performing an ancient ritual. In return, these scores are recorded on leaderboards, so gamers are competing across the globe for the most scares. Players can scare their friends, or compete with total strangers online.

The game will include more than 30 different spells to uncover, ranging from blinding the opponent to conjuring up a demon and booby-trapping doors. Players can even throw on masks to spook the other player (including masks of Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton), or throw on skulls and zombie heads that can be modified with all kinds of horrific effects.

“We’re very excited to finally show off how the game actually looks and plays,” said game director Romain Amiel. “We’ve had people test the game recently, and they all struggle to compare it to other games. The simple truth is that Hide and Shriek offers something new and different, and as a team we’re very proud to be bringing that to gamers. You have to experience it for yourself.”

The video provided with the announcement shows that at least one map will take place within Little Springs High School. Players will creep down empty, dark hallways and through dimly lit classrooms to discover the opponent’s location. Lockers can be opened and computers accessed in hopes of setting traps or finding clues. The first person perspective really brings the spookfest up close and personal for a great 10-minute thrill.

Here are the PC requirements:

Hide and Shriek can be pre-ordered from Steam for $4.79 until the game becomes available on October 25, which is when the price jumps up to $6. It will be fully localized to German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Korean, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese languages, the company said.