New indie horror game Static Hour puts players in charge of crisis reporting

Static Hour is an upcoming horror simulation that casts players as overnight news editors trapped in a 1980s radio station during a townwide lockdown. Amid panic and conflicting tips about violence, the player must monitor phones, a radio feed and a police scanner to decide what to broadcast, all while staying within FCC guidelines. The experience blends the tension of Papers, Please with the surreal mood of Twin Peaks, using period-accurate gear like rotary phones and a rolodex.

Barkbyte founder and creative director Claire Sarmiento explained that the game aims to capture the dread of sorting truth from noise in a crisis. Only a trailer and a few screenshots are currently available, and no specific release window has been announced. The game will be sold for PC on Steam.