DaRmaZat In Out of Sight, you take on the role of Sophie, a young blind girl trapped in a haunting mansion filled with secrets, creepy shadows, and sinister voices. With the help of her teddy bear—quite literally her eyes—you must guide her through puzzles, evade threats, and uncover the truth behind her captivity.
Developed by The Gang and published by Starbreeze Entertainment, this indie horror puzzle-platformer balances eerie atmosphere with engaging gameplay, taking clear inspiration from games like Little Nightmares, while delivering its own unique, unsettling experience. Despite its modest length and a few mechanical hiccups, it’s a memorable entry into the horror genre that offers something unique.
A House with Bad Intentions
Out of Sight opens with Sophie locked in a room, a quiet voice bidding her goodnight as the door closes. She’s blind—though the game leaves room for ambiguity—and clings to her teddy bear, her one comfort in an otherwise terrifying place. From the moment you take control, it’s clear that this isn’t just another escape-the-mansion horror story. There’s a deeply unsettling atmosphere to the environment: steel bars on windows, flickering lights, faint whispers behind walls, and mentions of some ominous ritual performed by figures known only as Clayton and My Lady. Add to that the eventual appearance of ghostly apparitions, and the entire mansion begins to feel like a prison possessed by its own grief and malice.
The narrative unspools slowly and mostly indirectly, leaving players to connect the dots through overheard conversations, environmental storytelling, and tension-filled encounters. While not everything is spelled out, the sense of dread and mystery is maintained throughout. The story resists exposition dumps in favor of a slow burn, letting the player soak in the atmosphere and wonder: why was Sophie taken, what exactly is this ritual, and how do you escape when your eyes belong to someone else?
Seeing Through Teddy
What truly sets Out of Sight apart is its core mechanic: Sophie can only see through the eyes of her teddy bear. When you carry Teddy, the game shifts to a limited first-person perspective through his stitched button eyes. Put him down (only on marked pink blankets), and the camera shifts to a fixed, voyeuristic view—effectively turning the experience into a second-person perspective. It’s a clever twist that redefines how the player navigates puzzles, stealth, and storytelling.
This mechanic adds a constant sense of vulnerability. With Teddy in hand, you can see but not interact. Put him down, and Sophie moves almost blindly through the space, with the player relying on distant visuals to guide her. It’s both empowering and limiting at the same time, and that’s where the tension thrives. You’re always juggling visibility and mobility, and the game pushes you to think ahead about every movement.
While this perspective-shifting concept is engaging, it’s not always smooth in execution. There are moments where controls feel slightly unrefined—instances where interactions overlap or the game misreads your intent. For example, trying to retrieve Teddy from a box can trigger the wrong animation, leading to frustrating restarts or awkward positioning. These issues don’t break the game, but they do occasionally interrupt its flow.
A Gothic Puzzle Box Where You Need To Get OUT
The puzzles are where Out of Sight shines brightest. While some are straightforward—pushing blocks or finding the right path—others require careful planning and a solid grasp of the core mechanic. The game cleverly teaches you to experiment: observe through Teddy’s eyes, then guide Sophie to manipulate her surroundings. Out of Sight’s challenge lies not in complexity but in perspective, and that design philosophy elevates even the simpler tasks into moments of tension and discovery.
Stealth and chase sequences are layered in between puzzles, offering moments of high stress as Sophie must move slowly, quietly, or quickly depending on what’s lurking nearby. Failures aren’t too punishing, but they do force you to repeat sections, which can occasionally undercut the tension if overdone.
Oversized, Childlike, but Gorgeously Rich in Detail
Visually, Out of Sight makes the most of its indie roots. The mansion is rendered in a twisted, fairy tale style—equal parts Tim Burton and European horror. Everything feels slightly oversized from Sophie’s perspective, creating a world that’s both childlike and terrifying. Details like torture chairs, rattling chains, and decaying wallpaper add texture to an already oppressive setting.
There’s a lot of care put into lighting and color contrast, especially the recurring use of pink blankets as “safe zones” for Teddy. These small design choices are both functional and thematically resonant, reinforcing the tension between innocence and horror.
Hushed Voices and Hollow Floors Always Work
If there’s one area where Out of Sight goes above and beyond, it’s in its sound design. The game leans heavily on ambient audio to keep the player uneasy: creaking floors, doors slamming without warning, hushed voices just out of reach. Music is used sparingly, making every subtle sound pop. A trembling violin string or the ticking of a nervous wall clock can do more for the atmosphere than a sudden music cue ever could.
The voice acting is also surprisingly effective, as the villains in particular are unnerving—calm, composed, and clearly unwell—making every encounter feel dangerous even before anything actually happens.
A Fleeting Fright
Out of Sight isn’t a long game. Most players will see the end credits within three to four hours. For some, this may feel short, especially with the story leaving major questions unanswered. It’s easy to suspect that more narrative may be coming in the form of a sequel or DLC. That said, the experience feels mostly self-contained, and the emotional payoff, while subtle, does leave an impression.
Technically, the game runs well aside from a few hiccups. Minor texture clipping and control quirks aside, it’s a polished presentation for such an experimental concept.
Final Thoughts
Out of Sight may not redefine the horror genre, but it does bring a genuinely new perspective—literally and figuratively—to the table. Its core mechanic is clever, its atmosphere thick with dread, and its world design striking. While its short runtime, narrative gaps, and occasional control issues keep it from greatness, it’s still a satisfying, spooky journey well worth taking for fans of experimental indie horror. You won’t forget the feeling of being watched through the eyes of a stuffed bear—or the creeping suspicion that this house remembers everything you’ve done.
Additional Information
Release Date: May 22, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: The Gang
Publisher: Starbreeze Entertainment
Official Website: https://www.playoutofsight.com
Relevant Links: Out of Sight on STEAM
