Stairs

Stairs is an indie first-person psychological mystery horror game, inspired by real-life events. Players assume the role of Christopher Adams, a journalist investigating three distinct murder cases: Valerie Berkley, a high school student; James Reed, a businessman; and Jean Jowars Remens, a charismatic pastor. To uncover how these cases are connected and discover the truth, gameplay revolves entirely around exploring environments and using a photo camera to progress the storyline, find secret passages, and solve puzzles, all while experiencing a subtle, atmospheric horror punctuated by occasional jumpscares.

Stairs: A Descent into Sensationalism and the Shadows of Perception

In the crowded landscape of independent horror games, where jump scares often reign supreme and narrative depth sometimes takes a backseat, GreyLight Entertainment’s 2015 offering, Stairs, dared to tread a more cerebral path. More than just a first-person psychological horror experience, Stairs emerges as a chilling, albeit flawed, meditation on truth, perception, and the insidious power of narrative. Inspired by “real-life events” yet meticulously twisted into a harrowing meta-commentary, Stairs carves out a unique, unsettling niche, leveraging potent atmosphere and an ambitious thematic core to transcend its technical shortcomings and relatively brief runtime. It’s a game that asks players to descend not only into a physical abyss but also into the moral ambiguities of its protagonist, challenging the very stories we consume and create.

Development History & Context

Stairs was the brainchild of Swedish indie developer GreyLight Entertainment AB, a small team composed of eight key individuals. Design was handled by Joakim Lundström and Carl-Henrik Andersson, while artists Christopher Bjöörn, Filip Larsén, and Adrian Lång shaped the game’s visuals. Nils Ryborg contributed to both business aspects and sound design, a critical component of the game’s atmosphere, alongside Jacob Johnsson. Carolin Svensson was responsible for development and scripting, knitting together the game’s intricate narrative.

The studio’s vision for Stairs was clear from the outset: to deliver a psychological mystery horror game inspired by real-life events. This was not a mere gimmick but a foundational element that would later reveal itself as central to the game’s meta-narrative. The game aimed for “subtle horror with some jumpscares” rather than relying on overt combat. Indeed, the explicit decision to exclude weapons or direct fights against enemies underscored a commitment to atmospheric tension and psychological dread, drawing inspiration from genre titans like Silent Hill and the original Resident Evil titles, as noted by Brash Games. Adventure Gamers also alluded to influences from titles like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, while TechRaptor drew parallels with Outlast for its camera mechanic.

The game’s journey to release was not without its hurdles. An early online demo, released in 2013, teased its psychological first-person horror adventure elements, captivating early players. GreyLight Entertainment even turned to Kickstarter in 2015 to secure funding for the full commercial game, though the campaign was unsuccessful. Despite this setback, the developers persisted, delivering the game to market on September 28, 2015, for Microsoft Windows. The title had already garnered pre-release recognition, winning the “Guldchipset Estrella” popularity contest in 2014, signaling an early buzz around its unique premise. Releasing during a period flush with first-person indie horror titles, Stairs needed to stand out, and its reliance on exploration, puzzles, and a unique narrative device—the camera—was intended to do just that.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

At its core, Stairs presents a densely layered and deliberately disorienting narrative, designed to unravel the player’s perception of truth. Players assume the role of Christopher Adams, a freelance journalist hungry for a career-defining scoop. His investigation centers on the three-year disappearances of three seemingly unconnected individuals: Valerie Berkley, a high school student; James Reed, a young businessman; and Jean Jowars Remens, a charismatic pastor. Adams, driven by the lure of a sensational story, has already concocted his own version of events, believing Berkley was kidnapped and murdered by Reed and Remens.

The journey begins in an abandoned factory, where Adams quickly discovers a presumed body of Valerie Berkley. This initial discovery leads him into a sprawling underground complex. Here, the first significant disjunction between perception and reality occurs. Adams encounters what appears to be a trapped Valerie, only for her to hang herself as he attempts to free her, leaving cryptic clues on her clothing and the wall. This spectral Valerie then haunts Adams, manipulating the environment and offering warnings, blurring the line between ghost and hallucination.

The descent continues into a series of mine shafts, a “decaying industry motif.” Here, Adams unearths notes related to James Reed, hinting at a desperate struggle for survival. The atmosphere shifts from subtle dread to overt threat with the introduction of “humanoid beasts,” described by TechRaptor as akin to Until Dawn‘s wendigos, capable of inflicting instant death. Valarie’s ghostly form even actively impedes Adams’ progress. The objective here is mechanical: activate pumps to lower water levels, enabling escape via an elevator, all while evading these primal horrors and piecing together more of Reed’s tragic tale.

Upon escaping the factory and mines, Adams finds himself in an abandoned town, where the booming voice of Jean Jowars Remens guides him through three distinct “trials” that echo previous gameplay mechanics. It is in this segment that the game’s central thematic twist truly begins to solidify. Adams discovers that the town’s residents perished in a mass suicide, orchestrated by Remens for reasons initially unknown. The “beasts” from the factory appear here in a more docile form, subtly hinting at their true nature.

The climax of Stairs delivers its most profound revelation. As Adams navigates a final, familiar hallway, Remens’ voice directly confronts him, accusing Adams of “dehumanizing people” and “making them into monsters.” The terrifying truth is laid bare: the horrors Adams has witnessed are not simply paranormal phenomena but physical manifestations of his own sensationalist journalism, his guilt, and his distorted perception of reality.

• Valerie Berkley’s Story: Originally a mentally ill girl under her father’s care, Adams’ fabricated narrative sensationalized her disappearance by implying rape, incest, and imprisonment. The ghostly Valerie is a specter of his journalistic corruption.
• James Reed’s Story: A group of miners, including Reed, were trapped in a collapsed mine and died of starvation. Adams exaggerated this tragedy by adding elements of murder and cannibalism, a direct reference to the historical Donner Party incident. The “wendigos” are born from this twisted tale.
• Jean Jowars Remens’ Story: A group of terminal cancer patients chose to end their lives on their own terms, seeking peace outside society. Adams, however, portrayed Remens as a dangerous cult leader who coerced them into suicide, mirroring the Jonestown tragedy.

The game concludes with Adams surrounded by numerous clones of Valerie, each frozen in a different pose, a final, chilling tableau of his victims. Another set of stairs appears, and the game abruptly ends, with the implication that Adams’ “punishment is not over yet.” This ending, while critiqued by some for its suddenness (ZTGameDomain, Metacritic user AstiX), is a powerful meta-narrative stroke, turning the horror inward and casting the player-character as the true antagonist.

Thematically, Stairs is a profound critique of journalistic ethics and the sensationalism of media. It explores the dangerous line between reporting facts and fabricating narratives for profit, and the psychological toll such distortion can take. The disjointed and disorienting nature of the plot, often criticized by reviewers, becomes integral to the experience, mirroring Adams’ fractured psyche and the unreliability of his perception. The game’s real-life inspirations are cleverly recontextualized, not as source material for traditional horror, but as tragic events corrupted by the protagonist’s narrative choices, making Stairs a bold, thought-provoking entry in the genre.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Stairs operates primarily as a first-person exploration game, a common characteristic of psychological horror titles, where the environment itself is a primary source of dread. The core gameplay loop revolves around navigating increasingly eerie environments, uncovering clues, and solving puzzles to progress the story.

The most distinctive and innovative mechanic in Stairs is the camera. Far from a mere visual tool, it serves multiple critical functions:
* Story Progression: Players must take photos of specific “places of interest” or supernatural elements, which are then logged in a journal. This action directly triggers storyline advancements, making the camera an active agent in unfolding the narrative.
* Puzzle Solving: The camera is essential for solving many puzzles. It can reveal hidden passages, secret doors, invisible messages, and even levers that are otherwise imperceptible to the naked eye. This mechanic forces players to constantly engage with their surroundings through the lens of the camera.

While innovative, the camera mechanic was not without its minor criticisms. TechRaptor noted it suffered from the “Outlast problem,” where the lack of a battery or limited usage meant players could constantly keep it equipped, potentially diminishing the intended tension of resource management. Furthermore, the camera could be “picky about the angle and distance,” leading to frustration when trying to capture a vital clue.

Stairs distinctly lacks traditional combat. “There are no weapons, no fight against enemies or monsters,” as the official description states. Instead, the game emphasizes survival horror through evasion and stealth. In certain segments, particularly the mine, players encounter “humanoid beasts” (wendigos) which, if alerted by contact, loud noise, or even camera use, can result in instant death. This necessitates a strategic approach, where crouching to move slower and avoid detection becomes a vital survival tactic. GameWatcher noted that while stealth stalwarts might appreciate these “do or die” moments, others might be frustrated by the instant death penalties.

Puzzles are a significant component of the gameplay. Reviewers praised their decent construction and variety, ranging from fixing pressure valves to decoding safe combinations. However, some critics, including GameWatcher and TechRaptor, felt that puzzles occurred “too few and far between,” leading to inconsistent pacing and periods of aimless wandering without significant scares or challenges.

The User Interface (UI) primarily consists of a journal where collected photos and some clues are stored, marking progress. However, GameWatcher pointed out an oddity: not all puzzle clues were recorded in the journal, sometimes necessitating players to take real-life notes, which could detract from immersion.

Movement mechanics are relatively simple, offering basic walking, a “spirited jog” for sprinting, and a crouch option. However, GameWatcher criticized the protagonist’s “general lack of athleticism,” noting an inability to overcome seemingly trivial knee-high obstacles, which could impede exploration and break immersion.

Finally, a notable drawback cited across multiple reviews was the presence of technical issues. Bugs ranged from getting stuck in environments (TechRaptor, 4Players.de) and random game crashes (Twinfinite, TechRaptor) to problematic lighting and shadowing that rendered objects completely black (GameWatcher, Twinfinite). These technical glitches, combined with sometimes lengthy loading and rendering times, were significant detractors, often pulling players out of the meticulously crafted atmosphere.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Stairs excels in creating a pervasive sense of dread, largely due to its compelling world-building and exceptional audiovisual presentation. The game guides players through a series of distinct yet interconnected environments, each contributing to the overarching narrative of Adams’ twisted perception. These settings include an abandoned factory with a vast underground complex, claustrophobic mine shafts (described as a “decaying industry motif”), and an eerie, abandoned forest town leading to rooms that strangely resemble the mines. IndieDB notes that each level is “its own story set in its own place different from all others and yet connected,” providing an “anthology approach” that keeps the experience fresh, according to Adventure Gamers.

The atmosphere is consistently praised as the game’s strongest suit. MobyGames’ official description highlights gameplay “completely based on exploring the environments,” creating a “subtle horror with some jumpscares.” Reviewers echoed this, calling it “incredibly atmospheric” (TechRaptor), featuring “gorgeous atmospheres” and “creeping dread” (Twinfinite, GameWatcher). Polygon’s hands-on mentioned “creepy atmosphere and a P.T.-like stairwell that never seems to end,” a powerful evocation of psychological unease.

Visually, the game presents a mixed bag. Twinfinite praised its “gorgeous atmospheres” and well-designed, detailed environments, while Adventure Gamers acknowledged the “beautiful” worlds created. However, GameWatcher offered a more critical perspective, describing some environments, particularly the warehouses and mines, as “bland and largely generic locations with sparse environments, tons of locked doors that lead nowhere, frequently duplicated assets.” This disparity in environmental detail suggests an unevenness in visual execution. Technical problems like “bizarre texture and light issues” and “pitch-black environmental pieces where shadows have consumed objects” were also noted by Twinfinite and GameWatcher, detracting from the overall aesthetic polish.

Where Stairs truly shines is in its sound design. Nils Ryborg and Jacob Johnsson are credited for their work, with Ryborg even sharing insights into “data bending” techniques used to generate eerie audio. This meticulous approach pays off dramatically. GameWatcher lauded the “masterful audiovisual presentation” and “stellar sound design” that “brilliantly accompanies the on-screen action.” Twinfinite described it as “top-notch sound and music design” that “pull players in and play with their nerves.” The careful implementation of sound effects—soft scratching from behind locked doors, metallic creaks, scratching echoes, and a musical score that “gradually ratchets up to dreadful crescendo”—all contribute profoundly to the sense of dread and tension. TechRaptor summarized it best: “The music and sound-mixing, pacing, all blows the atmosphere out of the park.” This dynamic soundscape, as Adventure Gamers pointed out, is expertly used to deliver scares and maintain an unsettling ambiance, making sound perhaps the most consistent and effective element in the game’s overall design.

Reception & Legacy

Upon its release on September 28, 2015, Stairs garnered a “Mixed or Average” reception from critics. MobyGames reported an average critic score of 71% based on seven ratings, while Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 65 based on six reviews. Player reception, based on limited data (one player rating on MobyGames with 4.2/5, and ten user ratings on Metacritic averaging 5.8/10), also suggested a somewhat mixed sentiment.

Critics highlighted several strengths:
* Atmosphere and Sound Design: Nearly universally praised as the game’s strongest points. Brash Games called it a “pretty solid and well presented Indie game” with “good use of sound effects to build the tension.” TechRaptor declared it an “incredibly atmospheric horror experience,” with “amazing atmosphere in not one but three different environments.”
* Narrative Ambition: While often disorienting, the underlying plot and its meta-commentary on journalism were seen as intelligent and unique. ZTGameDomain commended its “extremely interesting premise and some solid ideas.” Twinfinite found the “disjointed and disorienting” story to feed “the thematic piece very well.” Metacritic user AstiX noted it “starts out like a classic cliché horror game, but later develops into something much deeper and more complex.”
* Psychological Horror: The game’s reliance on subtle dread over cheap jump scares resonated with many. TechRaptor specifically praised its ability to create fear “without necessitating jump scares, gore, or shock.” 4Players.de called it “a small ray of hope” in the indie horror landscape, praising its balance of “exploration, puzzles, suspense and dramatic getaways.”
* Camera Mechanic: Its innovative use as a progression and puzzle-solving tool was recognized as a unique selling point.

However, significant criticisms tempered the positive feedback:
* Technical Issues: Bugs, crashes, environmental glitches (like objects getting stuck), and poor lighting/shadowing were frequently cited problems (Twinfinite, 4Players.de, TechRaptor, GameWatcher). These often broke immersion and led to frustration.
* Short Length and Pacing: At approximately three hours, the game was considered brief (ZTGameDomain, Adventure Gamers). Some reviewers also noted inconsistent pacing, with periods of effective horror interspersed with moments of aimless wandering due to sparse puzzles (GameWatcher).
* Bland Environments: While atmospheres were praised, the visual design of some areas (e.g., warehouses, mines) was criticized for being generic and lacking imagination (GameWatcher).
* Narrative Execution Flaws: Despite the ambitious premise, the “disjointed” nature of the story sometimes made it “tough to follow” (Twinfinite), and some felt the ending, though impactful, lacked sufficient buildup for the protagonist’s character arc (TechRaptor, Metacritic user AstiX).

Commercial reception was modest, as expected for an indie title released at a $12.99 price point. Its presence on MobyGames and Steam, along with a few dozen players collecting it, suggests a niche audience.

Stairs‘s legacy is perhaps more thematic than commercial or widely influential. Its influence isn’t seen in direct gameplay imitation but in its courageous attempt to imbue horror with deeper, socio-critical meaning. TechRaptor lauded its unique turn, stating it was “the first horror game I’ve ever seen where being a journalist actually turns out an important factor in the story,” and even suggested it could be “required play for all journalists.” Its anthology approach, while sometimes leading to disjointedness, was seen as adding variety and preventing the overuse of horror tropes (Adventure Gamers). Stairs stands as an example of an indie game willing to tackle complex themes, using the medium of horror to critique the sensationalist tendencies of media and challenge players’ perceptions of truth, even if its execution was imperfect.

Conclusion

Stairs is a game that defies simple classification, much like the deceptive narratives it scrutinizes. GreyLight Entertainment delivered a psychological mystery horror experience that, at its best, is profoundly unsettling and intellectually engaging. Its meticulously crafted atmosphere, propelled by stellar sound design and a constant sense of creeping dread, remains its crowning achievement, successfully drawing players into a world where fear is often born from anticipation rather than overt threats. The innovative camera mechanic, integral to both progression and puzzle-solving, offers a fresh approach to exploration-based gameplay, making the player an active participant in uncovering, and perhaps even constructing, the truth.

However, the game’s ambition occasionally outstripped its execution. Technical glitches, ranging from frustrating bugs and crashes to inconsistent visual polish in its environments, frequently broke the immersive spell Stairs worked so hard to cast. Its short runtime and sometimes uneven pacing also left some critics wishing for a more sustained and cohesive experience.

Yet, it is in its narrative—a bold, meta-commentary on journalistic sensationalism and the malleability of truth—that Stairs solidifies its place in video game history. By forcing players to embody a protagonist whose fabricated narratives literally manifest as monstrous horrors, the game delivers a powerful, thought-provoking critique rarely seen in the genre. It leverages real-world tragedies not for cheap scares but as a foundation for a chilling exploration of human perception and responsibility.

Ultimately, Stairs is a qualified success. It may be a short, occasionally unpolished descent, but it’s one that promises genuine psychological terror and a thematic depth that lingers long after the credits roll. For enthusiasts of atmospheric horror and those who appreciate games that challenge traditional storytelling, Stairs offers a compelling, albeit imperfect, journey into the shadows of human consciousness and the terrifying power of a narrative unleashed. It is a reminder that sometimes, the greatest monsters are not found in the dark, but are born from the stories we tell.