A horror film you play through
At Dead Of Night mixes live-action footage with graphics, so it reads like part horror film, part horror game and part ghost hunt. You play as Maya, a student trapped in a remote hotel run by Jimmy Hall. Jimmy has tied up Maya's friends and locked them in their rooms, and he is out looking for her. Maya has escaped, but she cannot free her friends until she uncovers Jimmy's dark secret. Expect investigation, mystery and a story that is told slowly rather than shouted at you.
How your group plays it together
The game is built around a single player controlling Maya, and the Steam feature Remote Play Together lets friends join in over the internet. One person owns and runs the game, and the rest tag along through the stream, watching the hotel, the ghosts and the hunt unfold while offering advice and calling out things you missed. Point-and-click style choices and investigation work well with a group crowd-sourcing ideas, since half the fun is arguing about which room to check next. It suits a Discord call where everyone can see the same screen and react to the scares together.
What to know before you start
Maya finds an ancient ghost voice receiver in the hotel. She uses it to speak with the ghosts of Jimmy's past, who appear around the building and gradually reveal their story, so listening and exploring matters as much as moving quickly. The supernatural tone, gothic setting and survival horror pacing mean the game leans on atmosphere and dread rather than constant action.
A few practical notes. The game's sound is synced to video, so some people notice audio latency that affects lip-sync; the developer suggests a Windows 11 setting change that can improve this. Two alternative versions are available through the Betas section of the game's properties in your library, one for Steam Deck and one updated for 2024, intended for use if the default download gives you trouble.