A heist gone wrong
Dark Hours puts you and up to three friends in the shoes of a crew of robbers who picked the wrong building on the wrong night. Right after you break in, the power cuts out and it becomes clear something else is inside with you. The plan is dead: the monster that has taken over the place is hunting you, and the only goal left is to get out alive. It plays in first person and leans on atmosphere, stealth and the tension of not knowing where the thing is. The store text also flags flashing lights, so keep photosensitivity in mind before starting.
Playing it as a group
The game is built for 1-4 players online, and cooperation is the core of it. Your crew moves through the building together, solving puzzles and minigames, deactivating lasers and security cameras, and splitting up the loot you find. There are 12+ mission objectives to work through, from stealing artifacts and destroying evidence to blowing up the building and escaping with the jackpot, so there is usually something concrete to aim for on any run. You can also choose to be sneaky: every careless step can draw the monsters to you. Between runs you build reputation with 3 mafia factions, which unlocks gear from a pool of 50+ heist items — hacking tools, EMPs, scanners, cameras, teleporters, tasers and more — plus 100+ customization items to dress your character.
Before you start
Expect variety between sessions. There are 5 environments to explore — an auction house, a museum, a casino, a power plant and a cruise ship — and 8 unique monsters, each with its own abilities, strengths and weaknesses, so what worked last time may not work this time. Four difficulty levels are available, including a Nightmare Mode, if the standard run turns out too forgiving. The tone mixes genuine horror with the absurdity of a botched heist, and the game lets you share the loot with your crew or steal it and get out on your own — surviving together is encouraged, but not required.