The Stranger
IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED YOU PLAY THIS GAME WITH HEADPHONES
C o n t r o l s
WASD - Move
E - Interact
Right Mouse Button - Step Away / Exit Puzzle
F - Toggle Flashlight
P - Pause
S e t u p
After waking up, hands bound tightly behind your back, you're greeted by an unfamiliar face. His heavy breathing and threatening stance are enough for you to know he's up to no good. Get out of there, before he decides to stop playing with his food.
G a m e p l a y
The stranger has business to attend to, but that doesn't mean he's gonna leave you alone for long. Search your surroundings for clues. Anything that might get you just a little bit closer to getting out of that rotten garage and into the daylight. Use items together, find environmental clues to crack codes, but just remember to always leave things as you found them, or else.
D e v e l o p e r ' s N o t e s
There's many things about this game I wish were different and ideas I wish I had done, but it's another case of starting with constraints due to a jam, and then having to build a game, still with those constraints, even though you missed the deadline. I was gonna go for a much darker tone, where you'd lose a finger each time you got caught, with nasty, realistic sound effects and all. A really cold game. Though, I don't hate the humorous approach I took instead. If I ever "remaster" this game, I'll be sure to do it the colder way. It looks a lot cooler in my head. I think that's all I want to say about this game specifically. I'm just happy to be done with it really. I have no shame about it like I do Home Alone, though I won't think much more of it.
I actually want to take a step back from grungy, PSX horror for at least 1 game. All my WIP projects are PSX horror and it gets a bit tiring. I love it, but I wanna make something a little more whimsical or colorful just to switch it up a bit. I also have a nasty habit of focusing on games built around a narrative, despite not wanting to be a narrative designer. Or maybe I do? If I do, it's subconscious.
No, I need to start making games with actual addictive gameplay. Games that just feel right, no matter how crap they are visually or how bad their narrative is. Those can all be afterthoughts.
I'm done with university until September rolls around, so if I really bust my ass, I could make maximum 2 new games! That's more games than I release in a year. Imagine... Anyway, have a good day y’all. Remember, you're young and live in a time with instant access to any and all information. Don’t waste that while you have it. Learn new skills, try new hobbies. Don’t waste your creativity on TikTok and Marvel Rivals. Toodles!
Download
Install instructions
1. Download the .zip file
2. Extract the game contents
3. Run "The Stranger.exe" (Click "More Info" -> "Run Anyway" if prompted)
4. GTFO
Development log
- Thanks + My Freesound.org pageJul 30, 2025
Comments
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I will happily take a 7.5
Glad you had fun, thanks for playing.
Lol that whole rating idea was so goofy.
You wake up trapped in a strange place, unable to speak, a mask covering your face, and no clue how you got there. You’re not alone. Something—or someone—is watching you. The Stranger is a psychological horror experience where every sound matters and every step could be your last.
Cool video. Thanks for playing.
this is a fun, quick game (and i am terrible under pressure and was able to still do the puzzles lol)
Hey you still beat the game 👏 Good luck with your YT and thank you for playing.
Very good short horror game that requires good attention to detail. I absolutely LOVED the ending. Well done!
I made a video on your game if you're interested :)Cool video dud. I like your energy. Always fun watching people's thought process when they play.
I appreciate that my friend! Thanks for watching it!
I'm glad you enjoyed it. More stuff on the way.
You're welcome! Thank you for creating this game.
Awesome game! I had a lot of fun playing it. It's really well made, and I enjoyed finding all the clues without getting caught. Can't wait to see more games from you! 🥰
Very glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for playing 🫰More games coming soon.
A great little escape room game. Keeps you on edge a lot of the time. Very well made!
Thanks for playing 👊
This was excellent! I had fun with this. The build up of the tension, because you knew you didnt have a long time before The Stranger came back. There were moments where I thought he was going to attack because like the wrench was missing, flashlight, clock was clean.. and the vent. It would've added to the difficulty ahah. Was there other ways to complete? and also, what was the bottle from the vent for?
Here is my gameplay!
Cool video! Glad you enjoyed the game. I considered having pickups contribute to suspicion but decided against it to make things easier for me and the player. The alcohol is combined with the rag to clean the clock. It's never stated explicitly but items are subtly removed from the inventory once used. Currently there's only one way to beat the game. Could change in the future, who knows? Thanks for playing 🙏
Amazing game, loved the parts when the bag is on my head , and I can see through the fabric !! Nice work!
Well I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for playing 🙏
Pretty good at keeping tension up, it's a nice little puzzle game though I have no idea how I solved the lock puzzle. Also, that payoff was fantastic.
Thanks for playing. I was worried almost nobody would solve the lock puzzle based on play testing but everyone in the comments has got it so far, so I guess it's not too complicated. Glad you enjoyed 🙏
NICE
"The Stranger" ;)
🧍
The game was really interesting! The key puzzle was tricky at first, but solving it felt super satisfying. It made me think, and I really enjoyed it overall.
It's good to see people solving the puzzles after some rocky playtesting. Thanks again for playing 🙏
Thrilling experience, intense and definitely anxiety inducing - well done!
The puzzle elements of the game were simple, yet gave some food for a thought at times. The atmosphere was amazing, especially for a game set in a single location. I would love to see the continuation of the main character's story or maybe have an additional project dedicated to the kidnapper. Overall - this was solid!
Best of luck with the future games!
Very kind words, thank you. While it is a finished game, and I'm unsure if I'll revisit its characters or story, I did consider the possibility of doing so during development and purposefully left the ending a bit open-ended for a potential continuation down the line. As of right now though, I'm gonna try to diversify my portfolio with different genres of games with different settings and aesthetics. Thanks for playing.
Fun little escape room romp!
Cool video, thank you for playing. I'm happy to see you made it to the end, and I'll be sure to use the feedback well. Have a good one ✌️
My pleasure! Thanks for watching :)
The game is really interesting! I had a bit of trouble understanding the key puzzle at first — maybe a small hint or sound cue could help. Still, it was satisfying once I figured it out!
Thanks for playing! I'm gonna take some time to rework the key puzzle, appreciate the feedback. 👍