VR Horror · 2023

DARKENSUM

Role

Game Designer · Level Designer

Studio

LDLC VR Studio

Platform

VR Arcade (Pod)

Year

2023

35K

Minutes played

1–4

Players co-op

30min

Session length

Darkensum is a mystery-horror VR experience set in an abandoned shopping mall where unexplained disappearances have left the space frozen in a permanent unease. Players investigate the mall together, uncovering what happened to the people who never came out.

Atmosphere over jumpscares

The design brief was clear: build dread without leaning on jumpscares. I focused on spatial tension instead, designing sightlines, lighting, and audio cues that keep the player anxious without ever paying off cheaply. The mall layout was reworked multiple times to maximize moments of doubt at corners and doorways.

Co-op horror pacing

Designing horror for 1 to 4 players means the same scene has to land differently depending on group size. A solo player needs more environmental support, while a group of four needs targeted moments that pull individuals away from the safety of the pack.

Group horror only works when the design respects the social dynamic. The scariest moment in a four-player session isn't a scare, it's the silence right after one player decides to step into the next room alone.