The House On The Hill Game

The House on the Hill is a linear gothic psychological horror game inspired by Shirley Jackson's novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Players assume the role of Nell Vance, who inherits the infamous Hill House after her mother's passing. As Nell delves into the mysteries surrounding the cursed estate, she unravels its dark secrets while confronting her own inner turmoil.

At the heart of the chilling narrative lies the tragic figure of Eleanor, the mysterious former mistress of Hill House. Eleanor's story unfolds as players explore the mansion's haunted corridors, revealing her torment and descent into madness. As the vengeful spirit of Eleanor roams the halls, players must confront her anger and uncover the truth behind her restless spirit.

The House on the Hill offers a gripping tale of horror and redemption, inviting players to confront their deepest fears within the confines of Hill House's haunted halls. Embark on a journey of discovery and despair as you unravel the secrets of the past and face the darkness that lurks within.

Game Structure:

Progress through the game in "days," each representing a week of in-game time, with escalating encounters and story developments.

Complete primary objectives to advance the main storyline and unlock new areas of Hill House.

Engage in optional secondary objectives to discover hidden resources and delve deeper into the house's history.

Graphics:

Explore the decaying beauty of Hill House's interior and the sprawling countryside of its estate, rendered in vibrant colors and stylized, medium-poly environments. Immerse yourself in the eerie ambiance of Hill House as you uncover its dark secrets and confront the restless spirits that dwell within.

Environment:

The primary location for gameplay takes place within Hill House itself. During the first day, Hill House appears to be an ordinary abandoned house. It takes inspiration from traditional Victorian architecture and décor, but is littered with remnants of the House’s previous occupants such as furniture, photographs, and diaries. As the player progresses in the game, the haunting gets more severe and parts of Hill House’s past manifest themselves in the present, which only Nell herself can see.

These visions of the past occur where the memories of the past are the strongest, lingering moments trapped by particularly powerful emotions and feelings. These glimpses of the past are limited to a single area of the House and serve as moments that propel the primary story forward. Once the moments are witnessed–the levels completed by the player–the area returns to how it looked upon the House’s completion in 1911.

Engine and Target Platform:

Developed in Unity, The House on the Hill is optimized for PC, offering advanced features like medium-polygon models and dynamic lighting effects. Unity enables the creation of immersive environments and engaging gameplay mechanics, ensuring a seamless experience for players. Dive into the haunting world of Hill House and uncover its secrets.

Development Background:

The House on the Hill is a post-graduate capstone project being developed by a team of post-graduate game level design and game design advanced programming students at Sheridan College with a co-op Sheridan artist. The total length of the game aims to be approximately 1.5hrs in length with five levels that make up the main quest and additional collectibles.