They’ve Arrived: Unearthly Abduction Terror is an oddly titled yet incredibly promising new independent horror game delving into the realm of alien abduction, and frankly, it’s about time!
The developers, a married couple, caught my attention on Twitter with news about They’ve Arrived. They mentioned that the demo has garnered a staggering 100,000 downloads and amassed over 15 million views on YouTube. While I cannot independently verify these statistics, the demo has undeniably gained significant popularity through videos created by esteemed YouTubers like Hollow, jacksepticeye, and others.
Intrigued by the buzz, I made the decision to experience the demo firsthand. It encompasses a prologue, set three decades prior to the game’s main events, as well as a snippet of gameplay from the present setting. I am ecstatic to share that both segments succeeded in frightening me beyond measure.
Some of my all-time favourite horror games revolve around the unnerving pursuit by extraterrestrial beings, notably Alien: Isolation, Dead Space, and Prey. However, I’ve longed for a game that explores an extraterrestrial encounter in a more familiar, domestic setting rather than the typical futuristic spacecraft scenarios that seem to dominate the genre. Being a great admirer of the movie Signs, I’ve always yearned for a game that captures that essence, where you’re an ordinary individual on Earth, terrorized by aliens.
After the disappointment of the Greyhill Incident, I had almost lost hope, but now They Are Here has reignited my interest in this intriguingly untapped concept. Without giving too much away, you assume the role of a journalist investigating reports of alien sightings on a farm. Both brief demos brilliantly employ lighting, including a night vision feature, to evoke a pervasive sense of despair in the face of these otherworldly menaces, against which you appear to possess no means of defence.
Based on my gameplay experience, They Are Here primarily focuses on exploration, as you uncover clues and capture photographs to document evidence of the alien presence, deviating from the more action-oriented games I mentioned earlier. It doesn’t seem to incorporate survival or puzzle elements at this stage, although that could change with the full game’s release. Regardless, I’m already adding it to my list of upcoming horror games to eagerly anticipate upon its launch, which, as of now, is confirmed solely for PC in 2024.
In the meantime, allow me to present a selection of the finest horror games you can indulge in tonight, provided you have the audacity to brave them in complete darkness.