Digging Hours

Digging Hours is a short first-person horror experience built around a single task: unearthing two graves in the dark with only a flashlight and a shovel. You’re not alone—another character works beside you, but their presence does little to reduce the tension. The entire game takes place at a remote dig site surrounded by fog and silence, broken only by distant sounds and sudden interruptions. The goal seems simple, but the deeper you dig, the more unstable the situation becomes.

Pacing, Controls, and Player Role

Gameplay lasts roughly ten minutes, with movement and interaction tied to basic inputs. Players use W, A, S, D to navigate, E to interact, and Shift to sprint. The digging is triggered by clicking, but interruptions force players to shift between tasks quickly. Loud, sudden noises, brief visual distortions, and atmospheric pressure escalate as the digging continues. The game doesn’t overload the player with information—there’s no HUD, no map, and no written objective beyond finishing the job.

Core Features of Digging Hours

Compact runtime with focused environmental horror
Dialogue-free narrative delivered through visual tension
Basic combat input with a single attack button
Sound-driven fear mechanics and dynamic lighting
Designed for single-session, immersive play

Shifts in Atmosphere and Threat

As the graves reach their final layers, the atmosphere tightens. Visual elements distort, and sounds become less random and more deliberate. The presence beside you grows quiet or behaves unusually. What felt like a background task slowly transforms into something hostile. The horror doesn’t come from sudden attacks but from space and silence behaving incorrectly. The player is forced to rely on subtle environmental changes to anticipate what’s coming, even when nothing appears directly.

Conclusion and Lasting Effect

Digging Hours is designed to be played in one sitting, delivering its fear through suggestion and control. It doesn’t stretch itself with lore or collectibles—just a single tense situation carried by sound design, pacing, and a sense of inevitable threat. The experience is short, but its minimalism amplifies impact. What begins as a basic job in the dirt ends with more questions than answers, leaving players with an image and a sound they won’t forget.