Netflix is expanding its gaming slate with Unhinged, an immersive interactive thriller that transforms your smartphone into your only lifeline as you attempt to survive a terrifying night trapped inside a dark apartment building.
Launching exclusively on Netflix on June 30th, Unhinged comes from Night School Studio, the acclaimed developers behind Oxenfree and Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, delivering a cinematic horror experience that blends narrative storytelling with innovative second-screen gameplay.
Players step into the shoes of Ava, voiced by Zoë Kravitz, who finds herself stranded inside her apartment building after a Category 5 hurricane cuts the power. While the storm rages outside, a far more sinister threat lurks within the building itself. With the stairwell mysteriously locked, unsettling signs coming from neighbouring apartments, and an unseen presence stalking the halls, Ava’s sanctuary quickly becomes a prison.
Her only connection to the outside world comes through her smartphone, allowing her to communicate with her best friend Claire, voiced by Sadie Sink, and the building’s superintendent Ben, voiced by renowned video game actor Troy Baker (The Last of Us, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle).
Unlike traditional games, Unhinged uses your own phone as both controller and storytelling device. After selecting the game from the Netflix Games row, players simply scan an on-screen QR code to sync their smartphone. Physical movements with the phone control Ava’s flashlight as players search darkened rooms, while incoming calls and text messages ring, vibrate and play directly through the phone itself, creating a uniquely immersive horror experience as environmental audio fills the television.
Players can choose between two distinct ways to experience the story. Story Mode removes the pressure of timers and death, allowing players to focus purely on the unfolding mystery. Standard Mode, meanwhile, raises the stakes considerably, requiring quick reactions during life-or-death encounters where every second counts. Fail to locate the correct object before the timer expires, and Ava won’t survive – though players restart from the most recent checkpoint rather than beginning from scratch.
Adding to the game’s cinematic atmosphere is an acclaimed creative team. Award-winning composer Jason Hill (Mindhunter, Gone Girl) provides the haunting score, while legendary sound designer Ren Klyce (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) crafts the immersive audio landscape, making headphones – or a loud television setup – highly recommended.
Unhinged launches exclusively on Netflix from June 30th and is included with all Netflix memberships at no additional cost, with no advertisements or in-game purchases required. All players need is a Netflix account, a smartphone, and enough courage to survive the night.
