u/BlacksmithPlayful514 — reddlx

I'm currently working on a co-op horror game and one question keeps coming up during development: how much combat is too much before a horror game just stops being scary?

I feel like Outlast and later Resident Evil games sit at opposite extremes of this, but there's a huge middle ground in between that I find way more interesting — and way harder to get right.

Co-op makes it even trickier. The moment you add a second player, the dynamic shifts. You're not alone anymore, which already softens a lot of the dread.

So I'm genuinely asking for input here: what's your experience? Is there a game that nailed the balance, or one where you felt the fear disappear the moment you got too powerful? And do you think co-op horror can even work, or does playing with someone else always water it down?

Hey everyone,

I'll be honest - 6 months ago I had never opened Unity. I'm a first-year computer science student with zero game development background, and I decided to build a multiplayer horror game. Probably not the smartest decision, but here we are.

What is The Double: Last Watch?

A co-op horror game for 2-4 players set in post-apocalyptic New York City. You and your crew are the last subway conductors still running the underground. Every night you pull out of base, stop at stations, and decide who gets on.

The twist - creatures called The Doubles have infiltrated the survivors. They look human. They talk human. But something is always slightly off.

Your job: study the passengers, question them, check their hands, look into their eyes. One wrong decision and whatever you let on board will make sure nobody reaches the next stop.

Inspired by "Lethal Company" and "No, I'm Not a Human" - but with you as the active gatekeeper.

Where are we?

Roughly 35-40% toward a playable demo. Still a long way to go, but the core loop is taking shape.

No Steam page yet -I'm currently setting up my indie studio legally (PFA in Romania) and plan to launch the page this summer once the paperwork is done. Doing this properly from the start.

This is your game too.

I want this to feel like a community project, not just mine. If you have ideas -mechanics, lore, enemy behaviors, anything - drop them in the comments. The best suggestions will be implemented and credited in the game. Your name in the credits, for real.

How many stops until it's too late?