Yomawari’s save system also adds to the tension. The most important aspect of the game is its sound It serves as a sort of radar system when you’re hiding in a bush, you wait for the heartbeat to die down before you can leave. When a monster is nearby, you’ll hear a loud thumping of the little girl’s heart pounding in your ears. You rarely hear music at all instead, the streets are largely quiet save for the chirping of crickets and the hideous whispers of the undead.

The most important aspect of the game, though, is its sound. A bouncing ball in a deserted playground, or a huge spurt of blood erupting from a sewer grate. There are plenty of other creepy moments as well. At one point I climbed up a set of stairs, only to find a swarm of giant eyeballs descend on me. They range from tall, wispy black ghosts that look ripped out of Spirited Away, to invisible spirits that leave a trail of bloody footprints when they chase you. For one, the monster designs are fantastic. The game does a lot of smart things to make these encounters as terrifying as possible. But when she leaves her house, she realizes that the world outside has changed the streets and buildings are the same, but they’re imbued with a sense of menace. Alone in the dark, the girl decides to find her sister and dog by venturing out into the streets late at night. Very quickly the two become separated - the scene is shocking, especially given how early it happens - and the girl heads home, where her big sister agrees to go look for the dog. The game starts with a young girl taking her dog out for a walk at night. For such a cute, simple game, Yomawari is incredibly frightening. But once you start playing - preferably with the lights off and headphones on - it becomes immediately clear.

It stars a cute little girl with a big red bow in her hair, and it features a charming 2D art style that gives it the feel of a pleasant modern-day anime.

Just looking at Yomawari: Night Alone, a survival horror game available on Steam and PlayStation Vita, it’s hard to imagine how it could be scary.

Yomawari night alone gameplay