The Gray Man comes knocking on Windows PC

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Surreal black-and-white slideshow-style adventure experienced from the point of view of a serial killer

Every adventure game protagonist has a tendency to break some rules when the situation warrants, often at the urging of the player controlling them. However, the stakes are much higher and the crimes much more violent in Richard Haraším's newly released The Gray Man, in which it'll be up to you to serve as the conscience of a serial killer.

Events are viewed directly through the killer's own eyes, with players forced to watch his "horrific acts of murder and loss of control" as he capitulates to another voice inside his head known as "The Whisperer." But you are more than a mere spectator yourself, as you will also be "confronted with different perceptions and interpretations of the killer's inner world" as he tries to make sense of what is happening to him. As his conscience, your control over the man is limited at first, but by making the "right" choices, you can gain influence in helping him see the evil in his actions and ultimately silencing The Whisperer for good – or not, if you decide that self-preservation is the preferred option.

The Gray Man is presented in a suitably gray art style, a largely monochromatic pixel art aesthetic designed to look like raw, edgy hand sketches that's not for the faint of heart, displaying such content as "violent scenes, murder, suicide themes, dead bodies and nudity." As you explore the killer's real world using either a mouse or gamepad, you'll need to find items that trigger "specific memories and traumas" and solve puzzles taking place in his subconscious along the way. The story and gameplay mechanics will vary according to who is currently in control, whether the killer himself, his wicked manipulator, or you as his conscience. The game is projected to take between 4-6 hours to complete, with multiple possible endings depending on your choices, some of which will open up "minor side paths" with hidden locations and optional interactions, making the challenge "slightly" easier or harder.

The Gray Man is now available on Steam for Windows PC, along with a demo if you'd like to try it out first, offering a tutorial and a choice of two different difficulties.

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