| First release version | Fears to Fathom: Home Alone |
|---|---|
| First release date | 2 July 2021 |
| Developer | Mukul Negi |
| Publisher | RayllStudios |
| Latest release date | 12 September 2024 |
| Latest release version | Fears to Fathom: Woodbury Getaway |
| Genre | |
| Platforms | |
| Composer | Nathan Hall |
Fears to Fathom is a horror franchise centered on a series of episodic anthology-style psychological horror video games created and published by Indian game developer Mukul Negi (under the pseudonym Rayll).
The first five main games (Home Alone, Norwood Hitchhike, Carson House, Ironbark Lookout, and Woodbury Getaway) were all developed from 2021 to 2024 by RayllStudios, an independent development studio founded by Negi, and received critical acclaim.
Overview
Main series
Home Alone (2021)
The first installment in the series follows a 14-year-old boy named Miles, who is home alone while his parents are out town for work.[1]
Norwood Hitchhike (2022)
The second installment in the series follows Holly Gardner as she drives on the interstate towards the Norwood Valley. However, she comes up on several abnormalities and is forced to reside in a nearby motel.[2]
Carson House (2023)
The third installment in the series follows a young man named Noah Baker as he becomes caught in a conflict while house-sitting for a media personality.[3] It was released in January 2023 for Microsoft Windows.[3][4]
Scratch Creek (2026)
The sixth installment in the series follows Tessa and Marcus as they attempt to submit their own story after witnessing an episode of Fears to Fathom.[5]
Development
Concept and influences
Development for Fears to Fathom began around July 2021 with the creation of its first installment, Fears to Fathom: Home Alone.[1][6] Indian developer Mukul Negi had revealed to IGN India that while working as a solo game developer, he had one "major challenge", which was dealing with a lack of personal motivation while creating the Fears to Fathom. Negi also revealed his struggles during the making of the game, and how he almost gave up on releasing the franchise's first episode. He highlighted that he realized game developers are never really "a good judge of their own games".[7] Negi published the game under his game development studio, RayllStudios, which consisted of him and the Fears to Fathom's composer, Nathan Hall. He would also announce a co-op video game titled Fears to Fathom Together. Negi said that as new episodes came out, visual, gameplay and graphic designs would gradually improve.[7] The Fears to Fathom episodes are known to draw influence from real survival experiences submitted by its players.[8] The story of the second installment, Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike,[9] was also conceived by Negi, and centers on a 19-year-old girl that experiences abnormalities while driving down the interstate to Norwood Valley. The Fears to Fathom soundtracks featured songs scored by composer Nathan Hall; includes music in the downtempo and chill-hop genres.
Reception and legacy
The Fears to Fathom franchise has been generally positive reviews and praised for how it based its game off of the real-life survival stories of players,[8] while other critics had criticized the game's pacing.[4] Ariel Chloe Mann at GamerGrin wrote that Fears to Fathom: Carson House was a "pretty cool mystery" and wasn't "very boring" as the narrative progressed.[4] While The Lineup's Michael J. Seidlinger said that it was "how effectively the game portrays [...] real-world survival stories" that made it "such a scary experience".[8]
Fears to Fathom was cited as an influence for the 2024 stealth horror game, Christmas Mutilator.[10]
References
- ^ Shepard, Kenneth (2021-09-18). "Fears to Fathom: Home Alone". Kotaku. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
- ^ Zwiezen, Zack (2022-01-06). "Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike". Kotaku. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
- ^ "Fears to Fathom: Carson House". Kotaku. 2022-09-06. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
- ^ Mann, Ariel Chloe (2023-07-17). "Fears to Fathom: Carson House Review". GameGrin. Archived 2024-08-03 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ "Fears to Fathom: Scratch Creek". Kotaku. 2025-06-10. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
- ^ "Fears to Fathom - Home Alone" (in en-in). IGN India. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ "Games Made in India: Rayll Studios Founder Talks About Fears to Fathom, the Hit Horror Video Game" (in en-in). IGN India. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ Seidlinger, Michael (2022-04-12). "8 of the Scariest Video Games No One Has Ever Heard Of". The Lineup. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ C, Anna (2022-01-17). "Fears to Fathom Showcases Terrifying Real-Life Horror Stories". GameRant. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ Wilson, Mike (December 10, 2024). "Stealth Horror Game ‘Christmas Mutilator’ Coming to Steam on December 20". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved May 28, 2026.