If you’ve been around me at all—or if you haven’t been hiding away from the world—you’d know my aversion to horror games. It’s not the concept of horror itself, but those sudden jump scares that really don’t appeal to me. I dive into games seeking relaxation, not feeling the need to keep a fresh pair of boxers nearby! Despite this, I’ve found a soft spot for psychological horror. It manages to unsettle me just enough, which is what makes them intriguing to me. This brings us to a new psychological horror game known as DEAD LETTER DEPT. It’s set to creep up on your screens by the end of the month, and it promises to be a fascinating addition to the genre.
Coming to Steam on January 30th, DEAD LETTER DEPT. has certainly piqued my interest. In it, you play as a temp worker stuck in a postal warehouse. Your task? Handle the pile of undelivered mail that couldn’t reach its destination for a slew of reasons. And let’s just say poor handwriting is the least of your worries.
Now, in this game, your primary duty involves re-typing words and addresses to help these “dead letters” finally find their way. It’s supposed to be very straightforward, just basic data entry. But as you settle into the task, you begin to notice unsettling patterns in the mail. A gnawing suspicion creeps up—could it be that some of these letters are meant for you?
You’re isolated, buried in a dingy warehouse with nothing but the letters as a tether to the outside world. The more time you spend buried in the work, the more the lines blur between reality and something more dreamlike—and not in a pleasant way. As bizarre tales emerge from the letters, an eerie sensation of being watched takes over. Is maintaining this job, to keep a roof over your head, worth the mental turmoil?
DEAD LETTER DEPT. offers a unique typing adventure where you’ll delve into prompts, attempting to decipher what’s hidden behind damaged images. Through this, you’ll uncover the stories of those who lost these pieces of mail, unearthing many hidden secrets. No two sessions of the game will mirror each other, as the amount of mail to sort through is astonishing. Whether the thrill of piecing together these mysteries is worth the sense of unease is a question you’ll need to answer for yourself.
If the idea of rifling through other people’s mail intrigues you, keep an eye out for DEAD LETTER DEPT. It’s slated to drop fairly soon. If you’re eager to get a taste before the full release, there’s a demo ready for you on Steam. But if you’re like me and prefer the whole experience at once, just hang tight for a few weeks—it’ll be here soon enough.
