The Silence After

About

The Silence After is a single player strategy game with a horror theme. It was developed by Vancouver Film School and was released on December 4, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

**A student team project designed to deliver a ~10 minute experience. The Silence After is a first-person atmospheric horror experience where you step into the role of a survivor wandering through the ruins of a world swallowed by stillness. Drawn forward by a faint and intermittent distress signal, you must navigate an apocalyptic landscape using only touch, intuition, and your rare synesthetic …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 54 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

optimization1 negative mentions

Unique and innovative echolocation mechanic that offers a fresh gameplay experience.
Impressive visual style and atmosphere that effectively enhance the horror elements.
High-quality sound design and voice acting contribute to immersion and storytelling.

Game is very short, resulting in a rushed narrative and limited character development.
Monster AI is weak and easily circumvented, which reduces challenge and tension.
Performance issues and poor optimization cause significant framerate drops.

gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The gameplay features a unique echolocation mechanic that offers an interesting twist on navigation and atmosphere, praised for its visual and audio design. However, many feel the mechanic is underutilized and too easy to exploit, making it feel more like a proof of concept than a fully developed, engaging experience. Some players enjoyed the fresh, dynamic feel, but overall the gameplay can feel rushed and somewhat incomplete.
- “I love the core gameplay of the game, visuals, dynamics; it feels like a fresh and attractive formula that will make me revisit it plenty of times. A very good game to start this December.”
- “Loved the visuals, and super unique mechanic with the echolocation very well done!”
- “I love the gameplay, which is a good idea, and the good communication with the player to understand how to navigate the level using only sound waves.”
- “I would praise it for the fact that to see where you are going requires you to make noise with the downside that making noise attracts the monsters, but it's so pitifully easy to avoid the monsters that it just leaves the mechanic feeling more like a nuisance than anything.”
- “It felt more like a proof of concept rather than a full game. I don't mean that it's short (although it is), but the mechanic of sound detection is not used in imaginative ways; it's more of a feature that is there and it works, and you don't get much else out of it.”
- “And the gameplay does not only feel too rushed, but some of the mechanics feel a bit weird too.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
Users consistently praise the game's graphics for being immersive, unique, and visually appealing, often highlighting the distinct art style and well-executed visual effects. The environment and design contribute significantly to the overall atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience and making the gameplay feel fresh and engaging.
- “One of the most unique games I've played in a long time, with stellar graphics and dread-inducing audio. If you have a free afternoon and want a burst of horror, this is the perfect game for that.”
- “Loved the visuals, and the super unique mechanic with the echolocation is very well done!”
- “The art style makes me feel like Daredevil, and that's pretty cool.”
- “The environment visuals and all the buildings remind me of white box requirements.”
- “The art style makes me feel like Daredevil and that's pretty cool.”
- “Some very creepy bits and the art style/VFX really impressed me.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The story is praised for its intriguing concept and effective use of audio elements, creating an unsettling and immersive atmosphere. However, some feel it is underdeveloped due to the game's short length and lack of challenge. Overall, players find the storytelling compelling and believe it has strong potential if expanded further.
- “I was unsettled multiple times and very interested in the worldbuilding and the storytelling.”
- “It'd be awesome if something like this could be turned into a full story; but as it stands, it works incredibly well and was a lot of fun.”
- “I felt every word on the audiologs as well as the one on the radio; it really made the game for me to lean into the story.”
- “30-minute game that barely utilizes its biggest selling point (spatial audio and echolocation). With its short runtime, it tries to tell a story that seems to be about the dying of a star, but it feels incomplete.”
- “The story attempts depth, but it remains more of an outline than a fully developed narrative, leaving much to be desired.”
- “While the concept is interesting, the story feels underdeveloped and does not fully engage or immerse the player.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive sound design, especially when using headphones, which provides crucial auditory clues and heightens tension. Players appreciate the suspenseful, on-edge feeling throughout and the striking visual design of the first monster encountered.
- “The atmosphere is so good when using headphones, and the sound gives many clues about where monsters could be if I don't see them.”
- “The atmosphere had me on edge the entire time, and I love the look of the first monster you encounter!”
- “Cool mechanic and a nice atmosphere.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, causing inconsistent frame rates that fluctuate dramatically during gameplay. This performance issue detracts from the overall experience and immersion.