Hillthorn is taking an unusual approach to detective games. Instead of lengthy conversations, dialogue trees, or pages of exposition, almost everything in its mountain mystery is told through cards, leaving players to piece together a disappearance using their own logic before time runs out. A free demo is available now on Steam ahead of the game’s full release.
You play as an investigator arriving in the secluded community of Hillthorn after a young woman vanishes without explanation. Every clue, location, and suspect appears as a card that can be combined with actions such as Talk, Explore, and Investigate to uncover new evidence. Rather than following a prescribed path, the game encourages experimentation, allowing you to connect ideas and draw your own conclusions as the investigation unfolds.
There’s another catch. Every action advances the clock, meaning every conversation you have or trail you decide to follow comes at the expense of something else. Spend too long chasing the wrong lead, and you may never uncover the truth before time runs out. Multiple endings promise plenty of reasons to return and see how different decisions change the outcome.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature is that Hillthorn tells its story without traditional dialogue. Instead, you’re left to interpret clues, characters, and locations yourself, creating a mystery that relies as much on observation as deduction. The developers have also highlighted that no generative AI was used during development, a detail that’s becoming increasingly notable for narrative-driven indie games.
Players can download the free demo on Steam now, while the full version of Hillthorn is currently listed as coming soon. You can also keep up to date with its progress over on itch.io.