Out of Sight is a ‘second-person’ horror game

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In most video games, you’ll find that the second-person viewpoint is scarcely used. Unlike first-person and third-person perspectives where a character moves from their own or an external point of view, the second-person perspective places you in control of a character moving from another person or object’s standpoint. Occasionally, this unique camera angle might be employed as a novelty for boss fights, such as the Tall Walker in Battletoads or the Den Mother in Psychonauts. However, there are very few games that utilize this perspective. But Out of Sight, an atmospheric horror game by The Gang (not to be confused with other games sharing the same name), aims to buck this trend.

A bear’s-eye view

At the Day of the Devs event during GDC 2025, I controlled a beta PC demo for Out of Sight. In this game, I played as Sophie, a blind girl personified as a teddy bear, for the initial 20 minutes. Sophie was previously sighted but found herself suddenly seeing the world through my perspective. It’s unknown why a woman known as The Lady is keeping Sophie captive, but the chains on the walls in her room hint at a potentially ominous situation. I, too, am eager to avoid discovering the reasons behind her confinement.

In an unexpected turn, this control and viewpoint mechanism turns out to be quite intuitive for Sophie. To assist her in exploring the house, I asked Sophie to carry the teddy bear and position it on distinctly marked pillows. Once positioned, the teddy bear serves as a guide for Sophie to climb steps, move rolling carts, pull levers, squeeze through narrow openings, and conquer the light puzzle of each room. As the teddy bear, I was responsible for turning my head at appropriate angles to give Sophie a clear view of her path. When she finds a way forward, Sophie can then pick up the teddy bear again, and they both continue on to the next part of their journey.

Quiet time

In the initial level, the platforming challenges are relatively straightforward, though it’s possible the demo was designed to be less challenging when it comes to noise. Making a loud sound triggers a screen distortion, signaling that The Lady and Clayton have become aware of Sophie moving around. If Sophie remains stationary, they will eventually lose interest in the area, giving her the opportunity to progress further.

As I ventured deeper into this mysterious home, I stumbled upon a hidden treasure – a wooden racecar tucked away at the end of a narrow crawlspace. The on-site developer shared with me tales connected to these artifacts, especially those associated with the children who once were confined here before Sophie. This revelation served as an incredible incentive for my quest to save her; I can’t think of a stronger reason than uncovering stories from the past.

In 2025, Out of Sight is set to launch on PC (Steam), Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. Additionally, a VR version of the game will be available on PlayStation VR2, SteamVR, Quest 2, and Quest 3. The developer estimates the complete game to last around five hours and plans to price it between $20 and $30. Regarding DLC, the developers have some ideas but no firm decisions have been made yet.

At the GDC 2025, I was fortunate to attend the Day of the Devs: San Francisco Edition event where a sneak peek of an upcoming game was showcased. The demo of this exciting game can be found on Steam for those who are eager to get a taste of what’s to come!

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2025-03-20 17:27