JIAOHUN: Chinese Psychological Horror Set in a Pre-Millennium Town
A new cinematic, first-person psychological horror game titled 《叫魂》(JIAOHUN) was revealed globally on October 8 during the 3i Project showcase. Developed by the Shanghai-based studio 子时熄灯 (12AM BLACKOUT), the title invites players to return to “Baishui County’s Fairy Town” and gradually uncover the mystery behind the town’s demise. According to the announcement, JIAOHUN is expected to launch sometime in 2027 on PC and PlayStation 5. The reveal introduced the game’s setting, core themes, and its distinctive visual approach, positioning it as an atmospheric horror experience rooted in a specific moment of Chinese history.
JIAOHUN is set in “Baishui County’s Fairy Town,” described as an obscure little place that has survived with difficulty in the cracks of its era. Facing the wave of the new century, the town once tried to change on its own initiative, but every struggle ended in failure. The game’s imagery emphasizes this frozen moment: household calendars stopped on the eve of the millennium, and banners reading “Welcome the New Century” still hang. Players return to this setting to confront its end directly. This framing anchors the horror in the nostalgia and unease of a community caught between the old century and the new.
According to the developers, JIAOHUN is built in Unreal Engine 5 and uses a cinematic narrative framework combining full first-person performance, cinematic camera language, and immersive sound design to deliver a psychological horror experience. The visuals are presented with a dual aspect ratio switching between 4:3 and 2.39:1, creating a distinct film and videotape texture that makes players feel as though they are watching century’s-end footage sealed inside an old television. Gameplay blends puzzle solving with walking simulation, focusing on atmospheric storytelling and environmental exploration. Mottled residential buildings, creaking wooden doors, and the faint sound of rain at the end of alleys let fear spread quietly through familiar daily life.
The developers describe “obsession” (执念) as the central theme running through JIAOHUN, focusing on people’s confusion and struggle as they face sweeping change at the turn of the century. When desires gradually push people to extremes, obsession becomes an inner demon that ultimately consumes the town’s residents. The game comes from 子时熄灯 (12AM BLACKOUT), a young Shanghai team whose name reflects its ambition to craft immersive experiences meant for a quiet, darkened room. Born from the team’s love of mainland Chinese nostalgia culture, JIAOHUN is the studio’s debut project. It will also be playable at the G-Fusion event in Beijing on October 24-25, 2026, at booth B07-1. For horror fans drawn to culturally specific settings, this is one to watch.
