The Second

You are not alone in the basement.

You are The Second — an imaginary friend, created to help a kidnapped boy survive the night and escape from the darkness below.

The Second is a short first-person psychological horror experience, inspired by retro 3D games and classic Doom-style raycasting.

A young boy has been kidnapped and trapped in a basement late at night.
He is vulnerable. He is scared.
And he cannot survive alone.

As his imaginary companion, you guide him through three underground levels, helping him explore, escape, and avoid the Kidnapper who relentlessly hunts him through the darkness.

But imagination can only protect you for so long.

• Explore a dark, maze-like basement in search of an exit

• Evade a constantly pursuing enemy

• Use limited items to survive:

  • Apples to temporarily increase speed

  • A Teddy Bear to become invisible for a short time

• Listen carefully — sound is your only warning when the Kidnapper is near

There is no combat.
Only running. Hiding. And surviving.

Retro 3D pseudo-3D first-person horror

Intense chase-focused gameplay

Minimalist HUD — only the boy’s voice and his hand are visible

Strong emphasis on sound-based tension

Short, focused horror experience (30–40 minutes)

Dark themes of vulnerability, fear, and imagination

This game contains:

• Loud sounds

• Pixelated blood (minimal)

• References to violence and death, including implied harm to children

• Disturbing themes and imagery

Player discretion is advised.

CONTROLS

• WASD / Arrow Keys — Move

• Space / Left Mouse Button — Interact

PLATFORMS & NOTES

• Available for Web and Windows

• The Windows (EXE) version contains additional narrative elements and the full ending

• Free to play

Created for Drop Bear Horror Jam 2

Audio credits:

• Headphaze — Horror ambience

• InspectorJ — Dripping water sound

• frankum — “Sad Waltz” (piano track)