Brave the darkness for some water
Dying of Thirst is a free simulation video game wherein you must risk going to the kitchen at night for a glass of water. Developed by Pizza Party, this 3D interactive fiction is a first-person indie horror game that involves exploring a dark home that may not actually be empty.
Similar to TV Night, the premise of Dying of Thirst involves braving the trek out of your room in the middle of the night. Unlike the former, however, the jumpscares are more subtle in nature. Additionally, it’s much shorter in run time and the ending can feel pretty abrupt.
Get up and drink quick
In Dying of Thirst, you are immediately dropped into the action. You wake up with a red cup in your hand and one mission only: go to the kitchen and fill it up with water. The trip there is quick enough and there are enough light sources around to assure you that you don’t get lost. However, several weird noises will constantly be interrupting you along the way.
The controls are simple here, too, despite the lack of a tutorial. Use WASD to move and your mouse to look around. Then, click the left mouse button to interact with objects or observe them. Simply press Esc to quit. Additionally, once you start filling up the cup, there will be a blue meter to your left that will gradually rise to indicate your progress.
Graphics-wise, the game is eerie enough with its low-poly art and dim backdrops. The sound effects during this creepily silent night also add to the fear factor—especially as a strange humanoid figure keeps darting around in the shadows within your view. However, while all of these lead to an atmospheric horror game, the length and abruptness of the ending can make it feel incomplete.
Not enough water
All in all, Dying of Thirst is a nice short indie horror game to try out if you’re looking for something that can be finished in under 10 minutes and doesn’t have a lot of major jumpscares. While it feels like should have more to it, the gameplay is decent enough to set up sequels or even just connected games from the same developer.
