In a first for TV Pulse Magazine, we’re not sure whether to file this one under TV or Video Games.
Netflix has teamed up with V.O. legend Troy Baker, Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink, and Zoë Kravitz (The Batman) for a new “transmedia” gaming experience. This playable thriller puts people in the shoes of Kravitz’s Ava, who finds herself negotiating the dark and empty corridors of her apartment complex after a storm knocks out the power. But as Ava talks to her best friend Claire on her phone, she learns that she may not as alone in the building as she thinks.
Baker meanwhile takes on the role of Ben, the apartment’s Super.
Via Netflix: Playing Unhinged is simple. Select the game from the Netflix Games row and scan the onscreen QR code to link your smartphone as a controller. From there, the integration is seamless: The real-world movements on your phone track with Ava’s hands in the game, allowing you to guide her flashlight through the shadows.
The immersion goes a step further with audio. When Ava receives a call or text, your actual phone rings, vibrates, and plays the audio directly through its speaker, while the rest of the environmental sound effects boom through your TV.
Survival, however, depends on your chosen version of gameplay. If you want a pure narrative experience, Story Mode features no timer, so it prevents you from dying and lets you just play through the story. But in Standard Mode, it all comes down to your reflexes. During high-stakes moments, a shrinking timer bar at the top of the screen forces you to quickly scan the room for an interactive object. If you can’t find what you need before time runs out, you will die — though instead of a total game over, you’ll simply restart from your last checkpoint.
Unhinged is from Netflix’s own studio, Night School Studio (Oxenfree, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals).
You can play Unhinged starting June 30, exclusively on Netflix, with no ads or in-game purchases. Just select it from the Games tab, scan the QR code to link your phone, and try to survive the night.
