She’s Leaving Review (PS5)
Summary: She’s Leaving is a compact but engaging first-person horror game that blends forensic investigation with tense, stalker-driven survival gameplay. Its atmosphere, smart pacing, and surprisingly polished design make the experience stand out, even when technical hiccups and a few dated mechanics hold it back. For its low price and strong debut showing from a tiny team, it’s an easy recommendation for horror fans looking for a short, satisfying scare.
3.6
He's Coming
The calm snow outside belies just how twisted your investigation will become! She’s Leaving arrives on PS5 as the debut project from the two-person team at Blue Hat Studios, published by both the studio itself and Perp Games, launching first on PC on December 2nd of 2025 and then consoles on December 9th. The game’s five-year development, undertaken without prior experience or a budget, is a remarkable story in itself, but what stands out most is how contained, confident, and surprisingly polished the final product feels. What begins as a modest, first-person survival horror title quickly reveals a strong sense of identity, with a forensic-focused approach and a strict, purposeful design philosophy that’s refreshingly measured.
The story in She’s Leaving isn’t elaborate, but its restraint makes it more absorbing than expected. You play as Charles Dalton, a determined forensic officer who disagrees with law enforcement’s conclusion about the mysterious Haywood estate, a snow-swept property linked to a string of disappearances both past and present. Guided only by your partner’s voice over the radio, you enter the mansion searching for clues tied to a missing adventurer from years ago and uncover how her fate intertwines with the more recent vanishings. The narrative is linear and easy to follow, with lore documents placed clearly along the path, but the delivery works thanks to grounded voice acting, believable dialogue, and a sense of pacing that never drags. Even though the narrative is predictable and can be figured out almost immediately, it’s still a tight, compact mystery told with clarity and confidence.
Gameplay is where the game finds its rhythm. Charles’ main tool is his taser, which acts as a defensive weapon, a puzzle-solving instrument, and a source of ultraviolet light for your forensic work. Square equips it, L2 aims, R2 fires, and R1 activates the blacklight used to spot blood evidence or simply help you navigate dark hallways. The taser also interacts with fuse boxes, which open locked doors when shot, which I found to be an elegant way of blending investigative tasks with progression. Ammo for the taser is scattered throughout the estate and gradually respawns where you originally found it, ensuring the player rarely feels truly helpless. The stalker that chases you throughout the game can be stunned briefly but never put down for good, creating a consistent push-and-pull between caution, speed, and tactical movement.
The early portion of the game leans heavily on forensic investigation, asking you to identify blood patterns and use your tools to follow evidence across the first floor of the Haywood estate. Wrongly identifying found blood patterns will put you in a “brain fog” state that lowers your speed, but there is no actual challenge in identifying your clues since the options you can pick from come with an understandable explanation. Keys and documents unlock new rooms, while the masked pursuer roams freely, turning each stretch of exploration into a tense balance of focus and survival. Later chapters shift toward stealthier navigation and more traditional puzzle-room design, but the progression feels natural, and the pacing stays brisk. The game does a great job of creating those adrenaline-spiking moments where you round a corner only to collide with the stalker, forcing you into a frantic scramble. I wish there was more you can do with your expertise in the forensic field and the tools you have, but the story and design of the gameplay is well rounded enough that it’s not a full on complaint, but more so of a compliment that I wanted more of the game.
Puzzles in She’s Leaving are easily approachable. Safe codes, mannequin-counting segments, machine parts tucked into corners, and rooms locked behind single-use keys provide moment-to-moment direction without slowing the experience down. Sometimes the stalker’s appearances can feel unfair, he may block the doorway you need or catch you mid-interaction, forcing you to retreat and return, but while these moments frustrate, they reinforce the cat-and-mouse tension the game aims for. Even when the system feels a bit rigid, it rarely crosses into genuinely punishing territory.
Control-wise, the game impresses early. Charles moves and turns with a noticeable responsiveness that many indie first-person horror titles struggle to achieve. Navigation feels good, and the brisk turn speed makes tight corridors and chase sequences manageable. A few quirks stand out, such as the limited vertical look angle that feels like Charles can’t fully tilt his head up or down, and the odd continuous vibration when the blacklight is active. The latter takes getting used to, especially since it slightly drowns out the ambient soundscape, but it’s more of an odd design choice than a serious drawback.
Presentation is where She’s Leaving punches above its weight. Graphically, the game isn’t cutting edge, but the snowy exteriors, dim hallways, and colored lighting bring personality to the Haywood estate. Character models are distinct, and the mix of Tudor architecture, eerie mannequins, and curated museum-like rooms leaves a lasting impression. Audio fares even better: voice performances are believable, footsteps and ambience are unsettlingly crisp, and the shift in music when the pursuer spots you is genuinely unnerving. The ambient hums, floorboard creaks, distant clocks, and muttering enemy vocalizations are all handled nicely. Even the end-credits track gives the experience a fitting emotional pay-off.
However, the technical side isn’t spotless. On PS5, load times are unusually long for a game of this size, and performance stutters occur when entering new segments or interacting with save points. One or two of these hitches can even put you at a disadvantage during a chase. None of this breaks the game, but it does slightly dampen the otherwise strong presentation. Hopefully patches will clean up some of the rough edges.
Final Thoughts?
Despite these issues, She’s Leaving delivers a surprisingly robust horror experience, especially at its $9.99 USD price point. Its brisk narrative, tense exploration, and strong atmosphere make it easy to recommend, even if the replay value mostly comes from achievements or collectible runs. Charles Dalton himself stands out as a compelling protagonist who is methodical, grounded, and memorable enough that I’d gladly follow his forensic trail in a future game. For a debut project, Blue Hat Studios shows remarkable potential, offering a short but confident horror title that understands pacing, tone, and player engagement. She’s Leaving is a smart, focused, atmospheric thriller that overachieves for its scale, stumbles in a few technical areas, and ultimately leaves a strong impression. It’s a promising beginning for Blue Hat Studios.
About the Author
Nay Clark Gaming holds a special place in my heart and I never stop talking about video games. I really love all types of games and have an interest in games that have complicated stories and lore because I enjoy untangling the mystery of it all. When I'm not gaming, I unsuccessfully try to control three amazing and incredibly bright kids.
Related Posts
Skate Story Review (PS5) →
Samurai Academy: Paws of Fury PS5 Review →
Romancing SaGa Minstrel’s Song Remastered International PS5 Review →
