Quick text summary

Scream under the house scored 65/100 on Steam Analyzer — Solid for a Psychological Horror capsule. Top priority fix: [title_readability] Condense or reposition title to single line, increase font size and outline stroke to ensure legibility at 120x45 pixel TINY size.

Capsule scores by dimension

• Genre Clarity: 7/10 — Horror atmosphere clear, subgenre ambiguous. The dark, moody lighting and a disturbing character holding a teddy bear clearly signal horror-psychological tension at full size. At TINY size, the character silhouette and dark ambiance still read as horror, but the first-person exploration or puzzle mechanics are not visually apparent. The teddy bear adds unsettling child-related horror context that communicates psychological rather than action-focused horror.
• Title Readability: 6/10 — Readable at full size, fragile at tiny. The title 'SCREAM UNDER THE HOUSE' uses white and red text with clear letter spacing on a dark background, reading well at full header size. At SMALL size the split-line layout still parses; however, at TINY size (120x45), the text becomes cramped and the red SCREAM/HOUSE words compress significantly, risking legibility loss during quick scroll. The two-line stacking helps but is not optimal for micro-viewing.
• Contrast & Color: 7/10 — Strong dark mood, character separation good. The character's pale face and light clothing create clear value separation against the deep blue-black background, reading distinctly even at reduced size. Red title text pops against the darkness and maintains saturation control—not oversaturated. In grayscale, the character silhouette remains distinguishable from background, though some mid-tone blending occurs in the hair and shadows; the teddy bear reads as a distinct light shape.
• Uniqueness & Polish: 6/10 — Competent horror aesthetic, generic execution. The concept of a disturbing character with a teddy bear is thematically on-brand for psychological horror, and the lighting is professionally done. However, the presentation mirrors common indie horror tropes (dark figure, moody gradient, minimal staging) without a distinctive visual hook or memorable art style that sets it apart from dozens of similar horror capsules. The craft is solid but the idea feels familiar rather than fresh.
• Brand Consistency: 6/10 — Dark palette consistent, no memorable icon. The cool blue-black color palette, muted character rendering, and eerie atmosphere are internally coherent and match the psychological horror genre expectation. However, there is no iconic character design, signature motif, or memorable visual symbol that would make this capsule instantly recognizable across the game's other marketing. The character is a generic unsettling figure rather than a branded protagonist or mascot.
• Composition: 7/10 — Clear focal point, balanced layout. The character occupies the left-center area as the primary focal point, while title text anchors the right side, creating a natural reading flow and visual balance. The character is well-framed with breathing room and does not hug edges aggressively. At SMALL and TINY sizes the composition holds and remains scannable; however, some visual weight shifts to the text at micro-sizes, slightly diminishing character dominance.

What works

• Character silhouette reads at all sizes. The pale, distinct character form maintains clear separation from the dark background even at tiny thumbnail scale, preserving the core visual hook.
• Red title accent color pops. Strategic use of red in SCREAM and HOUSE creates visual punctuation and draws the eye without clashing against the cool-dark palette.
• Professional lighting and mood. The atmospheric blue-tinted lighting is cleanly executed and reinforces the psychological horror tone effectively.

What hurts the capsule

• Title fragility at micro sizes. The two-line split and word length cause text compression at TINY size, risking legibility during fast Steam scrolling.
• Generic visual identity. The design relies on common horror tropes (pale figure, dark mood, minimal props) without a distinctive or memorable brand signature that distinguishes it from competitor capsules.
• Limited visual storytelling of core mechanic. The capsule does not communicate the first-person exploration or choice-based decision system; it reads as pure horror ambiance rather than conveying the game's unique psychological puzzle elements.

Priority fixes

1. [title_readability] Condense or reposition title to single line, increase font size and outline stroke to ensure legibility at 120x45 pixel TINY size.
2. [uniqueness_polish] Add a distinctive visual motif or signature prop (e.g., layered house cross-section, symbolic object tied to the mystery) to differentiate from generic horror and signal the exploration-puzzle core.
3. [genre_clarity] Incorporate subtle visual cues of the house setting or first-person perspective (e.g., doorway frame, interior detail) to clarify subgenre and gameplay focus beyond pure horror atmosphere.
4. [composition] Test title and character spacing at 231x87 and 120x45 sizes to confirm no critical elements fall into Steam's typical crop margins or become unreadable.

Store copy priority fixes

1. [uniqueness] Add a sentence that articulates a specific, concrete detail about what makes this game's mystery, atmosphere, or mechanic distinct—e.g., 'Unlike typical haunted-house games, your choices don't change the truth—only how you live with it' or reference a signature mechanic.
2. [feature_communication] Expand the detailed description to 150–200 words, detailing one or two specific interaction examples (e.g., 'read journal entries that contradict what you remember,' 'reconstruct events through environmental clues') to clarify exploration depth.
3. [hook_strength] Remove or explain the non-English word (чужие) in the story section, or replace it with English equivalent—this appears accidental and undermines clarity.
4. [audience_targeting] Add a single sentence about content intensity or emotional themes (e.g., 'Explores family trauma and grief through a horror lens') to help players self-select based on sensitivity.

Related guides

• Top-scoring Steam capsule examples — The highest-scoring Steam capsules across genres, with the why-it-works breakdown.
• Capsule design best practices — The six dimensions every Steam capsule has to win.

Steam app ID: 3916390 · Tags: Psychological Horror, Horror, Walking Simulator, First-Person, Exploration