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A psychedelic, old school, dungeon crawler from you nightmares

Key Takeaways

Good Aspects

• Thick atmosphere dripping with dread.
• Bold storytelling with gut-punch themes.
• Unique lo-fi visuals that reinforce the unease.
• Immersive sound design with eerie audio.

Bad Aspects

• Controls can be a bit clunky at times
• Some players might find the pacing slow.
• Has some platforming, which may not be everyone’s taste.

Introduction

Hey everyone! If you’re into indie horror that goes beyond the jumpscares and into your soul, Hope Deferred by Tell All might be your next unsettling ride. It’s one of those dungeon crawler games that doesn’t yell in your face.

It whispers something you’re not sure you want to hear. Released in April 2025, this dungeon crawler comes at you with more vibes and themes than flashy mechanics or high-end graphics. And honestly? That’s what makes it nightmarish.

Overview

Hope Deferred presents you with a PlayStation (PSX) narrative horror experience made, which might surprise you once you see its visuals. Developed by Tell All, the game plays like a surreal dungeon crawler.

It has several levels, each bringing in its signature palette and experience. A tightly wound over 1 hour of gameplay – to fully complete the game – of slow-burning dread that crawls under your skin and stays there.

It’s inspired by games like Silent Hill or Dark Souls, though not Souls-like as it has its own gameplay experience that makes you pause and wonder. Should I talk to them? Should I help them? Should I attack them? Why am I attacking them?

So, you can imagine with the freedom the game gives you, you wind up confronting themes like mental illness, grief, and obsession, and religion. Your choices matter, so be mindful – you can attack anyone, but why would you?

The Story

Spoilers

You play as a person, who woke up in a prison cell, confronted by a prison-bars and a mirror to your left-hand side. Interact with the mirror and you learn what brought you to this prison in one word – Idolator, or in other words, our character worshiped an idol.

The world we see ourselves in is red, suggesting to me on my introduction that this was a nightmare, Hell. Once we leave the cell, we are free, but not really.

We explore the Hell, interacting with the other prisoners and learning more about them or the world we’ve been condemned to. As we progress, we escape Hell and wind up in other worlds until we break the nightmarish psychosis haunting out mind.

There’s no big twist, no clear answers. Just a vague meanings and slow reveal.

The game isn’t trying to moralize. It just paints a picture of the human psyche, helplessness, our choices and consequences, and uncover the truth.

Spoilers End

The Gameplay

This isn’t a jump-around horror. Your character isn’t some unstoppable warrior, stealth assassin, or agile hunter. Being a dungeon crawler with RPG elements, you play as a prisoner trying to escape.

Combat is strategic and not always needed. If you fight every enemy, you gain experience but make little progress and waste resources, which should be managed.

The gameplay is minimal, mostly walking, examining/interacting objects, and progressing through nonlinear environments. The combat comes at you with no flashy acrobatics. You attack, strafe, and do magic.

So, be ready to control fights start to finish, or avoid them

All this doesn’t mean it’s boring. The dread comes from the deliberate pacing. You’ll explore eerie spaces that feel just familiar enough to be uncomfortable. Things look surreal.

The enemies range from hellish to uncanny. Voices echo. And death isn’t permanent, but you are punished if you die. So, my advice, save when you can because when you die, let’ just say you’ll regret it.

Game Guide

You won’t need a walkthrough, but here’s a tip: pay close attention to the environments. This dungeon crawler rewards observation.

If you breeze through, you’ll miss items and paths you could go which shows what makes Hope Deferred so effective

Graphics and Audio

Graphically, this is PSX horror done right. The dungeon crawler aesthetics and old school graphics aren’t just slapped in. These aspects make the game feel authentic. There’s a cacophony of audio, adding a hint to possibly our character’s story.

Character models and animations are a bit clunky, which adds to the uncanny, nightmare vibe. Environments are dark, oppressive, and kind of depressing at time. Hallways stretch, depth is tricky, making you feel in a dungeon.

But the real star here is the audio. It’s minimalistic, with droning or chaotic noise and unsettling silences. Other sounds that do show up in this dungeon crawler hit like a truck. Think a haunted mixtape scored in purgatory. It’s effective.

Performance and Technical Aspects

No major issues here. On PC, the game runs smoothly, even on modest setups. It gives it a solid base.

There were no bugs in my run so far, and loading times were basically a breeze. That said, controller support is limited and might feel janky, keyboard and mouse work good.

One thing to note: the game runs best by opening the .exe file of the game until that bug is fixed. Also, the game is intentionally slow-paced. Some might call it boring. But if you’re in the mood for something meditative and moody, it hits.

Length and Replayability

You’ll probably finish Hope Deferred passed the 1-hour mark. If you’re hunting every little detail and soaking in the mood, the game stretch further.

Replayability? The game has multiple endings. Each ending is dependent on you choices throughout the game. Plus, the impact lingers. You’ll find yourself thinking about its imagery and themes long after the credits.

Closing Thoughts

Hope Deferred is not for everyone. If you want action, complex mechanics, or concrete answers, look elsewhere. But if you appreciate horror that focuses on human darkness, emotional decay, and the quiet horror of the mind – this one’s a gem.

Tell All delivered something raw, personal, and deeply atmospheric. It’s not flashy. It’s not trying to be mainstream. It just wants to haunt you in a quiet, hopeless kind of way. Mission accomplished.

Want more horror, check out my review on Dream Prison here!