She’s Leaving is an upcoming survival horror game where players explore a hauntingly beautiful Tudor manor that was home to tragedy. Armed with a taser and forensic knowledge, players will uncover the mystery while eluding a masked assailant who appears to want the truth buried.
Given the game’s unique mechanics and emphasis on forensic investigation, we were given the opportunity to ask Blue Hat Studios some questions about the game, their inspiration, both from real life and other games in the Survival Horror genre.
“What sort of research did the team do on forensic processes? Did they learn anything that really helped shape the gameplay or narrative?”
When we looked into blood spatter analysis, it was fascinating to see how a single droplet could be turned into a full picture of what might have happened. That idea ended up shaping how we move the story forward in the game, since the player pieces together events using the same type of reasoning.
“What are your favorite horror games? Would you say any were a big inspiration on She’s Leaving?”
Resident Evil 2 (2019) was a major inspiration for us. It offered a lot of ideas that we could study, refine, and reshape into something that feels fresh for the genre.
“What prompted the decision for the taser as opposed to guns or pure stealth?
It came from a mix of practical and narrative reasons. Charles is British, so having easy access to high-powered firearms would not feel believable. The taser also gave us a single tool that could shape the gameplay in interesting ways. It works for both defense and offense, it has a UV light for tracking blood spatter, and it can even open doors by overloading electrical boxes. It let us tie several mechanics together in a way that felt grounded in the story.
“Did any specific cases or experiences inspire She’s Leaving?”
She’s Leaving is entirely fictional. There were no specific cases or real events that inspired the story.
“What do you think sets She’s Leaving apart from other survival horror games?”
We wanted to offer a fresh take on survival horror by blending it with investigation. Players will spend a lot of time exploring forensic processes, which adds a layer of depth and excitement. Combined with a protagonist who does not have access to a handgun, it creates an experience that feels unique in the genre.
“What’s next for Blue Hat Studio?”
Right now, our future is a bit up in the air. As a startup, we hope to make enough from this project to fund the next one. Now that we have more experience, we are excited to push the envelope on a new project, but we will have to wait and see what comes next. I think we would love to do something in a medieval setting. I already have a few story drafts outlined and some interesting mechanics I want to try, so hopefully we can make it a reality.
She’s Leaving is available now on Windows PC (via Steam), with Xbox and PlayStation releases coming next week. You can look forward to our review this week.
