A Co-op Horror Investigation Game Landing on Steam Today
HAUNTMATES doesn't lean on a scripted narrative. Instead, the premise is procedural and contract-based: players take on jobs to enter haunted, randomly generated locations, gather evidence of a supernatural presence, and identify the entity before it identifies them. There's no confirmed lore drop or campaign structure disclosed yet — the loop appears to be job-to-job rather than story-driven, in the vein of other contract-based co-op horror titles.
Story & Setting
HAUNTMATES doesn't lean on a scripted narrative. Instead, the premise is procedural and contract-based: players take on jobs to enter haunted, randomly generated locations, gather evidence of a supernatural presence, and identify the entity before it identifies them. There's no confirmed lore drop or campaign structure disclosed yet — the loop appears to be job-to-job rather than story-driven, in the vein of other contract-based co-op horror titles.
Gameplay Systems
Investigation Loop Teams enter a map to locate the "active zone," gather clues with investigation gear, and log findings on a shared board. All players contribute to the same board in real time, and the group must collectively settle on the entity's identity before extraction.
Procedural Maps Locations are regenerated each session, meaning players can't rely on memorized layouts — every run requires fresh scouting.
Monsters & Threat Scaling Multiple distinct monster types are confirmed, each with unique behavior patterns and weaknesses. The longer a team lingers on-site, the more monsters spawn, pushing players toward efficient, time-pressured investigation rather than slow exploration.
Risk/Reward Economy Side objectives increase payout but add risk. Dying before reaching the extraction point forfeits both gear and earnings for that run — a permadeath-per-contract structure common to the genre.
Communication Tools Proximity voice chat is a core mechanic; players must stay physically close in-game to communicate, reinforcing team coordination as a survival tool.
Multiplayer Structure Supports up to 4 players, with a singleplayer option also available for solo runs.
Editions & Pricing
No special editions, bundles, or tiered pricing have been announced. The Steam page currently shows no purchase price. This section will need to be updated once pricing goes live.
(TBD — update when Steam listing publishes final price/editions)
System Requirements
Minimum:
- OS: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7400 @ 3.00GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 570
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 4 GB available space
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-10400F / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 4 GB available space
Conclusion: Pre-Order or Wait?
HAUNTMATES lands in a genre that's already crowded with contract-based co-op horror games, and its confirmed feature set — procedural maps, shared clue boards, proximity chat, risk/reward extraction — closely follows that established formula rather than reinventing it. The idea itself isn't new, but execution is what will decide whether this stands out.
Since price and age rating are still unannounced and no reviews or hands-on impressions exist yet, there's no basis to recommend a pre-order. A free demo is already available on Steam, which is the more sensible way to evaluate the core loop before spending anything. Wait for post-launch reviews and player feedback before committing.
