She’s Leaving Review – SHE SURE IS

Blue Hat Studio has swung for something bold with She’s Leaving; a forensic-driven, survival horror experience. And to their credit, it occasionally hits the mark. Though inconsistent pacing, clunky systems and some rough edges keep it from truly reaching its potential.

A Genuinely Fresh Premise

The idea of solving crimes through analysing blood patterns is easily the most intriguing part of this game. It’s rare to see horror grounded in procedure rather than paranormal chaos. The thing is, it doesn’t really work. Not only are some of the blood patterns a pain to find, but the PS5 controller rumbles violently whenever your UV light/taser’s out, which is way more often than you’d think. It was so annoying, in fact, that I had to turn off the rumble completely on my PS5’s settings. I’ve never done this in my decades of gaming, believe it or not. Oh, and you have to find all the bloodstains while a serial killer insta-kills you whenever you get too close. Have fun!

Now, once you actually find the bloodstains, regardless of whether you select the Cast Off, Flow or Contact patterns from the drop-down menu, it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. If you incorrectly label the blood pattern, you’ll only miss some snappy dialogue between Temu James Sunderland and his on-call assistant, while being hit with a mysterious gauge that slowly winds down. I’m assuming that it makes the serial killer easier to find you, though I found that there wasn’t any discernible difference at all.

That said, your hands will be sweating like no tomorrow. You’d be surprised how tense it is trying to scan walls in tight corridors while the killer mutters in Latin… Italian? I don’t know what he’s yapping on about, but it’s unnerving to say the least. Your only reprieve/save-point is the sparse green restrooms found in the creepy, House Beneviento-inspired mansion, which are spaced out just enough so it always feels like you’re in danger of losing progress… and being jump-scared half to death whenever you walk straight into him.

Not Quite Right

Here’s the thing though, once your nerves adapt to the thrills, your muscle memory kicks in and you end up tasing him over and over with the efficiency of 007. I don’t know why our policeman protagonist doesn’t just tie him up with handcuffs afterwards, but I guess we wouldn’t have much of a plot then, ey?

On that note, the story itself is… palatable. For a game that’s only four hours long, it tries its best to flesh out a missing person’s narrative. However, it feels incredibly rushed and doesn’t really bring anything new or interesting to the table. I was still slightly optimistic to see what happened next, though the payoff definitely wasn’t worth it.

To give it credit, She’s Leaving nails the tone: dim hallways, empty docks and abandoned rooms are chock-full of quiet tension. The ambience can be top-tier at times, and the world feels thick with dread. When the game really leans into slow-burn horror, it shows flashes of something genuinely special. Like in one moment, you have to move past the serial killer to grab a key and then return in quick succession—my adrenaline was pumping like nothing else. It’s just a shame that the game is over so quickly. Real bummer, that.

Decision

An admirable attempt at something different, She’s Leaving features close-quarters, slow-burn tension and a forensic focus that give it a unique flavour. But for every moment that shines, there’s another taking two steps back that reminds you: this is an indie title still trying to find its footing. If you love atmospheric horror and don’t mind a bit of jank, there’s something worth experiencing here. Though if you’re after tight gameplay, quality pacing or polished systems… you’ll be left wanting more.

By Anthony Culinas – Reviewed on PS5

Playable

She’s Leaving boasts a bold forensic-horror premise and some brilliantly tense atmosphere, but its clunky mechanics, rushed story and uneven pacing hold it back from greatness. There are flashes of something special here, yet the experience ultimately feels more janky than genuinely gripping.

This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Perp Games. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.