Fear & Hunger

Fear & Hunger is a survival horror role-playing game released in 2018, created by Finnish indie developer Miro Haverinen. It launched on December 11 for Windows, with macOS and Linux versions arriving later. Set in an alternate-history medieval dark fantasy world, the story follows four characters—the player picks one as their protagonist—all searching for a man named Le'garde within the deadly, labyrinthine Dungeons of Fear & Hunger, a place inhabited by monsters and gods. The game’s turn-based combat is unforgiving: party members can permanently die or lose limbs, and each enemy type has unique attacks and weaknesses. Players must manage their party’s physical health, mental health, and hunger, navigating the dungeon with minimal guidance. There are no experience points, and saving carries risks, pushing players to avoid fights and go long stretches without saving.

Critics generally praised the game’s atmosphere, gameplay, storytelling, and difficulty, but noted issues with frequent typos, bugs, and the handling of mature themes such as sexual violence, drugs, and violence toward children. A sequel, Fear & Hunger 2: Termina, came out in 2022.

**Gameplay**

At the start, players choose one of four characters, each with a distinct class: Cahara the Mercenary, D'arce the Knight, Enki the Dark Priest, or Ragnvaldr the Outlander. A backstory selection grants special items or abilities. Players then pick from four difficulty options (the last must be unlocked). The goal is to traverse the dungeons, avoiding or fighting monsters and traps. Throughout, players meet NPCs, some of whom can be recruited—even hostile ones, through specific actions, item interactions, or dialogue. The three unselected characters can also be found and recruited, except in hard mode.

Combat uses a “turn-based strategic dismember system,” letting players target specific enemy body parts. Player attacks are usually single-turn, while enemies have different attacks on different limbs. Enemy attacks can permanently remove player limbs, affecting speed and weapon use. Hunger and sanity worsen over time. Many actions—including saving and avoiding instant death—are decided by a coin toss where the player guesses heads or tails. Multiple endings exist, depending on player choices and difficulty.