While we never quite got the taxi driver horror game that the SKINFREAK beta teased (what we did get is still worth it, by the way), Ikai developer Endlfame is looking to fill that niche with their own recently-announced psychological horror game, Silent Road. Set within a remote Japanese forest region infamous for its long history of suicides, Silent Road will comes to Steam in 2026.
Drawing inspiration from classic Japanese horror aesthetics that echo the likes of the recent Silent Hill f, you are the new taxi driver in a remote region of Japan. Your job is simple: Carry the local passengers through the night shift and watch closely. Each fare becomes a new test of nerve: peculiar passengers, whispered stories, and quiet conversations that turn colder with every mile. As the night unfolds and through tense rides, chilling encounters, and environmental clues scattered along the way, the truth behind the forest begins to emerge.
Navigate lonely highways, fog-drenched mountain passes, and silent villages as tension builds inside your taxi. Upping the tension will be you having to leave the safety of your vehicle to assist riders with tasks that feel anything but safe. All the while, you’ll discover the forest’s mysteries through subtle clues, shifting moods, and chilling moments through environmental storytelling.
“We’ve always loved Japanese horror – the quiet tension, the atmosphere, the way it stays with you long after it ends. Silent Road grew from that love,” explains Endflame co-founders Laura Ripoll and Guillem Travila. “Our indie journey began with the J-Horror title Ikai, and over time, we’ve found ourselves drawn back to the unique thrill of horror. Silent Road is our way of embracing that call, pouring our hearts into crafting a frightening experience that also carries something deeper beneath the surface. Sharing this return to horror with the world is both exciting and terrifying.”