Link Steam
indiegame.fan
The Cost Of Silence header art

The Cost Of Silence

A first-person political experience about the weight of silence. Explore six symbolic rooms of modern injustice and carry their burdens to the end.

Steam Page
Developer
The Reform Arcade
Publisher
The Reform Arcade
Release
Coming Soon
Steam Reviews
No reviews yet

Does this feel indie?

Vote based on whether this game feels indie to you. You can change your vote at any time. Results earn an IGF score after 10 accepted votes.
No votes yet
Vote on More Games
Game contextLatest: IGF Team
ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan.Status
Notes
Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes
Search Google: Who developed The Cost Of Silence?Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Search Google: Who published The Cost Of Silence?Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
Search Google: Is The Cost Of Silence self-published or published by The Reform Arcade?Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Search Google: How is The Cost Of Silence and The Reform Arcade funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Search Google: Who controls the creative direction and IP for The Cost Of Silence and The Reform Arcade?Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Search Google: What is the release status of The Cost Of Silence?Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.

Media

8 items

About the Game

The Cost of Silence is a short first-person experience about the unseen weight of modern suffering.

You will walk through six symbolic rooms, each representing a real-world injustice shaped by the last few years of American and global history. In every room, you uncover a hidden truth — not through spectacle, but through what is left behind.

When a truth is found, it stays with you.

Each room leaves the player marked by a small, symbolic object and sound — a reminder that cannot be dropped, ignored, or undone. As these burdens accumulate, movement becomes heavier. Progress becomes slower. Silence becomes louder.

There are no enemies to defeat.
There are no choices to justify.
There is only the cost of witnessing — and the cost of looking away.

Features

  • A focused first-person narrative experience

  • Six symbolic rooms, each tied to a real-world social issue

  • Persistent objects and audio cues that follow the player throughout the game

  • Optional room skipping for player safety — without losing narrative weight

  • No gore or graphic violence, but emotionally challenging themes

  • Designed to be completed in a single sitting

Themes Explored

  • Racism and rising extremism

  • Medical neglect and denied care

  • School shootings and gun violence

  • Worker exploitation

  • Immigration and family separation

  • Surveillance and silencing of dissent

Content Warning

This game contains distressing themes and symbolic imagery related to real-world injustice. While it does not include gore, some content may be emotionally intense. Player discretion is advised.

Indie Game Fan