Brutal First-person Horror White Knuckle is launching today in Steam Early Access

The race to the top is on—speed-climbing horror roguelite White Knuckle is now available in Steam Early Access. Praised for its fast-paced tension, stimulating challenge, and the heart-pounding fear that something horrible is lurking just behind you, Dreadxp’s latest release is a vertical nightmare of precision movement and tight inventory management. Developed by a New Mexico-based three-person team, Dark Machine Games, White Knuckle is indie horror at its most intense, and it’s just getting started.



Trapped in the crumbling depths of SUB-STRUCTURE 17, you play as a lone climber fighting to ascend a nightmarish underground compound. Navigate collapsing walls, leap over deadly gaps, and dodge brutal traps, all while evading the monstrous presence lurking and creeping from down below. Precision, speed, and smart resource management are essential—tools can aid your climb, but overpacking will slow you down, and accessing your gear mid-ascent means having to let go of a hand. One wrong move, just one fumbled grab, and it’s a long way down.

As you rise through this decaying vertical labyrinth, you’ll face increasingly treacherous environments and enemies, from the desolate Silos and toxic Pipeworks to the haunted piers of Habitation. Each region brings new threats and greater risks, but also the chance to unlock augmentations during your runs to enhance your abilities and better your odds of surviving the long climb to freedom. In pure roguelite fashion, failing isn’t a threat, it’s a promise. ”We want every run to feel different, and for players to learn more about familiar spaces as much as they are seeing new ones. You WILL fall and die in White Knuckle, and it's fun because the best part of starting over is wondering what routes or places you'll discover in the next attempt,” says Holly Jencka, Lead Developer at Dark Machine Games.

White Knuckle is now available in Steam Early Access for USD 12.99 / €12.79 / £10.99, kicking off with a 10% launch discount. This special introductory price celebrates the start of Early Access, with more content and features on the way. As White Knuckle evolves throughout development, pricing will be adjusted to reflect the game’s expanded scope. A free, highly acclaimed demo is also available for climbers who want to do a quick stretch before going for the run.