Kholat

What makes games special among all other forms of art and entertainment? The question seems simple, but you can’t answer it right away — neither in the first lines of Wikipedia, nor in the comments under articles, where arguments flare up with enviable regularity: “This is not a game at all!” Such discussions were especially heated ten years ago, when Quantic Dream and their followers released cinematic projects every few years, and adventure games-“walkers” filled the industry. Those times have passed, but Amnesia, Dear Esther and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter have already left their mark.

In fact, everything is simple: games are interactive, an opportunity to influence what is happening. You can listen to music, but you cannot change its notes. You can watch films, but the viewer will not be able to rewrite the script (unless you have a director’s version in your head). In the theater, of course, there are exceptions, but, let’s say, not according to the script. But the player controls events — even if it is just a step forward along the corridor. And here is the most interesting thing: why do we need interactivity at all if it is reduced to a minimum? To understand this, let’s look at the game Kholat.

Kholat Free Steam Account

Kholat is the debut project of the Polish studio IMGN.PRO, which at one time aimed to be a new CD Projekt, dreaming of its own AAA games. The game first appeared on Steam in 2015, and then gradually made its way to consoles. For example, it was released on Nintendo Switch in September. The plot is based on the tragedy of the Dyatlov group, nine tourists who mysteriously died in the mountains in the late 1950s. As the developers promise, the player will have to solve this mystery, and the introductory video immediately immerses you in an atmosphere of disturbing uncertainty. The events unfold in the Northern Urals, but the exact time of action remains behind the scenes. The main character arrives in the village of Ivdel, but he cannot be considered a full-fledged protagonist. He is rather a nameless guide through whom we get to know the world of Kholat. Who is he, what brought him here, and what are his motives? Questions remain unanswered both at the beginning and at the end of the game. Having barely had time to look around the snowy surroundings, the character finds himself in a mystical scene: the space around him changes, the light disappears, and then he finds himself in a vast mountain location – now the adventure really begins.

If we talk about the structure of the gameplay, then Kholat is, in essence, a walking simulator with elements of exploration. At the very beginning, the player receives a list of coordinates – this is where he needs to go, the order of visiting is not important. At these points, scraps of newspaper articles, diary entries and pseudoscientific notes are scattered, supposedly revealing the true cause of the tragedy that occurred. Along the way, you can stumble upon additional documents, but they only expand the general understanding of the world of the game, without bringing much depth to the plot.

Enjoy endless gaming! Get a steam free accounts and start right away!

And here lies the main catch. Despite the fact that Kholat builds intrigue around the Dyatlov group, in fact, it has almost nothing to do with it. The story could just as easily have centered around, say, the fall of the Tunguska meteorite (and it is even mentioned in the game) — and nothing would have changed fundamentally. The developers promised to reveal the secret, but in the end they offer vague hints and guesses that are not supported by facts. The plot here rather serves as an excuse for the gameplay than really engaging. But there is something to say about the gameplay itself. The player is given a map and a compass to help, but whether they help is a big question. The paths on the map are intentionally curved, the connections between the routes are not always displayed, so even those who do not suffer from topographic cretinism may have difficulties. Deviated from the route? Get ready to wander aimlessly for the next ten minutes. The only thing that somehow simplifies orientation is the marks of the notes found on the map, but even they do not always help out.

Snow, shadows and hopelessness: how Kholat scares with its atmosphere

Most of the time, the player is surrounded only by a winter blizzard, but he is not completely alone. Strange shadows flicker at key points of the location, as if someone noticed movement out of the corner of their eye, but did not have time to see what exactly. As soon as they catch your eye, they rush to attack without warning. There is no salvation: they simply pounce with a scream, and now the gameover screen is in front of you. The only thing you can do is try to run away, but success depends solely on how far you were from them when they were discovered. In general, the shadows do not interfere with the passage, but they can ruin your nerves, especially in the forest, where you can’t see anything anyway. However, the player has another “enemy”, although it is difficult to call him that. As you approach important points, the space begins to fill with orange smoke. It looks like chlorine and upon contact instantly sends the hero to the nearest checkpoint. In fact, it is not even an obstacle, but rather a landmark: it clearly marks the boundaries of the path and helps to get your bearings.

But the player spends most of the time leisurely strolling through the snowy world. The first impression is that the map is huge, but over time it becomes clear that everything is located quite close. The problem is different: the character walks slowly, and the sprint ends literally after a few dozen meters. Because of this, Kholat is sometimes perceived as overly stretched out. The save system also adds inconvenience. You cannot record your progress manually – the game is saved only at special points, similar to small camps with fires, or when you find notes. This means that if you need to take a break, you will have to walk to the nearest fire. Otherwise, the next time you will start the path somewhere at the other end of the map.

And this mechanic also involuntarily forces you to follow a certain style of play:

• Explore the world more carefully, so that you don’t have to travel long after death.
• Remember the location of checkpoints, because without them, saving won’t work.
• Evaluate the risk – is it worth going further or is it better to return to the fire.

On the other hand, this creates a slight “survival” effect – you start to more carefully bypass suspicious places, because the prospect of getting through the entire location again is not at all pleasing.

Atmosphere vs. Gameplay: What Makes Kholat So Appealing?

The funniest thing about Kholat is its linearity, despite the spacious open world. Formally, the player can decide in what order to visit key points, but in practice, there is always one path to them. Two paths on the map are just an illusion of choice: one of them, of course, looks more convenient, but ultimately leads to a dead end. Persistent players may try to look for workarounds, but the lack of a jump in the game quickly stops such experiments. As a result, you have to go along the only possible route. The slow pace of Kholat is sometimes annoying, but the developers clearly feel the line beyond which the player can get tired. As soon as you want to give up this leisurely wandering through the snowy mountains in search of another scrap of paper with a piece of the plot, the final credits appear on the screen. The passage seems long, but in fact it takes only about six hours.

And yet, despite the obvious shortcomings, Kholat leaves a strong impression. The main reason is the atmosphere. Oppressive loneliness, endless winter wilderness, frightening beauty of snow-covered landscapes – all this works to create a sense of tension. Due to the terrain, it is not visible what awaits around the next turn, which maintains the intrigue. Slightly changed textures, color filters, differences in architecture – and now a familiar place looks new. Occult motifs found in caves and mystical places add a special mystery to the game. And snow-covered landscapes and blizzards are so well-designed that no screenshots or descriptions can fully convey this effect.

The main reasons why Kholat impresses despite its gameplay limitations:

• A captivating atmosphere of loneliness and winter emptiness.
• Detailed landscapes that create tension.
• Constantly changing visual style that does not let you get bored.
• Snowstorm and snowfall effects that make the world come alive.
• Occult elements that enhance the sense of mystery.

And here again the main question arises: why make games with minimal gameplay? Kholat gives a clear answer to it – because only interactive entertainment can immerse you in the atmosphere so deeply. Not a single, even the most daring arthouse film can convey the feeling of presence the way video games do. Without interactivity, it is impossible to fully involve a person in what is happening. The simplest example: the player’s gaze changes the picture on the screen exactly as he wants it to – the camera turns exactly as much as he moved it, and the wind adjusts to the movement. At this moment, the person behind the monitor becomes the cameraman of his own film. It’s a pity that we rarely think about how important such details are.

Kholat System Requirements

How to play Kholat for free on Steam via VpeSports

Are you ready to embark on a terrifying journey through the icy expanses of the Ural Mountains in Kholat, where every step could be your last? Do you want to find out what these silent peaks hide and hear the whispers of those who disappeared into the night? Now you have the opportunity to do it for free! All you need to do is register on VpeSports and check out the free steam account  section. There, among the many games, you will already find Kholat, a mystical horror inspired by the real tragedy at Dyatlov Pass. Check out the review page, where you will find not only a detailed analysis of the game, but also the coveted button leading to free access. We have prepared a step-by-step guide for you that will help you launch the game without unnecessary complications.

It is important for us to know what you think about the game and our review, so leave your comment! It will be moderated, and if something goes wrong, just adjust the text according to our recommendations. After approval, you will receive an email with your login details.

But that’s not all. In our Telegram channel and chat you will find not only Kholat, but also a whole collection of games, exclusive news, updates and support, if you suddenly encounter difficulties. Subscribe and always stay up to date with new patches to immerse yourself in the game without restrictions.

And if something remains unclear, the site has detailed instructions “How to play for free“. Now it’s all up to you: are you ready to take a step into the unknown? Be careful… there is something in the mountains. And it is already watching.