08/12/2026 Besu's Best Games

Candace Nola
4 minutes ago
3 min read

Besu Tadesse is back with another horror game review! This week, he brings us his thoughts on Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike

Some spoilers ahead-proceed with caution!

Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike

reviewed by Besu Tadesse

Note: Spoilers ahead.

Released in January 2022, Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike is the second episode of the psychological horror anthology series Fears to Fathom, developed by indie developer and publisher rayll.

In this episode, you play as Holly Gardner as she hitchhikes to a motel for an overnight stay after her car breaks down. You navigate your interactions with the creepy people at each stop in order to survive the night until you can get picked up and find your way home.

You drive home through the evening darkness in an unfamiliar area, trying to manage personal relationships through your cell phone while avoiding wildlife attacks and traffic accidents. From there, you stop at a gas station with a convenience store managed by a freaky shop owner at the register. Your parents reach out for you to buy some household needs, you fill up the gas tank, and you go on your way.

Eventually, your car breaks down along the road, and you must hitchhike to find safe harbor until you’re able to get home. It’s all very mundane, grounded in the usual dangers that one could face on a long trip. From there, you must survive the night from the “stalkers”, weirdly shaped humanoid creatures that lurk in the darkness in each episode of the series.

As with the first episode, the vibes are dark and creepy, and you can feel your skin crawl with each moment. The writing and character development balance the fine line between ordinary and dangerous, leaving a persistent tension as you progress through the story. The gameplay is basic, mostly walking and turning; its restrictive nature makes the entire experience surprisingly claustrophobic, despite your character being in the open air for most of the game.

It’s a wonderful exercise in being able to create an engaging atmosphere with a good concept and simple controls.

This and every episode of Fears to Fathom is available on PC. If you like slow-burning psychological games, then give it a try. Enjoy!

Check it out here:

Fears to Fathom - Norwood Hitchhike on Steam

MORE ABOUT BESU TADESSE

An author based in Maryland, Besu Tadesse loves to write horror and speculative fiction. He has published two books – The Ghosts of Poplar Valley, a paranormal horror novella about our history’s echoes into the present, and Broken Persons, a short story collection that deals with broad themes of grief, trauma, and speculation on the future.

His short stories have been included in several works, including Devour the Rich!, Arsenic and Grandma’s Refrigerator: Horror Told in Colours, Dark and Dreary: A Basement Horror Anthology, A Chronicle of Horrors: An Anthology, Recipes for Newlyweds: Stories of Marital Bliss, With Teeth: A Dark Fiction Anthology, and several upcoming projects. He also works as a gaming writer and reviewer for Calcopia and Uncomfortably Dark.