Free horror game with unique blinking mechanic goes trending on Steam shortly after launch

Singularity Studios, the publisher behind the well-received title Schrödinger, has released a new free game on Steam, Vigil. Described as a short horror title, it became available on the platform on August 15, 2025, and shortly after release, it climbed to the "New & Trending" chart, with the current position being 3rd on the list.

One of the key highlights of this new free game is that it incorporates a unique blinking mechanic. The horror element is heavily inspired by a fictional alien species from the show Doctor Who, the Weeping Angels. As the developers note, Vigil is best experienced with a webcam (Logitech C920x curr. $59.99 on Amazon), which is used to detect whether players are blinking.

When the players blink, however, the animatronic monster, which seems to be inspired by Five Nights at Freddy's, comes closer, even when it's in direct line of sight. Of course, it's also possible to play Vigil without a webcam, as the developers have integrated an alternative keyboard-based mechanic for non-webcam players.

Regarding the story, this free game on Steam sets the players in a deep underground facility. The primary task is to dispose of the boxes, but as the players progress, they find that they are not alone, and that's when things take a turn.

Player reception of Vigil has been good so far. Since its release, this free game has received around 20 reviews, and currently, 100% of them are positive. Some even note that the real-life blinking detection, paired with the vibe of the environment, makes the title offer an authentic horror experience. Check out the video below to learn more about Vigil.