Firewall Nights is a suspenseful PC survival strategy game where the player must manage their digital life from a single room. Over 12 increasingly difficult nights, the player earns money to pay rent by mining cryptocurrency and completing online tasks — all while defending their system from an escalating flood of malware, scams, and social engineering threats
Inspired by the tension of Welcome to the Game, but with a stronger focus on memory, system management, and cybersecurity rather than horror.
Core Gameplay Loop
- Log in and start your day/night
- Mine crypto or do small tasks (surveys, gigs, ads) to earn money
- Defend your PC against malware: viruses, worms, spyware, etc.
- Upgrade your defenses: buy better firewalls, antivirus, RAM, backup systems
- Interact with emails, messages, and calls — decide who’s real or a scammer
- Pay rent before the night ends — or lose everything
Resource Management
- Money is tight — rent increases each night
- You must choose:
- Upgrade your defenses?
- Save money in case of a wipe?
- Risk shady software for fast cash?
Malware Threat System
Each night introduces new malware types that increase pressure and force the player to memorize patterns, symptoms, and removal methods.
Name | Type | Effect |
AdFlood | Adware | Pop-ups, slows mining, can't be fully removed |
LoveLetter | Email Worm | Spreads if clicked, corrupts files |
GhostKey | Keylogger | Steals sensitive info unless found quickly |
ByteReaper | Ransomware | Locks part of system, demands crypto |
ShadowClone | Trojan | Disguised as app update or software |
RootNest | Rootkit | Undetectable without upgrade |
EternalBuzz | Fake Support | Tries to social-engineer you via calls |
Some viruses are minor nuisances. Others wipe your hard drive and reset you to Night 1.
Social Engineering & Suspicion
- You get emails, messages, and fake phone calls
- Some are real people you must work with (bank rep, landlord, friend)
- Others are scammers trying to steal your info or trick you into downloading malware
- You must learn to spot fake behavior, verify identities, and keep your guard up
Upgrades & Tools
Buy upgrades with your limited income:
- Firewalls (tiered: basic → military-grade)
- Antivirus software (detects known threats)
- Manual scan tool (detect stealth malware)
- System backup drive (saves progress from full wipe)
- RAM/CPU (helps run more tools simultaneously)
Session Structure
- Each “night” lasts ~10–20 minutes
- The full game lasts 12 nights (~2–4 hours per run)
- Replayable: randomized malware order, social events, and email contents
Tone & Mood
- Suspenseful, not horror
- You’re always one step away from digital collapse
- Clean UI with immersive sound design and visual glitches when infected
- Like Papers Please meets FNAF — but in a digital-only world
Why It’s Unique
- Focuses on cybersecurity survival, not hacking
- Real-world inspired threats (phishing, ransomware, keyloggers)
- Tension comes from multitasking, resource pressure, and mental memory
- Teaches awareness of scams and malware in a clever, gamified way
I'm looking for:
- A developer (Unity, Godot, or web-based)
- Possibly an artist/UI designer for a minimal but stylish interface
- Or a team interested in building a suspense-focused PC sim