BREATHE.EXE

Inspiration

BREATHE.EXE was inspired by games like Buckshot Roulette, Baldi’s Basics, and Night of the Consumers. We loved how these games turn seemingly simple situations into chaotic, terrifying experiences. We wanted to apply that same idea to something everyone dreads: job interviews. What starts as an ordinary interview quickly becomes a psychological nightmare where staying calm is just as important as answering correctly.

What it does

BREATHE.EXE is a first-person, AI-powered horror interview simulator. Players enter an office, sit across from an interviewer, and answer questions normally—until the lights go out and everything takes a disturbing turn. With AI-generated dialogue, unsettling visuals, immersive audio, and biometric feedback, the game aims to create an unpredictable experience. Despite the horror, players are still evaluated on their interview responses and receive feedback afterward.

How we built it

We designed BREATHE.EXE around a 3D environment, using technologies such as Three.js, React, and TypeScript. We explored Gemini for dynamic interview conversations and ElevenLabs for realistic voice interactions. We also designed the experience to incorporate heart-rate monitoring and haptic feedback, allowing the game to react to the player's physical responses.

Challenges we ran into

Our biggest challenge was combining real-time AI conversations with an immersive 3D horror experience. Balancing performance, realistic character interactions, and the timing of scares was particularly difficult. We also had to consider how to incorporate biometric hardware without interrupting gameplay.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're proud of creating a concept that combines psychological horror, conversational AI, and interactive hardware into something unique. Rather than making another scripted horror game, we set out to create an experience where the player's own responses influence what happens next.

What we learned

We learned how AI, game development, and hardware can work together to create immersive experiences. We also discovered how important atmosphere, timing, sound design, and player interaction are when building psychological horror.

What's next for BREATHE.EXE

We want to expand BREATHE.EXE with more interview scenarios, increasingly unpredictable AI behavior, improved facial animations, and deeper biometric integration. Eventually, we hope to develop it into both a genuinely terrifying horror game and an unconventional tool for practicing real-world interviews.