Netflix game Unhinged uses phones as motion controllers

Unhinged is available now through Netflix Games and requires an active Netflix subscription. Players start the game from the Netflix Games row on their TV and pair a phone by scanning a QR code.

Once paired, the phone’s motion sensors control the in-game flashlight: tilting and moving the device steers Ava’s beam inside a dark apartment building during a Category 5 hurricane. Incoming calls and text messages vibrate and play through the phone’s speaker while the remainder of the game’s audio runs through the television speaker.

Night School Studio developed Unhinged. The voice cast includes Zoë Kravitz as Ava, Sadie Sink as Claire and Troy Baker as Ben, the building superintendent. The game is set in a powerless apartment building where players navigate confined spaces and audio cues.

Unhinged offers two modes. Story Mode removes the timer and the possibility of death, creating an uninterrupted interactive narrative. Standard Mode includes timed sequences in which a shrinking timer requires players to locate objects quickly; dying returns the player to a checkpoint.

The phone-based control scheme uses motion tracking, haptic feedback and ringtone cues to signal calls and texts that affect the story. The setup creates a split audio experience between the handset and the TV, with personal communications directed to the phone and ambient game sound on the television.

Night School Studio previously developed Oxenfree and its sequel. Unhinged is listed in the Netflix Games catalog for subscribers to download and play.