Take a moment to let that sink in. Good. Now, once more with feeling:

Renowned video game developer and creator of the Metal Gear franchise Hideo Kojima and film director/producer Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim, TV’s The Strain) are teaming up to create the next installment in the Silent Hill franchise with The Walking Dead‘s Norman Reedus as the game’s protagonist.

During Sony’s press event at Gamescon on Tuesday, a mysterious new horror game dubbed “P.T.” from unknown developer 7780s Studio was teased on-screen. Sony advised interested gamers to access a playable demo on PS4 via PSN to learn more. Soon enough, an excitable, British gamer chick who goes by the name of SoapyWarpig uploaded a live stream of her completing the demo via Twitch. I highly recommend you watch the final minutes of her gameplay; her colorful commentary is so incredibly enjoyable.

After completing the nightmarish demo (see my impressions below), the names Hideo Kojima, Guillermo del Toro, and Norman Reedus flash on the screen as you briefly visit a dark and gloomy street and are introduced to Reedus’ character. And then the black words Silent Hills splash on a bright white screen as Akira Yamaoka’s classic, chilling Silent Hill theme plays. In amazing Kojima style, gamers were duped into thinking this was some random horror game from some unknown studio. Silent Hills is in fact a Kojima Productions title; 7780s Studio was completely fabricated! Oh, and “P.T.” stands for “Playable Teaser,” that first of its kind boasts Sony. Other details surrounding the now-highly anticipated game, including release date and console support, are still being kept under wraps for now.

I played “P.T.” in its entirety and yes, it scared the living shit out of me. For my impressions skip after the break.

The Silent Hills playable teaser is like diving right into a nightmare. A bloody paper bag sitting on a wooden table in the isolated room you wake up in warns, “Watch out. The gap in the door, it’s a separate reality.” And it’s right–walk through the only door in front of you and suddenly you enter an antiquated maze that seems inescapable. There’s a hallway with a mysterious clock stuck at 23:59 and also filled with odd, nearly indecipherable photos hanging on the walls. A disgusting, dilapidated bathroom includes a wailing infant-alien entity in its sink. In the entryway you’ll discover an old-timey radio that recites a depressing and brutal story of a family murder coded with demonic messages. Past the front door–which always remains locked, mind you–is another door that leads down a set of stairs; go through the door at the bottom and you’ll find yourself back where you started: it’s an endless loop!

Each time you go through the loop things in the hallway and the bathroom and the entryway change, sometimes ever-so-slightly but it’s enough to notice. That is until the place turns into a horror show with flashing red lights and all of the framed pictures project giant, realistic eyeballs racing in every direction. Welcome to Hell.

Throughout the (literally) dark demo a dead, ghoulish female spirit pops out and chases you (and sometimes even possesses and kills you) and these are the biggest frights that will get you to jump in your seat. There are many nooks and crannies to explore in the small setting (there’s even a picture of a woman whose pieces are scattered throughout the hall for you to collect) and said spirit manages to scare every time when you’re not expecting it. Things get downright creepy when she starts breathing down your neck.

Of course, I have my gripes. The demo can be absolutely maddening and frustrating at times. The endless loops sometimes result in zero plot momentum and you truly do feel stuck in time. Now, these effects are what make the demo unique and inspired, but after enough time it starts to feel impossible to complete. Patience is your best friend in playing “P.T.” and you’ll need it if you wish to make it to the end, to the big Silent Hills reveal. My biggest tip: do not leave a single area in the house untouched; press and hold R3 to explore everything and don’t give up! For additional assistance, you can always watch SoapyWarpig’s Twitch broadcast in its entirety (it clocks in at a lengthy 1:19; it took me nearly two-and-a-half hours to complete), and you can broadcast your own gameplay via Twitch or Ustream asking for help. Trust me, as impossible as it may seem, if there’s a will there is surely a way.

All in all, Kojima & del Toro have done a fine job at hyping their new Silent Hills game, from the announcement ploy to the demo itself. The demo’s graphics are nothing short of spectacular; this is truly a next-gen title. The scares are real and the slow, dark, menacing pace is exactly what the Silent Hill franchise needs to be reinvigorated. I am beyond excited to see how the mega developer, mega producer, and mega star come together to shine a light on the aging horror franchise and ignite the once-popular video game genre.