Shadow Haunt Delhi - India’s Most Terrifying Desi Horror Adventure

🔑 Core Concept

At its heart, Shadow Haunt Delhi is a story-driven horror adventure that tasks players with exploring a cursed Mughal haveli to uncover its dark secrets and break a centuries-old curse. The game blends exploration, puzzle-solving, stealth survival, and narrative-driven gameplay, creating a balanced experience that appeals to both casual players and horror enthusiasts.

Players take on the role of Kabir Khan, a young historian and Delhi native whose grandfather—an avid researcher of Mughal history—disappeared while investigating the haveli decades ago. Armed with his grandfather’s journal, a lantern, and a few essential tools, Kabir ventures into the haunted mansion to find answers, only to discover that the haveli is inhabited by spirits trapped by a curse cast during the Mughal era.

What sets Shadow Haunt Delhi apart is its commitment to cultural authenticity. The game’s developers spent over 18 months researching Delhi’s history, consulting historians from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, and collaborating with folklore experts to ensure that every aspect of the game—from the haveli’s architecture to the spirits’ backstories—aligns with Indian traditions. The result is a game that feels deeply familiar to Indian players, while offering international audiences a window into India’s rich cultural heritage.

🌍 Cultural Significance

Shadow Haunt Delhi arrives at a pivotal moment for the Indian gaming industry, which is projected to reach $8.6 billion by 2027 (as per KPMG India’s 2024 report). For years, Indian gamers have been starved of titles that reflect their own culture, with most popular games being Western imports or generic mobile games with little cultural depth. Shadow Haunt Delhi changes that by placing Indian history and folklore at the center of the gaming experience.

“Shadow Haunt Delhi is more than a game—it’s a celebration of India’s storytelling traditions. We wanted to create something that Indian gamers could see themselves in, something that honors our history and folklore while delivering top-tier horror gameplay.” — Rajesh Mehta, Creative Director at Daman Games

The game’s cultural impact extends beyond entertainment. It has sparked renewed interest in Mughal history among young Indians, with many players taking to social media to share their research about Mughal havelis, folklore, and Delhi’s past. Daman Games has also partnered with the Delhi Heritage Society to create educational content based on the game, further bridging the gap between gaming and cultural preservation.

Another key aspect of Shadow Haunt Delhi’s cultural significance is its linguistic inclusivity. The game is available in three languages—English, Hindi, and Urdu—with voice acting by prominent Indian actors (including Pankaj Tripathi and Rasika Dugal for Hindi/Urdu voiceovers). This inclusivity has helped the game reach a wider audience, including non-English speaking players in rural India, who form a significant portion of the country’s gaming market.

🗺️ Exploration

Exploration is the backbone of Shadow Haunt Delhi, with players navigating a sprawling Mughal haveli that spans three floors, a basement dungeon, a courtyard, and a rooftop. The haveli is designed to be non-linear, allowing players to explore at their own pace and discover secrets in any order—though certain areas are locked until specific puzzles are solved or items are collected.

The haveli’s architecture is a love letter to Mughal design, with intricate jali work (lattice screens), marble floors, archways, and wall paintings that reflect the era’s artistic sensibilities. Each room tells a story: the grand hall features a broken chandelier and faded tapestries, the library is filled with ancient Persian and Urdu manuscripts, the kitchen has rusted utensils and a hearth that occasionally flickers to life, and the basement dungeon is lined with iron cells and chains.

What makes the exploration truly immersive is the dynamic environment. As players move through the haveli, they’ll encounter random supernatural events that keep them on edge: doors slamming shut on their own, whispers in Hindi/Urdu echoing through corridors, lights flickering, and objects moving slightly when not looking. These events aren’t just for show—they often hint at nearby secrets or warn of impending danger from spirits.

To aid in exploration, players have access to Kabir’s grandfather’s journal, which serves as a map and clue repository. The journal updates as players discover new areas, with hand-drawn sketches of the haveli, notes on folklore, and clues to solving puzzles. Players can also collect historical artifacts—such as Mughal coins, miniature paintings, and British colonial-era tools—that unlock lore entries explaining their significance in Indian history.

One of the most innovative exploration features is the “Spirit Sense” ability, which Kabir unlocks early in the game. By pressing a dedicated button, Kabir can temporarily see the world through the eyes of the spirits, revealing hidden passages, glowing clues, and the footprints of nearby spirits. This ability has a cooldown period, forcing players to use it strategically rather than relying on it constantly.

🧩 Puzzle-Solving

Puzzle-solving is a central part of Shadow Haunt Delhi, with puzzles that are deeply integrated into the game’s historical and cultural themes. Unlike generic puzzle games that rely on abstract logic, the puzzles here require players to draw on their knowledge of Indian history, Mughal culture, and desi folklore—making them both challenging and educational.

The puzzles range in difficulty from easy to hard, with hints available for players who get stuck (though using hints reduces the game’s completion percentage). Examples of puzzles include:

• The Rangoli Puzzle: Players must arrange colored powder in the pattern of a traditional rangoli to calm a restless spirit. The pattern is hidden in a Mughal painting found in the haveli’s drawing room.
• The Persian Inscription Puzzle: Decode a Persian verse inscribed on a marble tablet to unlock a hidden vault. The verse references the Quran and Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s reign, requiring players to use the journal’s lore entries to translate it.
• The Tabla Rhythm Puzzle: Players must replicate a specific tabla rhythm to open a door leading to the haveli’s tower. The rhythm is taught to Kabir by a friendly spirit who was a musician in the Mughal court.
• The Partition Letter Puzzle: Reassemble torn letters written by refugees during the 1947 Partition to uncover the location of a key item. The letters are written in a mix of Hindi, Urdu, and English, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the time.
• The Djinn’s Riddle Puzzle: Solve three riddles based on Islamic mythology to defeat the game’s final boss, a powerful djinn. The riddles reference stories from the Arabian Nights and Mughal folklore.

What makes these puzzles stand out is their cultural relevance. For example, the rangoli puzzle not only advances the gameplay but also teaches players about the significance of rangoli in Indian culture—its use in festivals, its symbolic meanings, and its role in warding off evil spirits. Similarly, the Partition letter puzzle sheds light on a tragic chapter in Indian history, helping younger players understand the human cost of Partition.

The game also features environmental puzzles that require players to interact with the haveli’s surroundings. For instance, players might need to adjust mirrors to reflect moonlight onto a cursed symbol, use water from a holy well to cleanse a possessed object, or stack wooden crates to reach a high window. These puzzles encourage players to observe their environment closely and think creatively.

👻 Stealth & Survival

Shadow Haunt Delhi is first and foremost a horror game, and survival is key to progressing. The haveli is inhabited by several supernatural entities, each with unique behaviors, weaknesses, and backstories rooted in Indian folklore. Players must use stealth to avoid these spirits, as direct confrontation is almost always fatal (except for the game’s boss battles).

The spirits in Shadow Haunt Delhi are not just generic monsters—they’re tragic figures with compelling backstories that tie into the game’s narrative. Here are the main spirits players will encounter:

To survive, players have a limited set of tools at their disposal:

• Lantern: Provides light to repel sensitive spirits like Rani Zeb-un-Nisa. It has finite fuel, which can be replenished by finding oil cans hidden throughout the haveli.
• Holy Water: Can be sprinkled on weak spirits to temporarily disable them. It is obtained by filling a flask from the haveli’s holy well.
• Amulets: Collected from friendly spirits or found in chests. Each amulet provides temporary protection against a specific type of spirit (e.g., a turmeric amulet repels chudails).
• Spirit Board: Allows players to communicate with friendly spirits like Kabir’s grandfather, unlocking clues and lore.
• Distraction Items: Rocks and pots that can be thrown to lure spirits away from key areas.

Resource management is crucial in Shadow Haunt Delhi. Tools like lantern fuel and holy water are scarce, forcing players to use them strategically. For example, players might need to conserve lantern fuel to repel Rani Zeb-un-Nisa in the grand hall, or save holy water for the chudail in the basement. This adds a layer of tension to the gameplay, as players must weigh the risks of using a tool now versus saving it for later.

The game’s horror elements are designed to be psychological rather than just jump scares. The haveli’s atmospheric sound design—creaking floors, distant whispers, the rustle of wind through broken windows—creates a sense of dread that builds over time. The spirits’ appearances are rare but impactful, with each encounter feeling like a genuine threat. This approach to horror is more effective for Indian audiences, who are often more responsive to psychological terror rooted in familiar folklore than to generic jump scares.

🎮 Game Modes

Shadow Haunt Delhi offers four distinct game modes to cater to different player preferences, ensuring that the game has replay value long after the main story is completed:

🎮 Controls & Accessibility

Shadow Haunt Delhi is designed to be accessible to players of all skill levels, with intuitive controls and a range of accessibility features. The game’s controls are optimized for each platform:

Mobile Controls: The mobile version features a touch-based control scheme with a virtual joystick for movement, action buttons for interacting with objects, and swipe gestures for looking around. The controls are customizable, allowing players to adjust the size and position of buttons to suit their preferences. There’s also an option for auto-run to reduce thumb fatigue during long exploration sessions.

PC/Mac Controls: The PC and Mac versions support both keyboard/mouse and gamepad controls. The keyboard/mouse scheme uses WASD for movement, mouse for looking around, and standard keys for actions (E for interact, F for lantern, etc.). Gamepad controls are fully customizable, with support for popular controllers like the Xbox Series X/S Controller, PlayStation 5 DualSense, and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

In addition to customizable controls, Shadow Haunt Delhi offers a range of accessibility features to make the game accessible to players with disabilities:

• Visual Accessibility: Adjustable text size, high-contrast mode, and colorblind support (protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia).
• Auditory Accessibility: Subtitles for all dialogue and sound effects, adjustable volume levels for different audio channels (music, sound effects, voice), and visual cues for important audio events (e.g., a flashing icon when a spirit is nearby).
• Cognitive Accessibility: Difficulty settings (Easy, Normal, Hard, Nightmare), optional puzzle hints, and a “Story Mode” difficulty that reduces combat/stealth challenges to focus on the narrative.
• Motor Accessibility: Adjustable control sensitivity, auto-aim for combat, and a “One-Handed Mode” that maps all controls to one side of the screen for mobile players.

These accessibility features are a testament to Daman Games’ commitment to making Shadow Haunt Delhi inclusive for all players. In a country like India, where gaming is a popular pastime for people of all abilities, these features ensure that no one is left out of the gaming experience.

📜 Prologue: The Curse of the Haveli

The story begins in 1668, during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The haveli is built by Mirza Muhammad Hashim, a high-ranking noble in Aurangzeb’s court, as a gift for his daughter, Rani Zeb-un-Nisa (named after Aurangzeb’s real-life daughter). Zeb-un-Nisa is a bright, educated princess who loves poetry, music, and philosophy—interests that Aurangzeb, a devout Muslim who frowned upon such pursuits, disapproves of.

Zeb-un-Nisa falls in love with a young poet named Mirza Ghalib (inspired by the real-life Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, though the timeline is adjusted for the game’s narrative). Mirza is a commoner, and Aurangzeb forbids the match, ordering Zeb-un-Nisa to marry a nobleman of his choice. Refusing to obey, Zeb-un-Nisa elopes with Mirza, but they are caught by Aurangzeb’s soldiers. Mirza is executed, and Zeb-un-Nisa is imprisoned in the haveli, where she is kept in isolation for years.

Heartbroken and绝望, Zeb-un-Nisa curses the haveli on her deathbed in 1699. “May this haveli be a prison for the souls of those who have sinned—for the greedy, the cruel, and the unjust. May they wander these halls forever, tormented by their own guilt, until someone with a pure heart comes to set them free.” Her curse is powered by a diamond necklace Aurangzeb gave her as a child—a gift he later regretted giving her, as it symbolized his love for her before their rift.

Over the centuries, the haveli changes hands multiple times, each owner adding their own layer of tragedy to its history. In the 1850s, during the British colonial era, the haveli is seized by the East India Company and given to Captain Arthur Blackwood, a ruthless officer tasked with suppressing the Sepoy Mutiny. Blackwood plunders the haveli’s treasures, including Zeb-un-Nisa’s diamond necklace, and tortures Indian rebels in the basement dungeon. He is eventually killed by rebels who storm the haveli, and his spirit is trapped by Zeb-un-Nisa’s curse.

In 1947, during the Partition of India, the haveli becomes a shelter for Hindu and Muslim refugees fleeing violence. A riot breaks out in the area, and dozens of refugees are killed in the haveli—including a family of four (husband, wife, and two children) who had taken refuge in the second floor. Their spirits are added to the haveli’s growing list of ghosts, trapped by the curse.

In the 1980s, Kabir’s grandfather, Dr. Ravi Khan—a renowned historian specializing in Mughal history—becomes fascinated by the haveli’s legend. He spends years researching it, collecting old manuscripts, interviewing locals, and even visiting the haveli multiple times. During his final visit in 1989, he disappears without a trace, leaving behind only his journal and a few personal belongings.

🚶 Act 1: The Arrival

The game begins in 2024, 35 years after Dr. Khan’s disappearance. Kabir Khan, now 30 years old, is a historian working at the National Museum in Delhi. He has spent his entire life wondering what happened to his grandfather, and when he inherits his grandfather’s old house after his grandmother’s death, he finds Dr. Khan’s journal hidden in a locked drawer.

The journal is filled with handwritten notes, sketches of the haveli, and clues about Zeb-un-Nisa’s curse. Dr. Khan’s final entry, dated October 15, 1989, reads: “I have found it—the key to breaking the curse. The diamond necklace. It is hidden in the tower, guarded by the djinn. But the spirits are growing stronger. They know I’m here. If I don’t return, tell Kabir to finish what I started. He must set the spirits free. He must find the truth.”

Determined to find his grandfather and uncover the truth, Kabir travels to Old Delhi, where the haveli is located. The haveli is now abandoned, surrounded by overgrown vegetation and locked behind a rusted iron gate. Locals avoid the area, calling it “Bhootiya Haveli” (Haunted Mansion) and warning Kabir not to enter. “That place is cursed,” an old shopkeeper tells him. “Many have gone in, but none have come out the same. Your grandfather was a brave man, but bravery isn’t enough to beat those spirits.”

Ignoring the warnings, Kabir breaks into the haveli at midnight, armed with his grandfather’s journal, a lantern, and a flask of holy water. As he steps inside, the gate slams shut behind him, and the lights go out. He is now trapped in the haveli, with no choice but to explore its depths and find the diamond necklace.

Shortly after entering, Kabir encounters his first spirit: Rani Zeb-un-Nisa. She appears as a translucent figure in a Mughal saree, wailing softly. At first, she is hostile, trying to attack Kabir, but when he shows her a locket that Dr. Khan had—containing a portrait of Zeb-un-Nisa and Mirza Ghalib—she calms down. “You are Ravi’s grandson,” she says. “He was a kind man. He tried to help us, but he failed. The djinn is too powerful. You must succeed where he failed. Find the necklace. Break the curse.”

Zeb-un-Nisa gives Kabir a key to the library, where he can find more clues about the necklace and the djinn. As he explores the library, he finds his grandfather’s old research notes, which reveal that the diamond necklace is not just a piece of jewelry—it’s a powerful artifact that Zeb-un-Nisa’s mother gave her before she died. The necklace has the power to bind spirits to the mortal world, and when Zeb-un-Nisa cursed the haveli, she unknowingly used the necklace’s power to trap the spirits there.

🏰 Act 2: Exploring the Haveli

Armed with this knowledge, Kabir sets out to explore the haveli, solving puzzles and avoiding spirits as he goes. He travels through the grand hall, where Rani Zeb-un-Nisa wanders; the first floor, patrolled by Captain Blackwood; the basement, haunted by the Chudail of the Well; and the second floor, where the Partition family’s spirits linger.

As he explores, Kabir uncovers more clues about his grandfather’s fate. He finds Dr. Khan’s camp in the attic, with a half-eaten meal, a sleeping bag, and a tape recorder. Playing the tape, he hears his grandfather’s voice: “The spirits are not evil, Kabir. They are trapped. Captain Blackwood is tormented by his guilt over the plunder and the torture. The Partition family just wants to find their way home. And Zeb-un-Nisa… she just wants to be reunited with Mirza. The curse has twisted them, made them angry. But there is still good in them. You must show them mercy.”

Kabir also encounters other spirits who help him along the way. A young servant boy who worked in the haveli during the Mughal era guides him to a hidden passage, and a British nurse who was killed during the Sepoy Mutiny gives him a key to the dungeon. Each spirit has their own story, and Kabir learns that to break the curse, he must not only find the necklace but also help each spirit resolve their unfinished business.

For example, to calm Captain Blackwood’s spirit, Kabir must return the stolen treasures that Blackwood plundered to their rightful places. To help the Partition family, he must find their lost daughter’s doll, which was buried in the courtyard during the riot. And to aid Zeb-un-Nisa, he must find a letter that Mirza Ghalib wrote to her before his execution—a letter that was never delivered.

As Kabir completes these tasks, the spirits become less hostile, helping him instead of hindering him. Rani Zeb-un-Nisa tells him the location of the djinn’s lair, Captain Blackwood gives him a map of the haveli’s secret passages, and the Partition family helps him solve a puzzle that unlocks the tower.

Along the way, Kabir also finds evidence that his grandfather is still alive—or at least, his spirit is. He discovers Dr. Khan’s spectacles in the tower, and hears his voice whispering guidance when he’s stuck on a puzzle. “Follow the stars,” his grandfather says. “The Mughals used the stars to navigate. The tower’s window aligns with the North Star. That’s where the necklace is hidden.”

⚔️ Act 3: Confronting the Djinn

Using the clues from the spirits and his grandfather, Kabir finally reaches the tower. The tower is a small room at the top of the haveli, with a single window that aligns with the North Star. In the center of the room, there is a stone pedestal, and on the pedestal, there is a small chest. As Kabir approaches the chest, the room shakes, and the djinn appears.

The djinn is a massive, shadowy figure with glowing red eyes. “You dare to enter my lair, mortal?” he booms. “This necklace is mine. I have guarded it for centuries. No one can take it from me.” The djinn attacks Kabir, and Kabir must use all his skills to avoid his attacks while solving three riddles that will weaken him.

The riddles are based on Islamic mythology and Mughal history:

1. “I am born of fire and air, I grant wishes but demand a share. I am trapped in a bottle or a ring, but my power makes kings bow and sing. What am I?” (Answer: A djinn)
2. “I am a building of domes and arches, a symbol of love that never marches. I was built by a emperor for his wife, but my beauty outlasts all strife. What am I?” (Answer: The Taj Mahal)
3. “I am a curse that binds the dead, a necklace of diamonds, red with dread. I was given by a father to his daughter, but their love turned to anger and slaughter. What am I?” (Answer: Zeb-un-Nisa’s necklace)

After solving the riddles, the djinn is weakened, and Kabir is able to take the necklace from the pedestal. As he holds the necklace, the room glows with a bright light, and the spirits appear before him: Zeb-un-Nisa, Captain Blackwood, the Partition family, the servant boy, and the British nurse. They are no longer hostile—they are at peace.

“Thank you,” Zeb-un-Nisa says. “You have set us free. The curse is broken.” As she speaks, the haveli begins to shake, and the walls start to crumble. “You must leave now,” she says. “The haveli is no longer cursed, but it is unstable. Go, and tell the world our story. Tell them that even the darkest curses can be broken with mercy and courage.”

As Kabir runs toward the exit, he hears a familiar voice calling his name. He turns around and sees his grandfather’s spirit standing in the doorway. “Kabir,” Dr. Khan says, smiling. “I’m proud of you. You’ve done what I couldn’t. You’ve found the truth.” Kabir tries to run to him, but Dr. Khan fades away. “Go,” he says. “Live your life. And never forget that the past is always with us, but it doesn’t have to define us.”

🏁 Endings

Shadow Haunt Delhi features three distinct endings, depending on the choices Kabir makes throughout the game. The endings are determined by two key choices: whether Kabir helps the spirits resolve their unfinished business, and whether he keeps the diamond necklace or returns it to the haveli.