Conrad Stevenson on Among the Whispers – Provocation: Behind the Scenes of the Most Realistic Ghost Hunting Game

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When you come across a game that has a huge potential, you can’t resist trying its demo, right? That’s how I stumbled upon Among the Whispers – Provocation. It looked and played so impressively that I had to reach out to Conrad Stevenson, the dev behind the title, for more insights into the game and what it has in store. Here, Conrad shares more about his inspirations, the game’s realism, and whether a multiplayer mode is in the works.

Among The Whispers – Provocation is a singleplayer first-person paranormal investigation simulator. You take on the role of Stephanie, a young investigator exploring a haunted castle in New Eidolon to uncover dark family secrets and free trapped spirits. Using authentic ghost-hunting tools like EMF readers, you navigate procedurally generated locations and family stories, employing a unique “provocation” system to interact with ghosts. While not focused on jump scares, the game creates an eerie atmosphere and may trigger psychological consequences if provocations are used carelessly.

The castle has over 30 rooms and hides generational secrets, with each playthrough offering different ghosts and narratives. Among the Whispers – Provocation is set to release next week on May 22, 2025, and will be available on PC via Steam.

What drew you to start developing Among the Whispers – Provocation, and how does its approach to ghost hunting differ from other games in the genre?

I wanted to create a ghost investigation game that had an authentic approach to investigating the paranormal. I haven’t played many other ghost hunting games. So, I don’t think I could give a fair comparison. From my basic understanding about most of them: You are trying to eliminate ghost types from the actions you observe.

In Among the Whispers – Provocation (ATW-P), players will use an ancestry database to review the potential family members who haunt the mansion. Then collect evidence from the ghosts. Players will need to review audio, photos, and movies collected and make deductions about who the ghosts are. Once the players believe they know who the ghost was in life, they can try and help them pass on, releasing them from haunting the mansion.

Given the positive reception of Conrad Stevenson’s Paranormal P.I., what key lessons or improvements did you carry over into Among the Whispers?

I felt Conrad Stevenson’s Paranormal P.I.’s (CSPPI) gameplay at times was really slow. Most of the constructive feedback I received was in alignment with that. In Among the Whispers – Provocation, I implemented a provocation system which allows players to drive the action. So players can influence ghost behaviors much more aggressively and obtain evidence quicker. A big thing in CSPPI was, once the ghost gave evidence, you knew the story. There wasn’t a lot of figuring things out. With ATW-P, the ghost only gives you clues. You must do more research and investigating to figure out who they are.

Did you collaborate with real paranormal investigators to create a more authentic experience in this game?

I’ve been a paranormal enthusiast for a long time. I felt that from my personal experiences and research I had it covered. Although, I have discussed some elements with folks who investigate regularly.

A question we’ve all been wanting to know, will there be a multiplayer?

No. I want players to have an immersive streamlined investigative experience. I feel like multiplayer would ruin that.

The game’s procedural generation creates unique family trees and ghost types for each playthrough. What was the biggest challenge in designing this system, and how does it influence the gameplay

In early builds, the focus was on getting the system to work, but I encountered bugs like duplicated names or names combining two first names. These issues helped create endless replayability. Even as the developer, I don’t know what I’ll be investigating each time. I have to gather evidence to figure it out, which is really fun. I still get jump-scared occasionally, too.

Could you describe the work put into the game’s atmospheric immersion, particularly regarding sound design and horror elements?

I think this is one of the largest parts of the game. I spent a ton of time adjusting everything I could to dial in every aspect of lighting and sound. I tried to create a feeling of safeness when in lit areas and a feeling of dread in the dark.

To maximize immersion, sound design must be carefully crafted. I worked to ensure every area of the mansion features sounds that create a sense of truly being there. Additionally, ambient sounds tied to gameplay heighten player tension, intensifying as the ghost grows stronger the more you learn about them. All ghost voices use directional audio, making them sound as if they’re whispering in one ear or both. This effect can be quite creepy.

The provocation mechanic, where players choose how to interact with ghosts, adds a layer of risk with stress penalties. What inspired this system, and how do you see it evolving in future updates?

The inspiration for this feature comes from watching ghost investigation shows, where a person asks questions to a “ghost” and reacts to any noises that follow. I also want to reward players for planning and being prepared. So they need to be mindful of what they are asking the ghost to ensure they get the evidence they are looking for. When I play and lose nerve, it’s usually because I rushed, asked a question without the proper equipment ready, and missed the chance to collect evidence when the ghost responded, resulting in a loss of nerve.

Can you give us a brief overview of the equipment we’ll be able to use in the game?

EMF Meter – It detects electromagnetic fields. It helps locate ghosts but also goes off next to anything electronic.

Temperature Sensor – Point this device at an object and the digital screen will show you the temperature. Ghosts generate cold spots, but the old mansion is drafty. You’ll have to look for inconsistencies.

Laser Pen – Displays a green dot grid pattern on surfaces. Helps to see movement on flat surfaces or if a ghost is walking past a wall. Also, the ghost will absorb some of the lasers light and change its color. This can also help to locate the ghost.

EMF-POD – Acts like the EMF meter but can be placed.

Camcorder – This device will take 8 second video clips automatically when something paranormal occurs in its viewing angle. You can watch your movies in game on the camcorder whenever you want and upload them to deduction board.

Camera – This device allows you to take photos of paranormal events. It will only allow you to take photos of paranormal events, this way you know if you caught something.

Digital Recorder – The game records audio in 5-second intervals. When you hear a ghost, press record. If the ghost’s sound falls within the recording window, it’s captured. All recorded ghostly tracks can be reviewed immediately in-game.

ParaMic – Used to amplify ghostly sounds and muffle ambient noise. It take up two hands slots, since it’s being paired to the digital recorder, but ensures you won’t miss any ghost noises. Doesn’t act like a real Parabolic Microphone. 

Mugwort Smudge Stick – Mugwort is used to interact with Residual Ghost. Since they don’t really know you are there, you have to smudge the area with specific chants to elevate their energy in different ways.

Tablet (Deduction Board) – The tablet is where you access deduction board. You can upload your evidence, ancestry data, locations with maps, and archives found in the mansion. You can flag evidence to organize where you found it. Ultimately, identifying who the ghosts are and help them pass on into the afterlife.

Laptop – This is where your email is, the ancestry database Fallen Apple, and Stephanie’s blog. The email is where you have details about your investigation. Fallen Apple is where you research the family’s history. Stephanie’s blog is where you can organize your provocation loadout.

Some players have noted a steep learning curve, particularly with mastering investigation tools. How are you addressing this feedback to make the game more approachable without losing its depth?

The final version of the game will include a tutorial at the start, guiding players on how to use all the equipment. During the second investigation, Conrad will call Stephanie to provide additional information. Afterward, Conrad sends Stephanie an email with bullet points summarizing their discussion, so players can revisit details if needed. Additionally, the tutorials, now available in the pause menu, have been reworked for better clarity.

As a solo developer, what has been the most rewarding part of bringing Among the Whispers – Provocation to life, and what’s been the toughest hurdle?

As with Conrad, just the fact that I made a game is pretty amazing. And now I have done it twice. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around it. I think the hardest thing is probably getting the game in front of people. There are so many games out there these days it is very easy to get lost in the pack.

How many players have played the demo during the Steam Next Fest and do you think Among the Whispers will be able to find its audience?

A few thousand folks have downloaded the demo. It seems like those who have played it enjoyed it.

I think the potential audience for this game is larger than my first game. I believe AtW-P is significantly better balanced, in terms of gameplay. This allows players to have a much more engaging investigation than in CSPPI. Additionally, the investigation aspect is more fleshed out. To help ghosts move on, players must make thoughtful deductions based on the clues provided.

The archive system’s passive storytelling allows players to deeply engage with and review all pieces of information. This enables each player to interpret the family’s overarching story in their own way, while still arriving at the same conclusion.