There’s something in the static… it speaks when no one’s listening

Lost Frequency is a horror-themed, physical “game in a box” experience centered around a fully working 1970s stereo system.

This analog-digital experience blends cassette tapes, vinyl records, hidden symbols, and real-time FM radio transmissions. This is a story about mystery, memory, and what remains hidden in forgotten frequencies.

While not playable online or easily reproducible, this project lives here as a showcase of concept, process, and design. Think of it as an audio escape room built into vintage tech.

The Premise

You are an urban explorer with a love for the abandoned and the strange.

One night, you stumble upon a decaying radio station. Inside, silence. Dust. And a record player that shouldn’t be working — but is.

A cassette sits next to it, labeled only: “PLAY ME.”

What follows is a descent into the story of Mike, a former radio host whose late-night shows began to unravel into paranoia, hallucinations… and something darker. As you explore further (through tapes, records, and strange symbols) you begin to piece together the true signal behind the static.

How It Works

The entire game is played through a physical setup centered around a working Sharp SG-170H stereo system.

Players interact with:

• 5 real cassette tapes

• 3 vinyl records

• A combination of audio cues, symbol decoding, and hidden black light messages

This isn’t a game played on a screen. It’s played with your hands and your ears!

Features

• 🎧 Fully audio-driven horror narrative

• 📼 Custom-recorded cassette tapes

• 💿 Vinyl puzzles that respond to your physical interaction

• 🔦 Black light investigation

• 📻 Real FM transmissions

Development Notes (For the Curious)

Lost Frequency was developed during a Master’s in Game Design under a brief called “Game in a Box,” where the challenge was to create a physical game centered around a container or object.

In this case, that object was a Sharp SG-170H stereo system from the 1970s — a machine with history, once owned by a family member, and brought back to life by the team.

We restored and reimagined the stereo system:

• Cleaned and reactivated the turntable and radio

• Repaired the cassette mechanism

• Used Serato and Traktor timecoded vinyls with Mixxx software to handle dynamic audio playback
  

• Integrated a custom Arduino with a light sensor at the base of the needle to recognize vinyl changes

• Recorded over virgin cassette tapes

• Custom FM transmitter 
  

• Designed puzzles using audio distortion and channel balancing

• Custom-designed cassette labels & vinyl covers

Credits

Developed by:
– Carolina Correia – LinkedIn / itch.io 
– Diogo Simões – LinkedIn / Itch.io
– Tiago Félix –  LinkdIn / Itch.io
– Tiago Patrício –  LinkedIn / Itch.io
– Vasco Oliveira –  LinkedIn / Itch.io

Special Thanks:
– Prof. João Cabral & Prof. Wilson Almeida (Lusófona University)
– Laurinda Rodrigues (Vasco’s great-aunt, whose stereo gave the game its soul)