Early Access · April 17, 2025
White Knuckle (2025)
White Knuckle (2025) scores 99% positive on Steam from 3.0k reviews, developed by Dark Machine Games.
White Knuckle (2025) is a Early Access title from Dark Machine Games available on Windows. The title carries a 99% Steam positive rating across 3.0k reviews, 264 peak concurrent players, and 53 Steam achievements — making it a measurable reference point when comparing to peers in the Early Access category.
White Knuckle is a first person roguelite speed-climbing game. Use momentum-based movement mechanics with precision, deploy a variety of tools and resources, and ascend as fast as you can. Just don’t lose your grip, there’s eternity below you. Manage your inventory or become encumbered and fall to your death. Failure to grab what you need from your bag in time can spell disaster. Through run-based meta-progression, you’ll discover and unlock varied augmentations. Bolster your will to ascend. You’re not alone down here. Strange life flourishes far underground, and darker things haunt these halls. Something oozes from the depths– following you, growing angrier… and it won’t let up. Travel through different regions with unique threats and gameplay challenges during your attempted escape of the underground megastructure. The deep dry storage of the Silos, the putrid sewers of the Pipeworks, the haunted piers of Habitation. Each area will require adaptation to new obstacles and denizens.
Release & Availability
| Release date | Apr 17, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Dark Machine Games |
| Publisher | DreadXP |
| Base price | $12.59 -16% |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Estimated owners | 100k–1M |
| External links | Official site · [email protected] |
Release timeline
White Knuckle launched on Apr 17, 2025.
Studio and publishing
The title was developed by Dark Machine Games and published by DreadXP.
Platform support
Playable natively on Windows.
Packages & editions
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Reception & Reviews
Steam community score
Steam users rate White Knuckle 99% positive across 3.0k reviews — categorised as Overwhelmingly Positive.
3.0k positive · 30 negative
Critic consensus
Critic reception data on Metacritic is limited for this post-2021 title — Steam user reviews are the primary reception signal.
Curator & community recommendations
Steam curators and players have issued 6.4k recommendations for this title.
Peak concurrent players
Peak concurrent Steam players reached 264 — a measurement of how active the playerbase got at launch or during a surge.
Press quotes
“It already has more replay potential and tighter gameplay than most of the AAA titles I’ve played this year.” CGMagazine “White Knuckle is probably the most unique horror game I’ve played so far this year—maybe even in recent memory.” Try Hard Guides “The core gameplay is perfect.” Rogueliker
Gameplay Profile
Genres
- Early Access
Community tag consensus
- Early Access · 500
- Parkour · 454
- First-Person · 441
- 3D Platformer · 431
- Horror · 428
- Platformer · 407
- Adventure · 398
- Rogue-like · 397
- Old School · 389
- FPS · 386
- Survival Horror · 383
- Precision Platformer · 382
Playtime profile
Community average playtime is 13 hours, with a median of 9 hours — a short (5–15 hours) commitment. Two-week average sits at 3 hours per active player.
Steam achievements
The title ships with 53 Steam achievements to unlock.
Languages supported
Interface / subtitles: English.
Full audio: English.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was White Knuckle released?
White Knuckle was released on Apr 17, 2025 by Dark Machine Games.
Is White Knuckle worth playing?
Based on 3.0k Steam reviews, White Knuckle holds a 99% positive rating (Overwhelmingly Positive) — suggesting the game resonates with most players who try it.
What platforms does White Knuckle support?
White Knuckle runs natively on Windows.
How much does White Knuckle cost?
Base price on Steam is $12.59 (before seasonal discounts).