WRITING, DESIGN, & LAYOUT BY

MATTHEW GRAVELYN
MR-MATTHEW.ITCH.IO

PHOTOS BY
PAUL BERTHELON BRAVO & GRIGORE RICKY
VIA UNSPLASH.COM

FONTS BY
ADOBE & MICROSOFT

THIS WORK WAS CREATED ON UNCEDED SNOHOMISH AND COAST SALISH LAND

THIS WORK IS BASED ON THE WRETCHED, PRODUCT OF CHRIS BISSETTE

AND LOOT THE ROOM, AND LICENSED FOR OUR USE UNDER THE
CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 3.0 UNPORTED LICENSE.

THE WRETCHED™ IS A TRADEMARK OF CHRIS BISSETTE.

THE WRETCHED AND ALONE LOGO IS © CHRIS BISSETTE,
AND IS USED WITH PERMISSION.
Being Looked At is a game about being isolated, mental and
physical trauma, and overwhelming inevitability. It is a game
about not being believed and losing those close to you. It is a
game about not believing your own eyes and losing yourself. It is
a game about heavy emotions and difficult situations.
Content Warnings: hallucination, paranoia, memory loss, time
loss, disassociation, impaired vision and hearing, sleep walking,
mental illness, stalking, abandonment, & solitude. This game
contains mature language.
If at any time you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, please
stop and take a break. You can always return to the game later,
start over, or quit entirely.
It is recommended that you do not read the debrief section until
after you have finished to experience the full effect of the game.
If you are uneasy about the game, or desire more context during
play, you may read this section to understand the likely outcomes
and prepare yourself for handling them.
You are just a person. There isn’t anything remarkable about you
except that a fucked up guy is looking at you. You have no idea
who—or what—he is, but he won’t stop looking at you. That’s all
he does: looks. He hasn’t made any attempt to harm you, but you
feel like it’s only a matter of time before something terrible
happens to you.
No one else seems to see him. When you point him out, people
just seem to look right through him. When you take a photo, he
doesn’t show up or the image is distorted. When you desperately
plead that you’re being watched, people say you’re probably
overreacting and need some sleep. You are alone… except for the
fucked up guy.
You’ve started recording yourself. Even if people don’t see him,
you think it’s better to keep a record, just in case something
happens to you.
You’re terrified that something is going to happen to you.
Being Looked At is a solo journaling game about being isolated by
an experience you cannot share with anyone. It is a game about
losing touch with reality and fixating on a threat no one else can
see. It is about tapping into a primal fear of being stalked with no
means of protecting yourself.
You play as a typical person living a typical life in a typical town.
The only thing remarkable about you is that a fucked up guy looks
at you. The uncertainty about this guy’s origin and motives are
almost as disconcerting as him looking at you. To make matters
worse, no one else seems to see him.
You are now alone, isolated among your friends and family,
trapped in a desperate struggle with a fucked up guy who looks
at you. No one can help you; no one can save you. It is entirely up
to you whether to resist the influence of the fucked up guy or
give in, allowing him to overwhelm every facet of your life.
Being Looked At is inspired by: Something Awful forums, Marble
Hornets, EverymanHYBRID, Always Watching directed by James
Moran, and a number of other characters and stories.
To play, you will need the following materials:
• One 6-sided die
• A standard deck of playing cards
• A tumbling block tower
• 10 tokens (something odd or foreign recommended)
If a tumbling block tower isn’t available to you, or you would
prefer to not use one, simply play without. Ignore any time the
game instructs you to pull from the tower.
You will also need a way to record your game. An audio or video
recording device is recommended for thematic reasons, but you
can also write journal entries, compose tweets, or just say things
out loud to yourself and those around you.
You can win the game in one way:
• Make the fucked up guy stop looking at you.
You can lose the game in a variety of ways:
• If all four Kings drawn, the fucked up guy overwhelms you.
• If the tower falls, your life falls apart.
• If you can’t draw a card, you run out of stamina.
Set up the tumbling block tower as you normally would for that
type of game. The tower represents the state of your life and
how you are coping with having a fucked up guy look at you.
Roll a die and pull from the tower that many blocks. Whenever
you pull from the tower, take a single block from any position
other than the top of the tower, and place that block on the top.
If the tower falls, the game immediately ends. You can decide
what form that takes, but it probably includes losing touch with
reality, falling apart emotionally, or becoming consumed with the
fucked up guy. If you are playing without a tower, you simply
persevere until one of the game’s other end conditions is met.
Shuffle the deck of cards and place it face down within reach. To
play a shorter and possibly easier version of the game, take the
Ace of Hearts out of the deck, shuffle the remaining cards, and
then place the Ace of Hearts face down on the top of the deck.
You are no one special, just a person who is being looked at by a
fucked up guy. You don’t know who he is or why he’s looking at
you, but you know it’s bad. Your behavior is changing; your
memory is slipping. You aren’t sure what’s real anymore. You
have to do something about it soon.
What does the fucked up guy look like? Is he tall and skinny?
Does he have a face? Do his piercing red eyes follow you? Can
you even remember what he looks like once he’s gone?
You are now ready to begin the game.
Record you first journal entry by reading the following script:

Day 1. My name is [YOUR NAME]. A fucked up guy started

looking at me today. I don’t know who he is or what he
wants, but I don’t like it. Weird stuff has been happening
lately and I think it’s because of him. The strangest part is
that no one else sees him. Just me. I’m recording myself
in case something happens to me.

You will record an entry at the end of each day, starting with the
number of days it has been since the fucked up guy first looked at
you and your name. In these entries you will summarize the
activities of your day, what the fucked up guy is doing, and how
you are doing physically and emotionally.
You are now ready to start your first day.
A fucked up guy looks at you.
The game is played over a series of turns, each representing one
day. Each day is broken into two phases: the events and the log.
During the events phase, complete the following steps in order:
• Roll one die and take that number of cards from the top of
the deck. Place them face down in a row in front of you.
• Turn over the first card. Consult the guide and read the
prompt for that card. If the prompt asks you to do something,
you must do it before turning over another card.
• Continue until you have turned over each card and follow the
prompt in the guide.
• After you have completed all the prompts, discard the cards
unless told otherwise. Move on to the log phase.
During the log phase, record your daily entry:

• Take a minute or two to reflect on what happened during the

tasks phase. Think about your mental, emotional, and
physical state, how the fucked up guy looked at you today,
and what you hope to do about it.
• Record your entry for the day.
When you turn over a card, consult the guide and read the
corresponding prompt. Prompts may include instructions,
questions to answer, or something that happens during the day.
Each suit represents a different aspect of your experience.

Hearts represent how the fucked up guy interacts with

the world: emotions, influence, teleportation, visibility.

Diamonds are how the world is impacted by the fucked up guy:

digital interference, bodily harm, decay, exhaustion.

Clubs are the relationships strained by the

fucked up guy: friends, family, coworkers, strangers.

Spades are how the fucked up guy looks at you.

 You figured out how to get away from the fucked up guy, but it’s
A going to take some time. Pull from the tower. Do not discard this
card. Keep it in front of you and place 10 tokens on it. At the end of
each day, roll a die. If you roll a 6, remove a token from this card.

If all tokens are removed, you have outsmarted the fucked up guy.
Pull from the tower. If the tower stands, the fucked up guy is no
longer looking at you. Record a final entry. If the tower falls, it was all
for nothing. The fucked up guy breaks you and the game is over.

Walls, doors, and even distance can’t stop him. He shows up in your
2 bedroom all the time. It’s on the second floor and you always keep
the door locked

Food has started losing its taste and water leaves your mouth feeling
3 dry. You force yourself to eat, but you can tell you’re losing strength.
Pull from the tower.

Sometimes you get the urge to follow him, but he disappears as fast
4 as he shows up. He’s taunting you.

You try to drive away, just leave everything—and him—behind. You

5 drive for hours but end up pulling back into your own driveway. You
don’t remember the trip. Pull from the tower.

You catch glimpses of the fucked up guy around corners or behind

6 trees. He’s not looking at you. Sometimes it seems like he’s trying to
get you to look at him.
 You lash out at people for the smallest reasons. You feel increasingly
7 wound up the more the fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the
tower.

In the rare moments when the fucked up guy isn’t looking at you,
8 you catch yourself looking at other people.

You’ve been losing track of time lately. At first it was just a few
9 minutes here or there, but lately you look at the time and find hours
have gone by without any memory of it. Pull from the tower.

You find yourself staring back at the fucked up guy for what feels like
10 hours. Someone startles you, drawing your attention momentarily.
When you look back, the fucked up guy is gone.

The fucked up guy has left you alone for a while allowing you to get
J some sleep. When you wake up, it is nearly two days later, and you
are laying in a field. Pull from the tower.

You make a bold move and run after the fucked up guy. When you
Q walk through the door you find yourself in a completely different
place miles from where you started. Pull from the tower.

You have trouble telling what is real and what is the fucked up guy’s
K influence. Uncertainty and confusion are a constant in your life now.
Do not discard this card. Keep it in front of you.

If all four Kings are placed in front of you, it’s all too much for you to
take. The fucked up guy breaks you and the game is over.
 You’ve learned how to mitigate the harmful effects of being around
A the fucked up guy. Pull from the tower. Do not discard this card.
Keep it in front of you. When you roll a die to remove a token,
remove one if you roll a 5 or a 6.

You take a photo of the fucked up guy to prove he’s there. When you
2 show it to your friend, the guy isn’t there anymore. They give you a
look of concern and pity. Pull from the tower.

You feel something touch your forearm. You jerk it away, but
3 nothing is there. This happens a few more times today, always in the
exact same spot on your arm. Pull from the tower.

You’re recording yourself at night to capture anything weird that

4 happens while you’re asleep. All it captures is the fucked up guy still
looking at you. Pull from the tower.

You begin noticing rust forming, paint chipping, or weird stains in

5 places the fucked up guy appears. Pull from the tower.

The mechanic says there is nothing wrong with your car and asks you
6 to stop bringing it in every few days. He doesn’t believe that it won’t
start when the fucked up guy is looking at you. Pull from the tower.

You didn’t notice at first, but now you’re sure your hearing is going in
7 and out. It only lasts a couple seconds, but you’re having trouble
holding a conversation for any length of time. Pull from the tower.
 You come home to find everything in your room has been tossed
8 around. In the mess you find a cloth doll. It looks like the fucked up
guy. Pull from the tower.

Doors never stay closed or opened around you. Closing a door again
9 is easy, but you hesitate to open a door that the fucked up guy
closed when you weren’t looking. Pull from the tower.

You’re always cold lately. Your friends notice your unseasonably

10 warm clothes and shivering. You swear you can see your breath, but
no one believes you. Pull from the tower.

Bruises start appearing on your body, but you don’t recall getting
J hurt. At first, they are small and far apart. Over time, they take the
shape of large, long handprints. Pull from the tower.

You feel completely exhausted, like you just ran a marathon or got in
Q a fight. You’re pretty sure you didn’t do either of those things. Pull
from the tower.

Your body is showing the long-term effects of being looked at by the

K fucked up guy. You are bruised, aching, and exhausted all the time.
Do not discard this card. Keep it in front of you.

If all four Kings are placed in front of you, it’s all too much for you to
take. The fucked up guy breaks you and the game is over.
 Despite your erratic behavior, someone is there to help you just
A when you need them. Do not discard this card. Keep it in front of
you. You can discard this card during any turn to discard a card you
turn over, ignoring the prompt entirely.

Your coworkers have started noticing your erratic behavior. They

2 keep their distance at work. Who do you miss the most?

People on the street seem to avoid you. You don’t think they’re
3 doing it on purpose, it just seems that everyone crosses the street or
goes into a store as you pass.

You try to act normally when you visit your family, but it’s hard when
4 the fucked up guy follows you to your childhood home. Who notices
you looking back at the guy?

A brief moment of normalcy with your friends is lost when you say
5 something offensive out loud to them. What did you say and who did
it hurt?

Animals seem to sense the fucked up guy, and his influence on you.
6 Cats hiss at you, dogs growl, and nothing wants to be close to you.

Before you realize what’s happening, you are screaming at a stranger

7 for looking at you. Now everyone is looking at you, including the
fucked up guy. Do you try to point him out to people?
 You tell the police about the fucked up guy, but they don’t believe
8 you. They try to get you to stay and talk with a “specialist”, but you
decide to leave before things get worse.

Your boss calls you into their office to give you a warning. Your
9 recent tardiness and strange behavior at work is making customers
uncomfortable. What do you say to your boss?

Your childhood friend has been sympathetic up to now, but they’re

10 getting frustrated with your behavior. What is the last straw before
they tell you they’re done?

Your significant other has been supportive. They try to get you help,
J encourage you to see someone. They still care, but you can tell
they’re starting to pull away from you. Pull from the tower.

You decide to isolate yourself from those closest to you to make sure
Q they don’t get hurt. Who is more of a danger to them: the fucked up
guy or yourself? Pull from the tower.

You’re so focused on the fucked up guy that you don’t notice your
K relationships failing. Someone you always thought would be there
for you has had enough and leaves you. Who is it? Do not discard
this card. Keep it in front of you.

If all four Kings are placed in front of you, it’s all too much for you to
take. The fucked up guy breaks you and the game is over.
 You notice a momentary flaw in the fuck up guy and exploit it. Do
A not discard this card. Keep it in front of you. When you draw the
King of Spades, or if it is already placed in front of you, shuffle it back
into the deck. Discard this card after you do so.

You catch glimpses of him down alleys while you are walking down
2 the street. The fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

You go to the store to buy more film. You see the fucked up guy in
3 the security monitor standing behind you. The fucked up guy looks at
you. Pull from the tower.

You go to the park to take a walk. He’s there, standing in the tree
4 line. The fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

You look through some old photos. He’s there, looking. Not you in
5 the photo. You. The fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

There’s a playground near your house. He’s there, standing in front

6 of everyone, but nobody notices. The fucked up guy looks at you.
Pull from the tower.

You find yourself staring out the window. Suddenly, he is there. The
7 fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.
 There, in the crowd, he stands. No one even realizes he’s there. The
8 fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

He waits for you around tight corners. You nearly run into him. The
9 fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

You hate long hallways. He’s always there, and you have to walk
10 towards him. The fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

You see him in every reflection: mirrors, windows, standing water,

J your phone screen when you turn it off. The fucked up guy looks at
you. Pull from the tower.

The phone rings. You pick it up, but no one is there. You’re sure it’s
Q him. Somehow, the fucked up guy looks at you. Pull from the tower.

The fucked up guy is around every corner, behind every door, and in
K every hallway. Your nerves are shot and you’re constantly on edge.
Do not discard this card. Keep it in front of you.

If all four Kings are placed in front of you, it’s all too much for you to
take. The fucked up guy breaks you and the game is over.
Take a moment, breathe, relax. The game is over.
How did it all start? How did it end? Did you escape the fucked up
guy or did he finally break you?
While you may be free of the fucked up guy, he has not been
beaten. He is looking at someone else at this very moment,
probably someone close to you. Your freedom comes with an
extremely high cost. How do you feel knowing you passed this
curse to someone else?
During the game you told a story, but that story was defined
before you ever turned over a card. The rules were stacked
against you. The chance of surviving the fucked up guy was
extremely low. These rules told you that you could do it the same
way a person tells themselves a lie to maintain hope.
You were doomed the moment you started playing this game.
This reality may have slowly sunk in or you may have realized it
early and kept playing anyway, eager to see how the story played
out even though you knew its conclusion.
Whether your character lived or died, their words live on. Did
they share their log with the world after the escaped the fucked
up guy? Are their logs packed away in shoebox after they broke
down? Who might find them and what will they learn from
them? How will it make them feel? Will the fucked up guy start
looking at them?
Take a moment, breathe, relax. The game is over.
Take some time to distance yourself from your character. While
this is a game and a work of fiction, some of the emotions you
experienced during play can be very real. They may have
reminded you of someone you lost or other trauma in your life.
Use this time to reflect on that, if you want, but in the end its
time to put the game down and return to being you.
Thank you for playing Being Looked At, a Wretched & Alone
game.