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Spirit Hunter: Death Mark

9 years ago

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark is a Japanese mystery horror game by Experience. In a town haunted by ghosts, the characters explore a deadly curse, collect clues and make choices that determine their survival.

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Developer
Experience
Publisher
Aksys Games
Genre
Abenteuer, Adventure, Horror, Visual Novel
Game modes
Singleplayer
Game series
Spirit Hunter
Also known as
Death Mark, Shiin, 死印
Steam user reviews
83 % positive · 531 reviews
At Steam
View store page
On this page 19 sections

What is Spirit Hunter: Death Mark?

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark is a Japanese horror adventure from Experience. A mysterious drawing on the skin announces the death of its bearer. In the city of H City, affected people search for the origin of the curse and for a way to avert the fate that has been announced.

The game combines a visual novel with the investigation of gloomy locations, puzzles and dangerous encounters with ghosts.

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources

Release

9 years ago

Death Mark first came out in Japan on June 1, 2017, for PlayStation Vita. PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One followed. In North America, the game came out for Vita, PS4 and Switch in late October 2018. The PC version was added on Steam on April 4, 2019.

In the Japanese market, the game is called 死印 (Shiin).

  1. PS Vita

    Released on June 1, 2017 in Japan.

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  2. PS4

    Released on Jan 18, 2018 in Japan.

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  3. Switch

    Released on June 28, 2018 in Japan.

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  4. Xbox One

    Released on Oct 25, 2018 in Japan.

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  5. PS4

    Released on Oct 30, 2018 in North America.

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  6. PS Vita

    Released on Oct 31, 2018 in North America.

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  7. Switch

    Released on Oct 31, 2018 in North America.

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  8. PC

    Released on April 4, 2019.

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Updated 27.10.2026

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Platforms

Standalone versions exist for PS Vita, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC. The Xbox One release came out on October 25, 2018, in Japan. PC players get the version via Steam.

The different store releases differ in part by region and language. A separate native PS5, Xbox Series or Switch 2 version is not included.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Gameplay

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark combines exploration with conversations and dangerous decisions. Players investigate locations, collect items and learn more about the ghosts lurking there through clues. In encounters, it comes down to drawing the right conclusions from this information. Wrong decisions can cost characters their lives.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Trailer

Trailer zu Spirit Hunter: Death Mark

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DLCs and expansions

The additional chapter “Kaerazu’s Amusement Park” was released on April 10, 2025, in the Western Nintendo Switch version. In it, young journalist Moe Watanabe investigates the disappearance of Yashiki and Mashita in an abandoned amusement park.

The chapter can be started from the main menu without completing the main story first. It does contain spoilers, however. Aksys cites patch 1.02 as a requirement for the additional content. The Japanese PS4 version has a separate regional DLC.

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources
The eerie entrance to an abandoned amusement park in a Death Mark screenshot.
The additional chapter leads into an abandoned amusement park. · Experience / Nintendo Image source

System requirements

Under Windows, Steam lists an Intel Core i3-2100, 2 GB RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics and 6 GB of free storage as minimum requirements. For the recommended setup, an Intel Core i5-2400, 4 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 260 are listed, among others.

The details apply to PC.

Minimum

Operating system
Windows 7, 8.1 or 10
Processor
Intel Core i3-2100, 3,10 GHz
RAM
2 GB RAM
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 4000
DirectX
Version 10
Storage
6 GB

Recommended

Processor
Intel Core i5-2400, 3,10 GHz
RAM
4 GB RAM
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Storage
8 GB

Editorial details

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources

The story in H City

In H City, a legend circulates about a mark that costs its bearer their life within a short time. A person without memory reaches the Kujou estate, where other affected people gather. The search for the origin of the curse leads to abandoned buildings and other places where supernatural stories converge.

The main character and her companions must find out what lies behind the rumours before the danger reaches them.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Explore locations and collect clues

Exploration takes place across individual locations and selectable investigation areas. Items, witness statements and noticeable details help you understand the background of an apparition. Often, several clues together are needed before you have a safe course of action.

The investigation is closely tied to survival: if you overlook an important piece of information, you may make the wrong decision later.

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources
A dark, abandoned school corridor with investigation options displayed.
Abandoned buildings are among the locations of the investigation. · Experience / PlayStation Store Image source

Decisions with consequences

In conversations and encounters, several actions are available to choose from. Some decisions change the outcome of a dangerous scene. Knowledge from exploration determines which reaction makes sense.

The game requires you not only to ward off a ghost, but also to correctly interpret the background of its curse.

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources

Encounters with ghosts

Ghosts are the central threat. During encounters, the characters must react under time pressure, use items wisely and pay attention to the clues they gathered earlier. A direct confrontation is not always the best solution.

The apparitions are based on Japanese ghost stories and local legends.

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources
A ghostly girl stands in a dark hallway, and a selection menu appears next to her.
In ghost encounters, clues you have collected determine how things develop. · Experience / Aksys Games Image source

Companions and survivors

The main character meets other people bearing the mysterious mark at the Kujou estate. Companions support exploration and bring their own knowledge and perspectives. Their presence can be decisive when a supernatural encounter escalates.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Other additional content

Additional voice dramas set around the Kujou estate and other stories from the world of Death Mark were released for the Japanese console versions. This audio content is not automatically part of the base PC game. Scope and availability differ between the regional store versions.

Updated 27.10.2026

Sources

Single player

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark is a single-player adventure. The story unfolds through conversations, exploration scenes and decisions. The various companion characters are part of the story, but not additional human players.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Languages

The PC version supports English and Japanese on-screen text. Japanese voice acting is part of the Steam version. The Western console releases differ from the original Japanese versions in their localization.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Horror and sensitive content

Death Mark shows bloody violence, disturbing images and supernatural threats. The developers also mention partial nudity, sexual themes and a torture scene. The atmosphere relies on calm exploration as well as sudden dangerous decisions.

Updated 27.10.2026

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Similar games

More from Experience

Game series

Death Mark is the opener of Experience's Spirit Hunter series. Spirit Hunter: NG and Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II followed later. The games share an interest in Japanese ghost stories, but tell different cases.

More from Spirit Hunter

Updated 27.10.2026

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