Before I begin this review, I have to be honest with you, the reader, right now: I have a fear of heights. So, when this game crossed the MKAU table to review, there was no clue initially as to what it would be. The name sounded fun, and Dark Machine Games is a brand-new developer, so that was enough for me.

Little did I know how much I would be approaching, facing, and still reeling from my fears. The name is no joke.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time to initiate White Knuckle.

At its core, White Knuckle is a race against time, gravity, and your own past mistakes. You control a climber scaling increasingly dangerous structures, using a combination of parkour-style momentum, grappling, and freeform limb control to scramble upward.

Each level is a vertical gauntlet filled with collapsing handholds, swinging hazards, crumbling ledges, and time-based traps. There’s no combat, no enemies—just you, the wall, and your ability to out-climb the chaos.

The game thrives on flow: chaining perfect movements together feels euphoric, while a single slip can send you tumbling. Trust me, the tension you feel when you miss the next grip or slip and begin gravity-driven descent is like nothing you’ve felt in a game before. To add further to your downfall, there are no checkpoints mid-climb. It’s all or nothing.

Each time you fail (and trust me, you will), the game takes you back to the main menu to start the climb again. Interestingly, the game has different levels generated upon restart, so each run does not feel like the other. It creates some fantastic replay value but adds to the inevitable frustration of “I think I’ve mastered this run now”, only to be faced with a new journey.

Every finger (or button press) matters in White Knuckle. The control scheme maps your character’s limbs and grip to individual inputs, giving you detailed control over your movement. Each limb is mapped to a separate input (defaulting to WASD for movement and mouse/triggers for hand placement), making every climb a calculated dance of grip management and momentum. Mistime a hold, and you’ll be punished—sometimes brutally so. It’s a system that initially feels awkward but becomes natural with time.

Whether you’re using a mouse/keyboard or gamepad, the responsiveness is tight. Once mastered, the control design allows for advanced movement strategies, perfect for in-game leaderboard chasers.

However, it is to be noted that there’s a steep learning curve, but the game rewards muscle memory and instinct. Thankfully, there is a tutorial level that lays out a majority of in-game movements, options, and items. Yes, the game has items to help the ascension. Bolts, hammers, health drinks, javelins, and so much more can be carried along for the journey.

It’s not particularly mentioned or hinted if carrying many items affects the speed/climbing fatigue during the run, but during some playthroughs, there seemed to be a slight inkling of this – then again, it may have been my denial on failing one to many times and “blaming the game” instead of my lack of ability.

Once the controls become second nature, flying up a jagged spire or dodging falling debris mid-ascent feels incredibly satisfying. Gamepad support is solid, but the keyboard/mouse offers better precision for expert runs.

Visually, White Knuckle is striking. The art style is a fusion of minimalist realism and retro pixel-inspired. Think MS-DOS/Windows 95/Early DOOM games of pixel-blasting fun, and that’s the art style inspiration here. Each level feels alive and unstable, constantly shifting your sense of depth and scale.

Motion blur and camera shake add to the intensity, though they may be disorienting for some players. Thankfully, accessibility options allow you to tone down visual effects if needed. Due to the light graphic load and install size, the game runs smoothly on mid-range PCs, with short load times and zero frame dips, even in high-altitude chaos.

Visually, White Knuckle emphasises height and exposure. Towering cliffs, surreal megastructures, and minimalistic but evocative backgrounds (including a looming rising water level) give every climb a sense of scale and danger.

White Knuckle’s sound design is purpose-built to keep your pulse racing. The soundtrack leans into industrial electronica and aggressive synths, with beats that rise and fall in sync with your climb. It creates a sense of urgency, especially when you’re seconds away from breaking a personal best or falling to your doom.

Environmental audio plays a big role too—creaking ledges, distant thunder, your strained breathing, creatures crawling, and a dread tone that slowly seeps in as you’re nearing a game-ending hazard. Every sound feels purposeful, amplifying tension without overcrowding the mix. The climb has a subtle rhythm, and the game knows how to use silence just as effectively as its sound.

When reaching a mid-point during your climb, the audio goes eerily quiet. You could quit the game here, but the silence seemingly beckons you to continue.

White Knuckle is intense, stylish, and unforgiving—in all the right ways. It’s a love letter to speedrunners and ’90s retro platforming fans. If you’ve got the reflexes (and the patience), this climb might be the most thrilling vertical challenge on PC.

Written by: James Fraser-Smith