Buzzin’ Games launches The Damned Files character reveal series with a first look at Mike Dowd, one of four damned souls forced to play a horrifying game of Rock, Paper, Scissors where every defeat comes at a terrible cost.
London, United Kingdom – August 10, 2026. Indie developer Buzzin’ Games has opened The Damned Files, a new character reveal series for its upcoming psychological horror tabletop strategy game Rock, Paper, Severed, a dark, horror-infused reimagining of the classic hand game Rock, Paper, Scissors, where every lost throw costs a finger. The first reveal introduces players to Michael “Mike” Dowd, one of four playable characters whose tragic past has led him into the clutches of The Old Sire, an ancient entity offering sinners one final chance at redemption through a deadly game where every decision carries a horrifying price.
Inspired by the timeless hand game everyone knows, Rock, Paper, Severed transforms Rock, Paper, Scissors into a brutal contest of strategy, nerve and survival. Every game begins with the same familiar rules, but each defeat brings devastating consequences. Lose a throw and another finger is severed. Outplay your opponent, make clever use of strategic items, and fight to survive long enough to earn a chance at redemption.
THE DAMNED FILES // 001 MICHAEL “MIKE” DOWD
The first soul summoned to The Old Sire’s table is Michael “Mike” Dowd.
Once an idealistic police officer, Mike believed justice was worth fighting for. As the first Black officer recruited into Kent Police’s Margate division, he entered the force determined to make a difference. Instead, he found corruption, prejudice and impossible choices that would ultimately destroy everything he cared about. Scarred by the consequences of a single terrible decision and estranged from the family he once fought to protect, Mike now survives as a struggling private investigator, taking on whatever work comes through the door while searching for a redemption he fears he no longer deserves.
Known as Gauze in Rock, Paper, Severed, Mike serves as the player’s introduction to The Old Sire’s terrifying world. His journey begins with what appears to be a routine missing persons case involving psychiatrist Dr. Amy Chen, but as the deadly trials unfold, players gradually uncover the choices, tragedies and hidden connections that brought Mike, and three other damned souls, to The Old Sire’s table.
About Rock, Paper, Severed
Rock, Paper, Severed is a psychological horror tabletop strategy game that transforms the familiar hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors into a brutal fight for survival.
Inspired by British folklore and the forgotten tradition of Sin-Eating, players are summoned before The Old Sire, an ancient entity that offers sinners one final opportunity for absolution through a series of horrifying trials. Every throw carries consequences. Every defeat comes at a terrible cost. Lose a round, lose a finger.
Throughout the single-player experience, players face The Old Sire directly as the stories of four damaged souls gradually unfold through dialogue and their encounters around the table, revealing the choices, tragedies and sins that brought each of them to this moment. Those willing to look deeper will uncover a richly woven narrative hidden throughout the experience.
Beyond the single-player campaign, multiplayer casts The Old Sire as the sinister master of ceremonies, presiding over deadly contests where strategy, deception and survival become just as important as the throw of a hand.
Blending psychological horror, supernatural folklore, strategic gameplay and a deadly reimagining of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Rock, Paper, Severed asks one chilling question:
How much of yourself would you sacrifice for redemption?
NEXT FILE: Dr. Amy Chen – Opening soon
Key Features
- Lose a Throw. Lose a Finger: Experience a horrifying twist on the classic hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, where every lost throw permanently raises the stakes. Outthink your opponent, survive each round, and hold your nerve when every decision could cost you another finger.
- Master the Odds: The rules are simple, but survival is anything but. Build your strategy around a collection of powerful items that can manipulate the flow of the game, disrupt your opponents, and turn the tide when every throw, and every finger, matters.
- Four Damned Souls: Discover the stories of four unique playable characters, each carrying their own burden of guilt. As the trials unfold, hidden conversations and encounters gradually reveal the events that brought them before The Old Sire.
- Face The Old Sire: Confront an ancient entity inspired by Britain’s forgotten Sin-Eater folklore. In the single-player experience, face The Old Sire directly as he judges every move you make. In multiplayer, he becomes the sinister master of ceremonies, presiding over every deadly contest.
- A World Inspired by British Folklore: Step into an unsettling world shaped by forgotten rituals, supernatural mythology and psychological horror, where every game is another step towards redemption, or damnation.
Rock, Paper, Severed is currently in development for PC via Steam. Wishlist today… before The Old Sire invites you to play.
