The Experiment (You)

Once a promising researcher at Hollow Industries, you've become something... other. The failed experiment that should have killed you instead fused your human biology with the extra-dimensional substance known as "Void Residue."

Your appearance shifts between human and something inhuman—your left arm has already transformed into a writhing mass of shadowy tendrils that can manipulate electronics and phase through solid objects. As the game progresses, more changes will occur based on your choices.

Isabel Reed

A tenacious investigative journalist who arrived in Hollow's End weeks before the incident to expose corporate wrongdoing at Hollow Industries. She survived by barricading herself in the town's newspaper office.

Skeptical by nature and armed with a shotgun she found in a police cruiser, Isabel initially distrusts you—especially after witnessing your... transformations. However, she recognizes you're not like the other creatures roaming the town.

Isabel possesses valuable knowledge about the town's layout and Hollow Industries' operations. Her camera can document evidence that unlocks new story elements.

Dr. Alan Wells

Your former mentor and the brilliant but deranged mind behind Project Chimera. Wells voluntarily injected himself with an enhanced version of the Void Residue, believing it would make him humanity's evolutionary savior.

His transformation is more complete than yours—his body has become a towering, asymmetrical mass of flesh and machinery with multiple eyes and limbs. Despite this, he retains his brilliant mind and speaks with disturbing eloquence.

Wells sees you as a failed experiment that must be "corrected" and actively hunts you throughout the game, sending his creations to retrieve you for further testing.

The Caretaker

Once the groundskeeper of Hollow Park, Thomas Granger was the first human to come into contact with Void Residue when it leaked into the park's water supply. His transformation fused him with the surrounding plant life.

Now a 7-foot-tall humanoid composed of wood, vines, and decaying flesh, The Caretaker patrols the town's overgrown areas. His motives are unclear—he sometimes attacks on sight, other times helps by pointing out hidden paths or warning of dangers.

He seems particularly protective of children and will not attack if you're escorting Jacob.

Little Jacob

An 8-year-old boy who survived the initial incident by hiding in a locker at Hollow Elementary School. Jacob was exposed to a small amount of Void Residue, giving him the ability to sense other infected beings and communicate with them on a basic level.

Frightened but surprisingly resilient, Jacob knows the town better than anyone. He can lead you through secret passages and help you avoid certain enemies who seem reluctant to harm him.

Protecting Jacob becomes a major moral choice in the game—his innocence and unique abilities make him valuable to both Wells and The Caretaker.

The Howler

One of Wells' earliest successful experiments, The Howler was once a security guard at Hollow Industries. The transformation drastically enlarged his vocal cords and auditory senses, while reducing his eyesight to near blindness.

This towering, hunched creature communicates only through ear-splitting screams that can be heard from miles away. These screams not only cause physical pain but also attract other infected creatures to your location.

The Howler patrols specific areas in a predictable pattern, making stealth the best approach. Once alerted, he becomes relentless in his pursuit, using sound to track you even through walls.

The Mimic

Perhaps the most disturbing of Wells' creations, The Mimic is a shapeshifter composed of unstable Void Residue. It can perfectly replicate the appearance and voices of humans it has consumed, including former residents of Hollow's End.

The Mimic often lures victims by pretending to be a lost child, a wounded survivor, or even people you've previously met. It can only maintain its disguise when stationary—movement causes its form to glitch and distort.

Multiple Mimics exist throughout the game, each with their own preferred forms and hunting strategies. They become more common in later areas, making trust a dangerous luxury.