How do you play HALDANE-4 and what are the controls?

Updated

HALDANE-4 is a browser-based ASCII horror game set in the depths of the Southern Ocean. To start, open the game page, click the terminal to initialize it, and use WASD to move, the mouse to thrust and rotate, Shift to cut the engine, and Space to toggle your light. The game recommends headphones and is best played on desktop.

Getting started

  1. Open haldane4.denisbondare.com in a desktop browser.
  2. Put on headphones — the page explicitly recommends them, and for a horror game built on atmosphere, sound is likely doing much of the work.
  3. Click the terminal screen to initialize it. The page shows "CLICK TO INITIALIZE TERMINAL" as the entry point; nothing happens until you do this.
  4. Use the on-screen RESUME control if the interface is paused or hidden.

The terminal is labeled "OPERATOR TERMINAL v2.1.4," which frames the whole experience: you are operating equipment, not steering a character in a conventional sense.

Controls at a glance

Input Action
WASD Move
Mouse Thrust and rotate
Shift Engine off
Space Light
Click Initialize terminal (to begin)
Drag Move and look around the scene
HIDE / UP / DN / - / + / RESUME On-screen interface controls

A few things worth noting about how these fit together:

  • Movement and thrust are split. WASD handles movement while the mouse handles thrust and rotation. Expect to use both hands together rather than treating the mouse as a simple camera.
  • Shift is a deliberate choice, not a convenience. Cutting the engine is mapped to its own key, which suggests silence or drifting matters at some point. If something seems to be reacting to you, engine-off is the first thing to try.
  • Space controls light. In a dark ocean setting, light is likely a trade-off — useful for seeing, possibly risky for being seen.
  • Drag does double duty. Dragging moves and looks around the scene, which is useful when you want to inspect your surroundings without committing to thrust.

Practical tips for a first session

  • Initialize first, then experiment. Click the terminal before pressing anything else; the controls assume the terminal is active.
  • Test each control once in a quiet moment. Confirm what engine-off and light actually change before you need them under pressure.
  • Use the +/- controls to adjust the interface if text is hard to read at your window size.
  • Play on desktop. The page states it is best on desktop, and the control scheme (WASD plus mouse plus Shift plus Space) assumes a keyboard.

Common snags

  • Nothing happens on load. The terminal needs a click to initialize — this is the most likely first obstacle.
  • The interface disappears or pauses. Use RESUME, or the HIDE/UP/DN controls to bring the terminal back into view.
  • Controls feel unresponsive. Make sure the game window has focus after clicking, and check that you are not holding Shift, which turns the engine off.

The page does not list a price, a login requirement, or platform restrictions beyond the desktop recommendation, so treat those as unconfirmed rather than assuming free access.