Review by Jon Donnis
"The Exit 8" is an evocative and atmospheric walking simulator from Kotake Create, a Japanese indie developer, that stands out for its masterful blend of psychological horror and puzzle-solving. Set in the eerie confines of a Japanese metro station passageway, the game invites players to navigate an unsettling environment where reality seems to unravel. The objective is deceptively simple: spot anomalies in the environment to progress through the passageway. However, this straightforward task is elevated to a nerve-wracking experience as the station's repetitive architecture and subtle shifts in detail foster a sense of paranoia and unease.
The game's inspiration from the surreal nature of underground passageways is palpable. The station's design captures the unnerving liminality of such spaces, where familiarity teeters on the edge of the uncanny. The graphical fidelity is impressive, with a level of realism that blurs the line between game and reality, further enhancing the psychological tension. The meticulous attention to detail is remarkable; every sign, every poster, and every inch of the environment feels purposeful, making the act of spotting discrepancies a genuinely immersive challenge.
What sets "The Exit 8" apart is how it manipulates the player's sense of security. The looping mechanic, reminiscent of the Japanese horror game I'm on Observation Duty, injects a constant undercurrent of dread. The corridor, initially mundane, becomes a psychological battleground where the smallest change, a flickering light, a slightly altered sign, can trigger anxiety. The addition of a passer-by who acts as a timer intensifies the pressure, forcing players to make quick decisions with the knowledge that one wrong move resets their progress. This binary decision-making process, while seemingly simple, becomes a source of profound stress, as the fear of failure looms large.
Despite its strengths, "The Exit 8" does have its limitations. The game is undeniably short, with a playtime of around 20 minutes for those who make the correct decisions swiftly. This brevity, while part of the game's charm, also limits its replayability. Once the anomalies have been spotted and the passageway conquered, there is little incentive to revisit the experience. However, the short duration also ensures that the tension remains high throughout, with no room for the atmosphere to stagnate.
The Exit 8 is a finely crafted experience that distills the essence of psychological horror into a compact, visually stunning package. Its ability to evoke a deep sense of discomfort through subtle environmental changes is a testament to Kotake Create's understanding of the genre. While its length may leave some wanting more, the game's intense, focused experience is likely to linger in the mind long after the final exit is reached. I score "The Exit 8" a strong 8 out of 10; it may be brief, but its impact is lasting.
Out Now on PC and Consoles
