The Exit 8

A bit of stigma is attached when encountering minimalist games such as The Exit 8. You'll often find that these titles tend to market themselves better than they play, where the developers are after a quick buck. However, positive attention has been directed towards the game, highlighting an exciting concept and replayability. That already sets the aura of intrigue.

So, what's The Exit 8 all about? It's a game inspired by the labyrinth of Japanese underground tunnels, where commuters face a daily jungle of repetitive signage and endlessly similar interiors. It's simply a fight to get out of reality. That idea has been translated into some conceptual gameplay—it's time to jump into this intriguing dystopia and see what minimalist titles can do.

We Go Right Round Again

Welcome to the immersive gaming experience of The Exit 8, a compact walking simulator that draws inspiration from the mysterious world of Japanese underground passageways, liminal spaces, and enigmatic back rooms. Get ready to delve into a captivating virtual realm that brings these atmospheric elements to life uniquely and unforgettably.

The player will walk around the same passageway multiple times with the simple aim of finding exit 8. Sounds simple enough. However, players will return to square one if they keep walking linearly. If you see anything strange or different as you walk through the repetitive loop, you'll have to walk backward to where you came to progress.

It's difficult to explain without giving it away. Still, these simple yet clever mechanics make the game intriguing and equally frustrating. Some things are challenging to identify, and without proper attention, you'll be stuck in a walking cycle that will go on forever, which is not ideal for a game advertised as an hour playtime max. That leaves the question of whether the title is good.

The Exit 8 is clever, but it's a title for someone who enjoys using their brains in games. Anyone who wants to accomplish objectives quickly will find themselves in a tailspin and give up quite quickly, frustrated at not finishing what seems like a simple task. But outside the core mechanics, the visuals and atmosphere are remarkably well construed to achieve what they set out to do.

I'm Not Gonna Anoma-lie

The Exit 8 is a testament to the fact that minimalist games can be worth spending money on when there's some thought and effort behind the mechanics. It's been a while since I've been so determined to complete such a game, despite all the frustrations of finding myself back. It's not The Stanley Parable, but it's certainly worth an honorable mention in short, high-caliber titles.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• An intriguing minimalist concept
• There is a surprising amount of replayability
• Great gameplay from simple mechanics

Cons:

• It can be frustrating for a high-octane gamer
• A short playtime

Stepping into the eerily solitary corridors of The Exit 8, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that this was more than just a game – it was a descent into a psychological abyss that blurred the lines between the real and the surreal.

Crafted by an indie studio with a knack for the macabre, this walking simulator dared me to navigate an underground labyrinth where the only companions were my instincts and the chilling whispers warning me of dangers lurking in this bizarre subway station.

The Exit 8 stands out not for its jump scares, but for its atmospheric mastery. It’s like wandering through a waking nightmare, reminiscent of the haunting vibes of Silent Hill 4: The Room and the psychological twists of PT. Every shadow felt alive, every silence screamed – a delicate balance between fear and fascination.

Echoes in the Shadows

As you venture deeper, the game’s minimalist storytelling echoes the enigmatic nature of tiles like Visage, leaving you to piece together a narrative from environmental hints and sudden "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" moments happening in the corner of the screen. It is a journey of isolation, where the dread of the unknown grows with each step into the station's halls.

The heart of The Exit 8 beats with the enigma of the anomalies – entities I was warned to avoid, yet drawn to uncover. The deeper I delved, the stronger the pull to reveal their secrets, a test of curiosity against self-preservation.

Liminal Horrors

The true essence of The Exit 8 lay in its exploration of liminal spaces – those eerie thresholds where reality meets the unknown. The visual design, coupled with a haunting soundtrack, crafted an atmosphere of unease that lingered, turning my own imagination into both a curse and a gift as I struggled to make sense of the uncanny.

Liminal spaces are all the rage in modern horror. With games like Chilla's Art's Shinkansen 0 making waves in the online discourse, more games might follow the path of The Exit 8. The slowly building tension and the possibility of there being something more in the creepy hallways is something that follows you all throughout this profoundly unsettling experience.

One thing that I definitely consider a huge negative about The Exit 8 is its short playtime. I understand this is more a horror "experience" than a "game" itself, but I managed to beat The Exit 8 in a little under an hour – and I was taking my time with it.

Special Consideration

In the end, “The Exit 8” is not just a game; it’s an experience that echoes the psychological depth of Silent Hill and the mind-bending puzzles of “PT,” leaving a lasting impression that’s hard to shake. If you’re brave enough to walk these halls, you’ll find that the true horror lies not in what you see, but in what you imagine.

As an indie title – and one that delves into meta-horror – The Exit 8 manages to be unsettling despite its limited gameplay and even more limited visual variety. For fans of quirky horror titles, this one is a must.

Pros

• Masterful atmospheric storytelling
• Unsettling liminal spaces
• Minimal narrative approach that remains effective

Cons

• Short playtime
• Absence of traditional horror elements
• Japanese-only voice acting limits accessibility