Previously released on every platform except for Xbox, The Exit 8 is a weird, slightly unsettling looping walking simulator published by Playism. This experimental game is essentially a “spot the difference” simulator set within a small, never-ending hallway.
The Exit 8 sounds like a weird game because it is. Without a title screen, tutorial, or directions on how to play, the player is just thrown into the game upon starting. At first, the obvious choice is to walk ahead but then you quickly realize Déjà vu is constant. Walking down this stripped hallway, passing a middle-aged man carrying his briefcase, walking by a few posters and closed doors, quickly becomes confusing and inescapable. However, overtime you’ll notice one tiny detail change like the number on a poster or a door slightly opened. When you see these anomalies, you need to immediately turn around and go the other way. Noticing a string of these slight changes usually results in something crazy or a way out of the endless loop.
I don’t want to spoil too much because that will ruin the entire experience, but the unsettling nature comes from having a simple, almost silent presentation. The only sounds you hear are those of your own footsteps. Then, when you notice something and turn back the other way, it would be wise to brace yourself for something unexpected. For example, just as I got comfortable with the middle-aged man walking in his predictable pattern, he started to sprint towards me like a possessed demon, startling me. Another time, two Men In Black-style agents appeared out of nowhere, and when I turned around to go the other way, boom! They were just there in front of me, again, for no reason. And peering into the door that is slightly cracked is nerve racking.
The Exit 8 is an interesting new take on the walking simulator genre and I don’t want to write any more as it can spoil it. While it isn’t for everyone, it is rather creative and does so much with so little. It is creepy, a little disturbing, and slightly ominous while managing to create a sense of repeating, anxious dread. There really isn’t anything quite like it. It is also best to go into this game blind. Don’t read any FAQs or watch a Let’s Play. Just play it and figure it out for yourself.
SCORE: 7.5
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By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
X/Twitter: @ZackGaz
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