Walk the walk in Exit 8.

If you were to describe Exit 8 to someone, then chances are they’d lose interest within the first breath. There isn’t much to Exit 8 on paper. Walk in a subway tunnel towards the eighth exit? That’s it? While true, there’s something to be said about its simplicity. This game is one of the most unsettling walking simulator experiences I’ve played; tantamount to the likes of Silent Hill PT. This review will be short and sweet, much like the game.

There’s no dialogue or narrative in Exit 8. Your unnamed protagonist is thrown into the thick of it the moment the game begins. Set in a Tokyo subway, your goal is simple. You need to get out of the tunnel by reaching the titular Exit 8. Otherwise, as you’ll come to notice, you’re stuck in said tunnel indefinitely. One of the signs posted in the hallway gives you instructions on how to do that. If you see something out of the ordinary (dubbed an anomaly) then turn around. If not, then keep going in the same direction. The subway tunnel loops round and round, with signs showing the exit numbers increasing if you’re following the instructions. If you ignore an anomaly or mistake something for an anomaly, then you’ll be back to the start.

Controls, like the instructions, are simple. You move with the left analogue stick and can run by holding down any of the other buttons. When you begin, you’ll likely notice a few things from the jump. The first is that the subway tunnel is immaculate; nary a spec of dust or dirt in sight. I’ve been to Japan and rode the subways numerous times. I can confirm that they’re clean but Exit 8 takes their pristineness to a new level. You’ll also notice there’s silence. There’s no music overhead and no busy crowd of subway commuters. It’s eerily silent, which makes the game that much more unnerving because you mostly hear your own footsteps echoing. Finally, you’ll notice that there’s one other person in the tunnel that is walking the opposite direction of you. He doesn’t say anything. Again, it adds to the level of creepiness.

As mentioned, you’ll be moving through the tunnel in a first-person perspective trying to reach Exit 8. If things look normal, then you need to continue in the same direction. If you notice something is amiss, then turn around. The anomalies in this game range from subtle to terrifying. I immediately thought of the GameCube classic Eternal Darkness when some of the more outlandish ones showed themselves. A flickering light or an emergency sound is one thing. The hallways spewing blood? A bizarre figure emerging from the clean, white walls? That’s a different thing. Oh, and remember that other person I mentioned also in the tunnel? Seeing him run towards you with a toothy grin or turning around to follow you is beyond unsettling. All this and more are considered anomalies. If and when you see one, then you’ll need to do a prompt about-face to continue.

It took just under an hour for me to reach the exit and the credits. The game told me that I still had 23 anomalies to discover as I was thrown right back into the subway tunnel post-credits. Obviously, this is a game that’s meant to be played multiple times. I’m going to want to discover what other creepy anomalies are in store. It’s also worth pointing out that there’s an Exit 8 movie that I intend to watch. It’s crazy to think that such a simple, indie game could have such a lasting impact. As a fan of horror games and the supernatural, I recommend Exit 8. However, I also recommend it for those looking for a palette cleanser that still requires a bit of focus.

Overall, 8/10: I finished other, meatier games this past month. Exit 8 takes simple concepts to a different level, and stands out as a result.