During the Xbox 360 era, cover shooters were often criticised for recycling the same environments ad nauseam. It showed a lack of creativity, inevitably leading to boredom for most people. After all, seeing the same sterile location time and time again can’t be fun, right? Well, in The Exit Eight, the same dull, inoffensive corridor is actually exactly what you want to see. 

The goal is simple: leave the underground station. However, when there are liminal spaces and creepy anomalies to contend with, that’s not easy. You’re presented with a seemingly ordinary corridor. There are three doors on the left, several posters on the right and a man with a briefcase walking towards you. No, I never trusted him either. Even now. 

Anyway, to progress, you have to determine whether the corridor is in its normal state. If so, stride on forward to the next potentially identical corridor. However, if something is awry, do a quick 180 and head back. The yellow sign depicting the level will go up if you are right, creeping closer to the coveted number eight and freedom, and reset to zero if an anomaly was missed or you turned back when everything was fine.

The Exit Eihgt. Wait… that’s not right, is it?

And what does getting it wrong lead to? Total paranoia. There are 35 anomalies in The Exit Eight, with some being incredibly subtle, making you second- and third-guess yourself. Were the posters always that size? Did the cartoon grocery store girl’s eyes always look like that? Was that little red light always on in that one security camera? Until you learn the ins and outs, these are the questions you’ll ask yourself. It creates a fantastic sense of tension as you wander up and down that uncanny space, trying to make sure everything is as it should be. It’s Spot the Difference meets the backrooms.

Mercifully, some of the anomalies are incredibly obvious. When a pair of creepy twins are standing in the corridor, there’s no need to waste time checking the posters. Just book it back in the other direction. Likewise, black gunk seeping from the vents is a clear indicator to turn around. However, despite providing a quick win, spotting these anomalies for the first time still leaves an unpleasant feeling. In such a clinical, claustrophobic setting, anything slightly unusual becomes immediately horrifying, lending The Exit Eight a delightfully unsettling atmosphere.

All of this could potentially lose its lustre if not for the length. Clocking in at around an hour, depending on how observant you are, The Exit Eight simply doesn’t have the runtime to outstay its welcome. Still, that doesn’t make it a phenomenal game. It’s a wonderfully creative experience, but likely won’t occupy much of your mindspace a week or so after you’ve finally escaped that corridor. But hey, maybe the film will help cement its legacy.

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Score: 7/10
Time Taken: 1 hour (For all the Trophies)
Played On: PS5

• Speaking of anomalies, have you ever seen a crustacean with a gun? See why that’s a thing in my Another Crab’s Adventure review