The Caregiver

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Chilla's Art

I have liked most of the games that I've played from Chilla's Art…but despite them being labeled as "horror," I rarely find anything about them to be scary. The Caregiver, while still not too scary in my opinion, is easily the scariest of the Chilla's Art games that I've played so far. They did a very good job of creating a creepy atmosphere and building towards the end of the game…the end, honestly, was the only time I really didn't enjoy this game. The very last part of the game is a chase scene where you have to open random doors and hope to escape. I died countlessly there…finally, I found a pattern that seemed to work - open the doors left, right, left, right, etc. Every now and then, you'll have to go forward, but alternating like I mentioned above is what finally got me to the credits and to the end of the game. I saw some folks complaining about the clock puzzle in this game because you'll have someone stalking you and trying to stab you during it, some even saying that they wouldn't complete the game because of it…those reactions were pretty dramatic. The one stalking you isn't exactly on your tail the whole time and I found that I had plenty of time to change the time and run away before getting stabbed too many times, if at all. The game also promotes exploration with a bunch of trading cards to discover, based on various folks that support them on Patreon. Anyway, The Caregiver isn't perfect, but I liked it a lot. The final chase sequence soured it a bit, but not enough to make me not want to play through this again….especially now that I seem to have a path down to get me to the ending. If you want a solid, indie horror game with an opportunity for some minor exploration, the Caregiver is a good game to play.

Review added: 10/31/2024

Carrots and Cream

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Aergia

What's the name of this game?....Carrots?.... Carrots and what?.... Carrots and Cream? Ooooh! Carrots and Cream, Carrots and Cream, I'm a little lad that loves Carrots and Cream…………sorry, any youngsters reading this likely have zero idea what that was about, but that's the way I like it. Not knowing what I'm talking about keeps people on their toes.  Anyway, despite what my previous comments said, I think Carrots and Cream is okay. I'm a little lad that is mildly amused by Carrots and Cream, I guess. It's a decent, short game for what it is. It has a nice visual style, and it manages to tell a subtle little story. I finished the game in a little over 6 minutes, so it's over before you can find too many things wrong with it...and since it's so short, it's hard to really get bored with it in that short period of time. That said, aside from getting the assorted trophies, there's not really a reason to play the game again after you've played through it once. Still, though, if you're looking for a decent way to pass a few minutes, Carrots and Cream might be a good choice.

Review added: 10/31/2024

The Cat Lady

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Harvester Games

I absolutely LOVE this game. The Cat Lady starts out as a very, very dark game - any game where you're required to chop your own arm off to advance the story is probably pretty dark and morbid. However, the Cat Lady isn't just dark and morbid with gore. There are quite a few light-hearted moments in the Cat Lady as well. I absolutely fell in love with this game's story and found myself liking Susan as a person. It made me want to do everything I could to help her succeed. The story is not without its faults, though - I still don't get where the stranger that visits Susan's apartment exactly fits into the story, for example, he seemed pretty out of place to me...But otherwise, I really enjoyed experiencing Susan Ashworth's story from beginning to end...Which is why I've seen it from beginning to end multiple times. With a great art design that helps it stick out as much as the story does, and great controls, the Cat Lady is easily one of the best point-and-click adventure games that I have ever played. I genuinely cannot recommend this game enough. It's fantastic.

Review added: 09/29/2019

Chair Simulator

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: MSCHF Product Studios Inc

…What did I just waste two hours of my life doing? Chair Simulator is a game where you sit in a chair….then get up, and sit some more. Then you buy a new chair, sit some more, get up, and sit again. You're able to walk around your home, and in a store full of chairs….but that's it. You can also die from sitting too long, so you're stuck staring at a computer screen, so that you can get up and sit back down before your character flatlines from sitting on their hiney for too long. That's your game. Despite how simplistic it is, it's still one of the glitchier games that I've played. Before I had even purchased my first chair, I had already found myself on the rooftop of the house due to a glitch…and from there, I fell down into an endless hole where I had nothing to do except exit to the main menu and reload. Then, I glitched myself up to the roof of the store…only to find nothing there, except seeing how the "backgrounds" are laid out in the game. With how easy it was to glitch myself up there, I thought the developer would have hid something up there…but nope, like the rest of the game, no real effort was made to reward the player. I like quirky games, so I thought that I'd enjoy this one, but it's terrible. If you think Chair Simulator sounds fun, do yourself a favor and just sit down and stand up a bunch in real life - you might get some exercise out of it, and it's not any less boring than this game.

Review added: 10/31/2024

Chimney Prowler

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Vidas Games

I think this game was thrown together with a time limit attached….so I don't want to be too harsh towards it….but it's also not very good at all. The start of Chimney Prowler has you creating a cookie and "special" milk for Santa…then the Lord of Darkness, Santa Claus himself appears. You eventually figure out that you need to get keys and escape the house…which is kind of lame. The keys are in an obvious place, and it's not difficult to leave the house on your first try…if that was the whole game, I may have actually given this a slightly better score. Unfortunately, the developer decided that it would be a smart move to add a car chase scene to end the game….with the absolute worst car handling I have ever experienced. The car gets stuck and/or flips over VERY easily…the end result is plenty of frustration….and when you finally get past the car scene, you're rewarded with a pretty lame end. Again, I get that this was likely put out with a short time limit attached…but I've played other games with similar handicaps placed on them for contests and they weren't this bad. If the developer is reading this, I'll give this advice - stick with basic stuff that you can do well rather than complicated stuff that you do poorly. Less can be more if done well. Unfortunately, Chimney Prowler isn't done well.

Review added: 10/31/2024

Choo-Choo Charles

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Two Star Games

Choo-Choo Charles is an odd game that is both better and worse than I thought it would be. Basically, the gist of the game is that you travel to an island with the goal of hunting Charlie, a half-spider, half-train monstrosity that likes to feast on the delicacy known as human flesh. The odd thing is, despite the fact that you're a hunter, you have zero weaponry at your disposal UNLESS you're aboard a fancy little train. So, you're forced to ride around on the tracks, and when you leave your train, you run the risk of being caught by Charles and/or a bunch of gun-wielding masked folks without any way to defend yourself except to run away. The masked folks are a pain, because you often need to participate in very poor stealth gameplay to get past them….or simply run past them and hope that they don't land enough bullets in you before you grab what you need, then escape. The stealth parts in the game are a big ol' pain in the caboose…pun completely intended. Those stealth bits really derail this game…pun intended again. These puns are making me lose my train of thought…sorry. Anyway, sometimes, I would let the masked folks find me, then run to my train (because they seem to NEVER stop chasing you) and once aboard, I would use the firepower on my train to lay them out, then return back to where I was to have fewer folks to deal with. But anyway, if I had paid the full $20 price for Choo-Choo Charles, I would have felt like I had completely overpaid. Thankfully, I nabbed it on sale for 85% off and paid only $3…and I feel like I got about what I paid for with that amount. Choo-Choo Charles does have some redeeming aspects to it…but the awful stealth parts of the game, mixed with a world that's a tad too large for the minimal things that you can do within that world, results in Choo-Choo Charles being just below passable.

Review added: 10/30/2025

Christmas Horror

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Purple Thunder Games

Ever since I was a little kid, I always enjoyed writing stories in school about an evil Santa Claus. I've always enjoyed the concept of an evil Santa. Christmas Horror is essentially my evil Santa writings come to life…but without the comedy that I often included. Christmas Horror also isn't as horrifying as the game's title suggests. Basically, you're a kid on Santa's naughty list, so he kidnaps you and locks you in a cell in his basement. Your goal is to escape your cell and eventually escape the house. Once you emerge from the basement, you'll discover that Santa Claus doesn't really use many lights - the electric bills are through the roof at the North Pole, I guess. So, you'll be walking around with a flashlight, which is honestly the only real uneasy feeling that you may get while playing this. If Santa spots your flashlight and comes after you, when he catches you, he'll club you over the head with a giant candy cane and throw you back in the cell….well, usually. There are weird bugs in the game where Santa will just walk over near you and stand there. He won't do anything. He'll just stand there, and look around like he's paranoid. Eventually, if you walk up to him, then he'll finally club you. While these awkward "staredowns" are nice for trying to snap a screenshot, they're annoying when you're actually attempting to play the game. If a game of hide and seek with a violent Santa sounds like a fun idea, you may find mild enjoyment in Christmas Horror. For everyone else, though, I can't say that I'd really recommend this one.

Review added: 10/31/2022

Christmas Massacre

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: puppet combo

I'm a big fan of puppet combo and their games. Not only do I appreciate the blend of retro gameplay and VHS horror movie aspects, but he has an odd sense of humor that I really appreciate. For example, in Christmas Massacre, you control a demented lad who is obsessed with Christmas, and that lad takes orders from the talking Christmas tree that resides in his house. And, of course, the Christmas tree wants you to kill. Essentially, Christmas Massacre is a 3D version of Hotline Miami, but set during the holidays, in a small town, and with fewer levels. While it's not a masterpiece by any stretch, I can't deny that I didn't enjoy myself quite a bit with the stealth-based slasher gameplay - not only do you need to use stealth, but you need to move quickly. Especially in later levels, like the movie theater, if you're not quick, people will find your handiwork and flee the area, resulting in a failed level. Again, this gameplay isn't flawless, but it's fun for what it is, and for the amount on the price tag attached to it. Plus, if you're a fan of warped, dark humor, you'll find even more to like here. I do wish that there were more levels and challenges to increase the overall playtime of the game, but for what it is, Christmas Massacre is a decent little action game that fans of old slasher films, and a little dark humor, will likely find at least a little enjoyment in.

Review added: 10/31/2022

Christmas Nightmare

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: JustTomcuk

While this is definitely a horror game, it also works as a wholesome Christmas game….well, as wholesome as blood-covered walls and dead bodies covered in wrapping paper can be. The beginning of the game is absolutely gorgeous - you're outside looking at the Christmas lights set up on your street. You have the option of walking around and setting off fireworks in celebration of New Year's Eve….because yes, this is called Christmas Nightmare, and it takes place on New Year's Eve. I'm guessing that the developer of this game may be from Russia or Ukraine - there, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th or 8th rather than December 25th, and gifts are given on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. They're not the only countries in the world to do that, but I don't know of too many developers based out of Egypt or Moldova. Anyway, that explanation for the seemingly odd timeframe out of the way, Christmas Nightmare is a decent horror walking simulator…I never really found it frightening in any way, but I still found myself interested through the vast majority of the game - I wanted to see where the story was going and how it would end up. This isn't a flawless game, though, the trigger areas to click on stuff can sometimes feel small - specifically if you're trying to light all of the fireworks in the street - there were two specifically that would not light no matter how hard I tried. Also, the lighter has no flame…and it's possible to switch your lighter for the television remote and find yourself stumbling around in the dark, unable to advance the game until you exit and reload. Still though, despite those complaints, this is still a decent horror game to play around the holidays…and the wholesome aspects that I mentioned at the beginning may just put you in the holiday spirit by the time that you're done.

Review added: 10/31/2024

Cleany's Window Service

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: DopplerGhost

Cleany's Window Service is a passable, short action game with some horror elements tossed into it. The developer describes Cleany's Window Service as a "horror game with relaxing window cleaning and spooky jumpscares." I agree with it to a degree…the window cleaning is relaxing. The jumpscares…well, there's one. At the end. It's a good one, mind you, but unless you play over and over, you won't be getting repeated jump scares. And that's a good thing, honestly. If there were multiple jump scares, I don't think the big one would be as effective. Instead, you'll be playing a relaxing game, with occasional unsettling imagery, and then scared when it's not expected. While there isn't much to this game, it's passable for what it is. I like the art direction/style of the game, and while the game is only about 15 minutes long, it felt like the perfect length. If you think that this sounds like a game you may like, then head on over to itch.io and check it out - it's free to download, with an option to donate if you wish.

Review added: 10/31/2024

The Convenience Store

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Chilla's Art

I want to like the Convenience Store more than I actually enjoyed it when playing. Now, I'm all for slow-paced, atmospheric games. I also like games where there is no combat - just wander around, solve puzzles, and watch the story unfold. I sometimes look for games specifically with those qualities…and toss in an element of horror and I'm definitely on board. The Convenience Store, though, to me was a tad too slow and the horror element within lacked the ability to make me uneasy, let alone scare me. I found myself making Mystery Science Theater 3000-like jokes while I wandered around the small town and convenience store - especially towards the end. Still, I do like the concept of the game, and despite the fact that I was somewhat disappointed with my experience, I still found the Convenience Store to still be passable, and it has made me interested in the developer to see what other creations have come from their mind. The Convenience Store is a perfectly passable game...I just was hoping for a little more out of it.

Review added: 10/04/2023

Corpse Ocean

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: KIRA

Corpse Ocean is pretty impressive for a game that was put together in 10 days. Essentially, you find yourself in a tiny, submersible vehicle and your goal is to collect 6 barrels of organic material that came from a sunken military sub. There's a monitor to your right that provides you with the coordinates where you want to head towards, as well as some other information, like controls, if you need them. The gameplay, initially, is somewhat relaxing - I think it would have been more relaxing if more aquatic life had been added to the game…but with a 10 day time-limit, I get that you're limited with what you can do. After retrieving a few barrels, the relaxing scenery is replaced with darkness and uneasiness. By the time you begin heading towards barrel number six, if you don't have the light on, you won't be able to see a single thing except for the monitors around you. The only thing that really holds this game back, in my opinion, are the controls….it's difficult to get the sub exactly in a direction that you'd like to go…it's also difficult to maneuver around at the end of the game. I found myself just bumping into stuff until I got the ending screen. Anyway, this is a decent game, especially for the amount of time put into it, and if you're into games that are more about atmosphere than action, you may find some enjoyment here. If Corpse Ocean sounds like a game you'd like, you can download it at itch.io for free, and donate KIRA money if you like the game that they provided.

Review added: 10/28/2021

Costume Quest

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Double Fine Productions

I adore Costume Quest. I remember playing this for the first time and when I found myself walking from house to house, ringing doorbells, I instantly feelt nostalgia from when I was a wee lad, with face paint covering my mug while I begged for candy. It was a great way to start the game. That nostalgia mixed with a clever story, good, light-hearted moments, and fantastic, simple-yet-enjoyable gameplay make Costume Quest a must-play, unique RPG. My only real complaint about Costume Quest is that it's way too short...But if you're new to turn-based RPGs, the length of this game, as well as some of the simplicity, may make it a good choice to give the genre a try. Likewise, if you ever participated in trick-or-treat as a child and have fond memories of the experience, Costume Quest is a way for you to relive that part of your childhood. Costume Quest is a game that I still like to boot up and play from time to time...it's simply a good, enjoyable game. 

Review added: 09/29/2019

Costume Quest 2

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Double Fine Productions

I was a huge fan of the original Costume Quest and had been hoping for a sequel ever since playing the first game. And after that sequel that I had hoped and wished for was made...well, I can say that while I like Costume Quest 2, the original just had more charm to it...And more difficulty. It sounds odd to say that the first game was more difficult because you don't heal after battles in Costume Quest 2 - you have to do minor backtracking to a healing fountain when your party is in rough shape...And yet, this game is still much, much easier than the original was, which in turn makes this game feel a little more dull than the original game was...but, Costume Quest 2 is not a bad game by any means...it's just not quite as good as the original was, in my opinion. If you were a fan of the original, you'll probably still enjoy this game like I did, just likely not as much...But, if you didn't like the original, you probably won't be a big fan of the second game in the series, either.

Review added: 10/15/2020

Creepy Shift: Roadside Diner

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Night Shift Team

Creepy Shift: Roadside Diner is an okay concept…you're multi-tasking between doing various tasks for your job at a diner and…well, trying not to die. Basically, you're working alone during a night shift at a diner and you're tasked with cleaning up the mess left behind by the patrons, restocking the shelves, and following mysterious rules left behind for you so that the demonic forces of the diner don't murder you and swallow your soul. It seems like an okay concept on paper…but the problem is that most of the game is more annoying than scary or creepy. One thing that you must do is make sure that the jukebox in the diner doesn't play for too long or the spirits of the diner will kill you. This is fine…except it gets annoying when it plays over and over while you're trying to do other things. I found myself asking, "Why not just unplug the dang jukebox and call it a night?" The other tasks also don't make anything unsettling…just annoying. At the end of the second chapter/start of the third chapter Roadside Diner does start to finally get mildly creepy…and then you're right back to doing tasks while being annoyed by stuff that prevents you from doing your job. The real kick to the giblets is that when you survive the night, you're actually able to spend as much time as you want doing all of the tasks before finishing the game. In other words, there's absolutely no reason to distract yourself with cleaning or doing any work if you simply want to see the end of the game…and you can still get a perfect score as long as you clean up afterward, before heading out. All in all, Roadside Diner is an okay rookie effort from Night Shift Team…I'm not sure if I really like the idea of multitasking between work and survival after playing this, but I'm willing to give the other Creepy Shift games a shot to see if they can win me over.

Review added: 10/18/2025

Cuphead

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Studio MDHR

As a former animation student, and seemingly one of the only folks not doing anime or 3D animation in my school at the time (I’ve always liked to see anvils drop on the heads of folks in hand-drawn 2D, the way it was intended), Cuphead is definitely the kind of animation that I’ve always liked and it had my attention from the moment it was initially announced. Its beautiful, retro animation looks would be absolutely nothing without solid gameplay, though, and Cuphead delivers in that aspect as well. Most levels tend to be boss fights, with some being side-scrolling shooting levels, but all of them are extremely well designed…and much like the graphics are a nod to animations of the past, the gameplay is a nod to video games of the past with difficult gameplay that sees you improve with each attempt to take down a boss. There’s a great sense of accomplishment when you take down a boss without taking any damage, especially if you barely lasted 30 seconds against that same boss the first time you fought it. I’d love to see a sequel to Cuphead down the road – it’s a fantastic game in every sense of the word.

Review added: 08/05/2020

The Cursed Tape

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: JustTomcuk

The Cursed Tape is a pretty lame outing by JustTomcuk…no offense intended to them, of course. The "scares" in the game aren't very well done…sometimes you'll hear sounds before a "jump scare" occurs, taking any surprise away, turning something that may have made you jump into something that you're fully expecting and ready for. The first sight of what you're supposed to be afraid of is also kind of laughable…I thought he looked like one of those wacky, waving, inflatable tube men. It made my only fear going forward that I'd be harassed by a used car salesman along the way. The same enemy also has the zoomies, running around for apparently no reason. It's hard to be scared of an enemy that seems to be on a caffine high. My last complaint is the story…it starts out interesting, but it ends in a whimper. Still, if you like walking simulators that have a horror twist, then you may find some enjoyment here. If The Cursed Tape was unique, I'd like it more…but I've played so many of this type of horror walking simulator in a short period of time for this website this year that The Cursed Tape falls near the bottom of that list.

Review added: 10/31/2024