I won’t hurt you unless you cheat
I’ve looked at a lot of short-form horror games lately, and that can only mean one thing: a lot of short-form horror games have been released. I like them because they are quick and creative. Developers have become reasonably good at delivering thrills and excitement through interactive media, but someone’s fear is a constantly moving target. It’s interesting to see all the ways people think to get there.
Janitor Bleeds tweaked my hobby van for a couple of reasons: it’s set in a video game, and unraveling its mysteries requires you to play an old barrel chest. The “gatekeeper” in the name that I had originally predicted referred to some grumpy elderly caretaker haunting the place. Unfortunately, no tortured soul screams about how hard it is to get nacho cheese out of the rug.
Janitor Bleeds (computer)
Developer: Korpus
Publisher: Bounty Stage Publisher
Released: April 7, 2022
MSRP:
Your car broke down, and I don’t know how you managed to get it out. You hit a lamp post on the side of the gentlest curve imaginable. How did you miss that? Let me say it again: how did you get there? You’re checking your phone again, right? Who texted you? Is she the whore from the office again? My mother was right about you.
You end up in an abandoned video game. After a while of exploring, you find a hidden cabinet called the “Gatekeeper” and accidentally release a strange entity on the dark screen. You would think your job is to simply leave or call for help, but I guess you want to explore video games. That can be fun if something isn’t trying to kill you.
Janitor Bleeds is a linear experience. While you end up opening the entire video game to explore, there’s a pretty tight sequence to everything. Along the way, you constantly encounter the mysterious Janitor game and use it to unlock the way forward. This is done through a series of realistically bent puzzles. As you continue, you are pursued by the entity. It’s a killer horror setup, but this one is hard to see and gives off an eerie light everywhere it goes. This is quite imposing at first, but not the most believable threat.
It was used sparingly at first, referring to impending danger before serious pursuit began. It mainly appears in specific sequences to add tension while you try to solve a puzzle. Then it wanders inefficiently until it needs it again. Even if you get to the bottom of it, the entity is really not very efficient. It tends to have trouble navigating environments, which makes me feel sorry for it.
In addition, the typical arcade game Janitor is not skill-based; it’s just for solving simple puzzles. It does its job of mixing reality and content, but it misses out on creating tension by keeping you focused while Janitor Bleeds trying to screw with you. There’s really no penalty for stepping back from the game to check what the noise is or to hide from the entity.
Gameplay aside, I don’t think Janitor Bleeds effective in building its atmosphere, tension or story. There are scattered notes around that give the backstory of this strange arcade cabinet, but its effect on the arcade cabinet is disappointing. Without spoiling anything, more attention to plot would go a long way in making the arcade a scary place.
Stocks are not well communicated. When you collide, one end of the road is blocked by a regular tree, while the other end is made of wooden pillars and A-frames. The main character is not stuck; they are just lazy. You’re caught up in the woods, this seems like the dumbest way to seek help.
And once you’re into the video game, there’s not much to keep you there. There is no lost friend or deeper motivation. Massacre of nuns There is a missing child. In Blood washing, it’s the only 24/7 laundromat and you really need clean clothes. Front entrance Janitor Bleeds blocked, but behind there was a car blocking the way. There is a vague implication that the “light” is drawing your character there, but just saying that in an interactive medium is not enough. Show, don’t say.
There’s not much of that Janitor Bleeds really the nails, which is a real shame. The concept itself is tantalizing enough, but the scares and story need more consideration. It doesn’t subvert expectations nor does it perform very well with standard horror clichés. It’s not a full wash, it just lands repeatedly in between so it’s hard not to be disappointed. Like many derelict arcade games, this one is unfortunately out of order.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
