Game Review: Exit Station 7

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)

I recently reviewed The Exit 8 VR, and it got me thinking about the current stream of "Exit 8-likes" that have hit the market in its wake. I'd actually played some games in the genre before, but never knew that they were pretty much all emulating The Exit 8. As a matter of fact, one of the ones I played, The Eerie Surroundings, is put out by a developer/publisher that has several other similar games in their catalog. Today we're going to look at Exit Station 7, which is out now on Steam and the Nintendo Switch by way of Surprised Hotdog Limited. I got my hands on the version for the Switch, though I imagine they're both similar to each other. There's really no need for further intro here, so let's dive in!

Exit Station 7 takes place entirely within a subway station, and you're tasked with finding a way out of said station. That's easier said than done of course, since you currently seem to be stuck in an endless loop that takes you back to the exact station you just left. Each game starts with you exploring and examining the base version of the titular station, and you then go on to several more stations via a series of elevators. Each subsequent station might has a very similar look and layout to the base version, but it may have anomalies that set it apart from it. If you spot an anomaly, which is anything different from the base version, you then proceed into the elevator that's marked accordingly. On the other hand, if things look exactly like the base version of the station, you'll instead step into the elevator that says there is no anomaly. This pattern repeats itself for several more stations, and you'll eventually come to the point where a train will whisk you away to the end of the game. There is something of a high score system with a timer, and there are other stages to unlock, but that's it as far as gameplay goes. Sounds simple right? Well, let's look at things a bit closer.

Even though there seems to be a genre forming around these types of games, they're all basically walking simulators at heart. There are no actions for you to perform in Exit Station 7, and you're only real abilities involve moving and looking. The real meat of the game revolves around anomalies, and you'll find quite a few of them here. First off, if you're having trouble with the game, you can actually turn on a help tool that highlights the spots where anomalies will occur in the base version of the station. This tool doesn't highlight the anomalies in subsequent stations, but is a nice addition for those who might be having trouble. I don't want to name too many specific anomalies for fear of spoiling the game, but they often revolve around signage changing, items moving or disappearing altogether, or strange things happening to the man who walks towards you in each station. Some of these can come off as spooky, but there aren't nearly as many horror elements in this game as compared to others in the genre. Making a mistake in spotting an anomaly means you have to restart from the beginning, but you'll probably still be able to beat the game in well under an hour. There is no penalty for taking a long time to complete the game, though the bonus levels are only unlocked if you reach the end within the designated time limit. This all makes for a game experience that is short and to the point, but isn't really bad by any stretch of the term.

While I had a decent amount of fun with this one, I couldn't help but feel that it paled in comparison to the game that so clearly inspired it. I wonder if this game was slapped together over a weekend, because it truly feels very light on content. There doesn't seem to be many anomalies to find here at all, and very few of them are actually interesting in any way. Most often you'll find an additional sign or item, and that just made for a gameplay loop that felt easier than it should've been. It also wasn't as creepy as I was hoping for, though the game does deliver on a setting that feels like it crawled right out of a liminal space creepypasta. One of the biggest disappointments has to be the game assets in general. Though I can't be sure of this, they all look to be generic and/or store-bought. Add to this the sparse ambient soundscape, which is devoid of music, and you get a game that just feels rather thin at times. Also, while this game does offer unlockable bonus stages, they aren't any better than the main one. I actually would've preferred it if more work were put into the core game, rather than giving extra areas to play in that are equally mid-tier. This is by no means a bad game, just not the best game the genre has to offer.

The biggest saving grace for Exit Station 7 has to be its price. I really can't go too hard on this one considering that you can pick it up today for only $2.99. It's actually priced lower than The Eerie Surroundings, which I gave a full recommendation to. Even though my recommendation this time around isn't nearly as strong, I do think it's worth picking up if you're a fan of these types of games. That said, there's nothing special about it, so you'll be fine skipping this one if you aren't. Then again, that low price point means that picking it up on even a whim won't hurt your wallet all that much. That's pretty much all I have to say on this one, though I'll definitely be reviewing more games like this in the future. See you in the next one!

Check Out Exit Station 7 on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/exit-station-7-switch/

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Story: N/A
Gameplay: C
Graphics: C
Music/Sound: B-
Value: A

Overall: C+

Pros:
+ A decent take on the formula established by games like The Exit 8.
+ Can be decently spooky and atmospheric for those looking for that kind of thing.
+ The unlockable bonus levels aren't too much different from the base game, but are a nice touch.
+ Its low price means that picking this one up simply on a whim isn't out of the question.

Cons:
- Like all walking simulators, there really isn't much actual gameplay here.
- Though I've found enjoyment in this style of game, I can see how others would find it boring and/or repetitive.
- Graphics and sound are both a letdown.
- I just wish it was a bit more on the spooky side of things.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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