Game Review: The Exit 8 VR

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Meta Quest

I'm not really sure if I have to give The Exit 8 a long introduction, as its original release on PC and consoles created quite the stir within certain gaming circles. It quickly became one of those games Let's Players would have over-the-top reactions to, causing them to rake in millions of views. Suffice to say it was very successful considering the scope of the game, and there are now several games that mimic its style. I've ever reviewed a couple for A-to-J before I learned about this game's existence. Though the PC and Switch versions came early on, we're going to be taking a look at the VR version (Conveniently titled The Exit 8 VR.) that arrived on the Meta Quest last summer. This is going to be a quick one, so let's get into the review already!

The Exit 8 VR has a very simple premise: You're in a Japanese subway station, and you have to traverse your way through a series of corridors until you find the titular Exit 8. There is only one other person in the station with you, and only a few items to break up the otherwise barren walls. Finding your way through such a simple set of corridors sounds simple enough, but these hallways you're in will loop endlessly if you're not careful. Each corridor can either lead you to the next one in line, or take you all the way back to the beginning. The only way to know if one will take you the correct way is to carefully observe your surroundings, and make sure that everything is exactly like the very first corridor you visited upon entering. If any one thing is wrong, you have to turn around and head back the way you came. This action, if correct, doesn't bring back to the previous hallway, it instead moves you forward. If you're wrong though, usually as a result of being overly cautious, you'll find yourself at the beginning after all. This is such a simple setup that I basically was able to explain the entire game in just a few sentences, but it really is so much more than just this. Yes you can beat it in well under an hour, but it's more about the overall experience than the sum of its parts.

I guess if I had to place The Exit 8 VR into a genre, I'd lump it in with walking simulators. It's beyond that simple style of game, but that is the easiest description I can think of. Your only action is movement, and you can't interact with the world around you at all. There's no status bars or inventory screens here, this is pretty much as bare bones as you can get. You are able to look around the environment, and run if you need to, but this isn't a game that features much in the way of actual gameplay. As I said earlier, your goal is to examine the current corridor you're in, and check for any anomalies. These can be things like the posters on the walls changing, the lone man walking towards you acting in different way, a door that was closed before suddenly being opened, a light flickering that didn't before, and so on. Some changes are far more subtle than the ones I just mentioned, and others still are quite a bit more intense. It can be very easy to overlook something as trivial as the tile pattern shifting a bit, but you'll have to notice such things if you don't want to have to constantly restart the game. Then again, this isn't really a game that invites a lot of replayability, so perhaps getting to experience all the anomalies for oneself is the true goal.

Even though I wouldn't classify The Exit 8 VR as a horror title, there are a lot of horror elements within it. The general vibes of the near-empty station reminds one of a liminal space, and the sparse sounds create a surprisingly spooky atmosphere that doesn't need music to enhance it. Also, while some of the anomalies revolve around mundane changes, a lot of them are a quite a bit creepier. Sometimes you'll see blood dripping from the wall, mysterious hands coming from an open door, or even creepypasta-level imagery from the posters on the wall. The worst of these, or best depending how you choose to think of them, are the ones that also act as an instant fail state. I don't want to spoil some of the best moments of the game within this review, but suffice it to say that you will sometimes find yourself running for your life. The scares come in all sorts of ways too, and aren't all of the jump scare variety. There were several "WTF" moments when I noticed a creepy shift in a poster, or something small like that, and the simplicity of that level of scare is hard to put into words. Not only that, but this is a game that feels made for VR. I have never played the console versions, but I imagine that the impact of the game is far reduced when you don't have things right in your face. It's not just that the game is perfect for VR, I also am of the mind that VR also needs experiences like what this game offers.

I can easily heap plenty of praise onto The Exit 8 VR, but I do have to admit that it has some drawbacks. First off is the fact that this is the first game where I experienced VR motion sickness. I used to think that I was immune to such things, but this game had me feeling dizzy after only about 30 minutes of playing. I think it had a lot to do with how intensely I was staring at everything in-game, and the occasional quick movement of the game's camera that came when I decided to run to the next corridor. That's the thing too, the controls here take a bit of getting used to. It's hard to explain them outside of playing the game yourself, but it almost feels like it you're confined to tank controls, and can only look around freely once you come to a full stop. That doesn't quite describe it right, but it does capture some of the wonkiness you're likely to experience your first time through. It's not game-breaking by any means, but does dampen an otherwise great game.

The other, more obvious, downside to the game would have to be its longevity and replayability. Even though there are dozens of anomalies to witness, plenty of which I'm sure I never saw in my several playthroughs, once you get to Exit 8, there really isn't anything else for you to do. There's no expanded universe to this game, nor is there much reason to replay it outside of wanting to relive the experience. This is a problem with all the Exit 8-likes that have popped up since this game's release, but at the very least you'll be playing the original if you choose to pick this one up. I do have to say that The Exit 8 VR is saved by its price point. Coming in at a very reasonable $6.99, I don't think anyone can say that they're overpaying for the amount of content they're going to get. Not only that, but it seems to go on sale fairly often.

Even though The Exit 8 VR has issues when it comes to controls and overall replayability, this is a game that I think every Meta Quest owner must play. It really is an experience like no other, and the games that have tried to emulate it don't do it justice in the least. I do wish that there was some sort of lore or story to go along with it, but I can't fault it for what it does deliver since it's so good. In short, pick it up now, and thank me later. With all that out of the way, maybe I'll look into the sequel... or maybe that live action movie that will be coming out later this year... Who knows...? Anyway, see you in the next one!

Check Out The Exit 8 VR on Meta VR:
https://www.meta.com/experiences/the-exit-8-vr/7683906495049890/

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Story: N/A
Gameplay: B+
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A fun gameplay experience that feels like a title perfect for VR platforms.
+ The horror elements are truly spot on. It's been a while since a game has creeped me out as much as this one did.
+ Even though the sound design and graphics are rather sparse, they perfectly enhance the game's atmosphere.
+ A must-buy for Meta Quest owners. It's a steal at just $6.99.

Cons:
- The controls take a bit of getting used to and don't always feel as tight as they could.
- There isn't a lot of replayability beyond wanting to go through the game again.
- The lack of background lore, or any story at all, detracts from the overall presentation.
- This might just be a me thing, but I experienced VR motion sickness for the very first time while playing this. Maybe move slower than I did while playing.

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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