A Skull is a short and free visual novel created by independent developer Alpha Chrome Yayo. This game is set to probe the recesses of your psyche through its multiple endings, metaphysical strangeness, and intoxicating images. Its cyberpunk soundtrack was also created by the developer, which enhances the experience of reading this experimental kinetic novel. The only goal of the game is to finish it; without missions or rewards, you can freely go about on this psychedelic adventure. 

What is A Skull? 

A Skull is a short interactive fiction game that toys with your psyche. It does this by showing you spooky images of animals, cobwebs, skeletons, and more. To up the ante, the pictures appear in 2-bit graphics so you will have to look closely to make out what they are. Once you figure out what it is, there is no going back. The game begins with an image of a skull. 

The skull is actually a living being that will guide you through the choices. It will also narrate what is happening around you and to you. With 10 different endings, luck will not always be at your side. It’s possible that you could be eaten or you could escape the skull and get out of the "unknown location." As a player, there is no pressure on you to make the "right" choices. 

There are no rewards or bonuses; the main purpose of this game is to listen to the soundtrack while fluorescent pictures appear on your screen. There are no jump scares or loud noises to this novel, but the photos can be spooky. Against the pure black backdrop, the images appear sharp and three-dimensional. The creator also did a good job creating the text for both the player and the skull, as it's reminiscent of cyber horror films. 

Short yet spooky

Fans of horror and interactive novels will enjoy themselves playing A Skull. With only ten possible outcomes, the game can be finished within a day or two. Players may not finish this quickly if they’re not a fan of the genre, however, as the music, images, and text can be unnerving. Thankfully, it doesn’t use jarring sounds or images to spook players.