Created by Hengiken within 30 days, REPLAY is a unique horror title where the protagonist plays a cheery-looking sidescroller game on their TV.  Set in the player’s room in the dead of night, the atmosphere transitions from lax to tense as fantasy starts to blend with reality.  

Find out the killer

In REPLAY, most of the gameplay centers on the protagonist controlling a character in a pixel-style sidescrolling platformer — collecting coins, sneaking into houses, jumping on platforms, and meeting various NPCs. While playing, the player may take a quick glance at their surroundings using their mouse.

However, the platforming game will glitch out, making the protagonist paranoid. This is where fantasy translates to reality, as the same character they controlled in the game is now in their room, ready to deliver the final blow. However, this title’s short completion time is a disappointment to some players.

A game within a game

Overall, REPLAY makes use of a platforming game to not only heighten the tension and trigger paranoia but also to foreshadow the killer. Despite being made in one month, the game delivers an experience that is as unique as it is frightening and nerve-wracking.