The Exit 8 being such a viral hit and spawning a film adaptation has made it a perfect inspiration for indie developers. Kotake Create’s horror project is shockingly brief, taking only 30-60 minutes to complete a run. Mechanically, it’s also very simple, consisting of just some straightforward walking simulator gameplay. Yet this brevity and simplicity is why it works so well, as content creators and regular gamers alike could download it, play it, react to it, and move on all in one sitting. While getting Exit 8‘s anomalies and scares to terrify the player took talent, the concept is easy enough to mimic and expand upon, which is why games inspired by Exit 8 — like the upcoming Steam project Road 88 — are starting to appear.
The use of the number 8 is a clear enough homage to Road 88’s inspiration, but the Steam description makes the vibes even more apparent by outright saying that the game is based on that title. It stands out a bit by swapping walking for driving, though, while also upping the amount of content on offer, as there are more irregularities to react to, multiple endings to uncover, and a creepy new setting players find themselves trapped in. Specifically, gamers have to traverse a nighttime road surrounded by large trees, which looks like a playable journey to Raccoon City. Considering how bite-sized Exit 8 was, offering more of that style of gameplay but with car-based scares seems like a recipe for success, and it doesn’t hurt that the locale resembles the lead-up to the iconic shots of the welcome sign seen throughout Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise.
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The Road 88 Features at a Glance
- DRIVE through a winding road at night, doing the best you can to escape an endless loop.
- AVOID 88 different anomalies on your journey across Road 88.
- DISCOVER 3 alternate endings and secrets about the mysterious road.
- IMMERSE yourself in an impressive visual and auditory experience that heightens the tension.
- FEAR a paranormal creature described only as “her,” which can appear on the drive.
…trapped in a loop on a stretch of road that repeats itself endlessly… certain elements or events seem to indicate that you are not in reality. Avoid these anomalies at all costs and find a way to escape this nightmarish loop.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
The Road 88’s Title Highlights Its Depth
Exit 8 may have popularized “spot the difference” horror games, but Road 88 aims to elevate them by offering significantly more variety in what players can see on their journey. Sometimes a train will show up, other times a building will appear, and if players are unlucky, they’ll encounter “her” needing to flee as quick as they can. While smiling NPCs and creepy posters fit the realistic vibes of Exit 8’s subway station, it seems like Road 88 is kicking things up a notch by throwing killer ghosts into the mix, with the appearance of one after a train passes at the end of the trailer being particularly chilling. Seeing the creature in the headlights staring directly at the player is downright unsettling, and for anyone who has ever been spooked by something when driving at night in the real world, Road 88 could really keep them up at night.
While Exit 8 offered 36 anomalies to keep an eye out for (37 in Exit 8’s VR version), Road 88 more than doubles this with its titular 88 anomalies. These will range from the aforementioned building appearances and train crossings to “road accidents involving humans or animals.” Lightning and collisions also serve as potential jumpscares in addition to the supernatural elements, like “her,” which will eventually make it clear to the player that they’re not in the real world. Between all these scares, they’ll spot 8 normal paths that will take them closer to the exit, which is a tunnel that players will undoubtedly feel relieved to come across.
Those interested in putting their pattern recognition to the test in The Road 88 may feel safer after seeing that they’re in a car, but according to developer Emedion Games, that shouldn’t be the case. In this spooky memory game, the threats can apparently still get to the player regardless of the large machine they’re sitting inside. Perhaps the car can break down, or the ghosts can pass through it, but whatever the case, anomalies should always be taken seriously whenever they appear. If players can cope with the unsettling nature of the road, then they’ll be able to explore to find and trigger three alternate endings, though what exactly these endings entail remains a mystery. Perhaps these scenes will reveal more about the road and the entities that inhabit it, but for now, they’re a complete mystery.
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The Road 88 Proves How Integral Graphics and Sound Can Be to Horror Games
One of the reasons Exit 8 worked so well is its visuals, and fortunately, The Road 88 looks to be a graphically stunning video game. The rainfall on the windshield, the lighting of a neon sign or a pair of approaching headlights, and the details on the protagonist’s hands all come together to create a game that looks real. This, coupled with equally immersive sound, should ensure that players are properly scared at all times, with the experience becoming increasingly uncomfortable, just like what happened in The Exit 8.
While there are gamers out there who only add truly unique games to their Steam wishlists, sometimes, clones and imitators can be good games in their own right. Party Animals is a blast but is essentially a Gang Beasts copy with some more mini-games, Pao Pao is Overcooked with extra steps, and Palworld’s infamous Pokemon drama doesn’t take away from the fact that it was a huge success for Pocketpair. And now, The Road 88 feels like an unofficial sequel to the game that inspired its creation. Innovation is great and all, but when there aren’t many experiences that resemble a standout concept, then iteration is a perfectly valid approach. Sure, Road 88 may just be striving to be a bigger, better Exit 8, but that’s not a bad goal to have.
