Hone your senses and keep your nerve in the endless metro tunnels of Tokyo in VR. But do you have what it takes to find the exit? Explore our The Exit 8 VR review to find out.

Virtual reality and the horror genre go hand in hand. The horror genre and the concept of “liminal spaces” also go hand in hand. So what happens when you combine the three? You end up trapped within The Exit 8 VR – a simple yet oddly-captivating gameplay loop that’s as intriguing as it is unnerving.

Originally developed by KOTAKE CREATE and released on PC, this backrooms-inspired indie hit has made the transition to VR thanks to the team at MyDearest (who are behind one of my personal favourite VR titles, ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos). So how does the surrealism of The Exit 8 translate to virtual reality? Spot the the anomalies within our review and perhaps you’ll escape.

The Exit 8 VR Review – Gameplay

Ever walked down a hallway before? Yes? Good. Because that’s essentially the entire gameplay of The Exit 8 VR. There’s a catch though – this hallway endlessly loops, repeating infinitely until you’re able to decipher the correct way to escape. But how do you escape? By locating anomalies.

Each time you pass through the hallway, there’s a chance that an anomaly may appear. These range from subtle changes in your surroundings like altered signs, walls or posters, all the way to downright terrifying and disturbing effects that will leave you wondering why you entered this godforsaken metro in the first place.

You’re about to memorise this hallway like the back of your virtual hand.

If an anomaly is spotted, you’ll need to turn around and proceed in the opposite direction. Successfully spotting an anomaly will move you one step closer to The Exit 8 – repeat this eight times over and you’re awarded with freedom. Easier said than done though! Some anomalies are incredibly subtle, and missing just a single one will place you all the way back at the beginning.

It’s such a devilishly simple concept executed flawlessly, only enhanced by the use of VR. There are some VR-specific anomalies that I won’t spoil – they deserve to be experienced first-hand within the game.

The Exit 8 VR Review – Visuals

If the screenshots or gameplay video haven’t already made it obvious enough,  The Exit 8 is a sterile environment much like any well-maintained Japanese metro. The clean white hallway and blanched lighting appear quite realistic on the Meta Quest 3, providing enough immersion to draw players into the game. It works well for the translation to VR, with the enclosed environment and simple visuals meaning there are no concerns at all with performance, as the game runs smoothly from start to end without even a single stutter.

Okay, I get it, no smoking. Maybe a few more signs would make it more obvious though?

Despite the simple visuals, the game shines through its design. Many of the anomalies are hideous, disturbing, and even deranged. Although it’s not specifically a horror game, many of the visual effects that accompany anomalies are disturbing enough to convince you otherwise. For the feint of heart, perhaps this game may be best avoided.

The Exit 8 VR Review – Audio

Usually this is where I’d wax lyrical about how wonderful a game’s soundtrack is, or the high level of audio detail to draw players into the world. In (virtual) reality, there’s not a whole lot of sound within The Exit 8.

There’s no dialogue, but I guess that’s just what happens when you don’t have a face.

Your footsteps echo echo echo alongside the lone repeating salaryman that endlessly wanders the hallway, with creaks of machinery and doors adding to the ambience. The odd anomaly is also accompanied by an audio cue, allowing you to draw upon more senses to lead to your escpape. But outside of that, the soundscape of The Exit 8 VR is incredibly minimalist. Though I suppose that does suit the game.

The Exit 8 VR Review – What Else?

After making your first escape and proudly ascending the stairway to Exit 8, you’re promptly thrown back into the hallway. The difference this time is you’re given a poster that reveals just how many anomalies remain, which ticks down each time a new anomaly is discovered.

I’ve never been excited to climb a flight of stairs until now.

There’s no incentive or reward to finding every single anomaly, rather the reward is in the discovery. It certainly adds replayability, as I found myself playing the game about 5 times over to unlock every single anomaly. Given the low price point, this is completely reasonable and provides enough gameplay to satisfy most players.

Conclusion

Made it to the end of the review and made it out alive? Then surely you’re intrigued enough to venture into the mysterious metro tunnels. Despite its minimalist nature, The Exit 8 VR is a surreal experience only enhanced thanks to the immersion provided through virtual reality. At just over an hour long, it’s a bite-sized experience that feels less like a videogame, and more like an interactive piece of art. If you’re a VR enthusiast and have a fascination for the disturbing, you’d be mad not to enter the Exit 8 VR.

So, why should you play The Exit 8 VR?

• You’re a fan of VR horror games, or at least feeling disturbed in VR
• Love unusual and experimental titles
• Prefer your games to be short and impactful
• Affordable price at only $10.99 AUD

But why shouldn’t you play The Exit 8 VR?

• Don’t do well with h̵̡͍̻̙̪̅̀̑o̸̭̊͐̀̇r̶̡̨̒̓r̵̝̝̍̓ǫ̸̡͚̥͍̂̔̉̐ŕ̵̢̈͝? Probably best to avoid this one
• You prefer games that provide hours upon hours of gameplay

A review code was kindly provided by the publisher for the purpose of our The Exit 8 VR review. If you enjoyed this review, be sure to check out their brilliant VR mecha visual novel, ALTEDEUS: Beyond Chronos, and join us over on the Qualbert Discord to chat about upcoming VR games!