A Surprisingly Terrifying Test

I kept seeing this game described as one of the “scariest analog horror games” out there. After hearing that enough times, my curiosity finally won.

I’ll admit, though, I didn’t expect much at first. How scary can a game really be if you’re just sitting at a desk, taking a test, and hitting buttons?

Apparently… very.

There’s something deeply unsettling about the simplicity of it. You’re not running, hiding, or fighting anything. You’re answering questions. And yet, the tension builds in a way that feels almost suffocating. More than once, I caught myself blurting out, “what the hell?” as things escalated in ways I didn’t expect.

It’s one of those games that makes you pause after your first playthrough and just sit there for a minute, trying to process what you experienced.

At a few points, I even felt that sudden drop in my stomach, that subtle physical reaction to dread. Which honestly surprised me. I’m usually pretty unfazed by horror games. I go into them expecting to be startled or creeped out, and most of the time I handle it just fine. This one got under my skin in a way I wasn’t prepared for. It almost felt.. real.

I initially thought the game would feature multiple endings depending on how you answered the test. It seemed like the perfect setup for branching outcomes. But no matter what choices I made, everything played out the same way. Even when I “restarted the test,” the result didn’t change. Because of that, there isn’t much replay value once you’ve seen it through.

That said, this is only a demo.

And demos are usually a great test (no pun intended) of what a full game might offer. Based on these ten minutes alone, I’m hooked. I’m pretty selective about the horror games I play, this wasn’t even in my usual wheelhouse. But after repeatedly hearing it called one of the scariest analog horror experiences, I decided to give it a shot.

I’m glad I did.

For such a short demo, it delivers exactly what the genre promises: suspense, tension, unease, and a lingering sense that something isn’t right. The style and presentation feel unique, which makes me even more curious about what the full version might explore. Who would’ve thought a game about taking a test could generate this much dread?

The imagery is disturbing. The atmosphere is heavy. The tone is consistently unsettling. And whatever those “monsters” are supposed to be? Equally creepy. Everything about it leans into that uncomfortable, uncanny feeling, and it works.

My only real complaint is the length. But again, it’s a demo. You can’t expect much more than a glimpse.

If you’re a fan of analog horror or just want to experience something short, strange, and genuinely unsettling, it’s absolutely worth ten minutes of your time.

silkbulb test is available on itch.io and Steam.