Rental: "Baby’s First Horror Game"

At first glance, Rental looks like it might be something special. With its old-school, Animal Crossing–inspired graphics and eerie premise, it gives off the impression that you’re about to step into a bite-sized psychological horror experience. In reality, Rental is far more toned-down, a short exploration game with very light horror elements that never fully commits to being scary.

The entire game can be completed in under ten minutes, which is even acknowledged through one of its achievements. I managed to 100% the game, though it took two attempts thanks to a particularly frustrating maze section. That maze, designed as a mirror maze, is meant to disorient the player, and it absolutely does, but not in a fun or tense way. Instead, it feels physically uncomfortable, almost nauseating, making it more irritating than engaging.

The setup is one of Rental’s strongest points. A family of four moves into an extremely isolated rental house, and you play as the oldest child. You enter the house first, and, predictably, the door locks behind you. Inside, you meet the rental man, who claims to still live there and informs you that the house is cursed. Your goal is to collect several items scattered throughout the house to free the curse.

It’s a solid foundation for a horror story, but the game never fully capitalizes on it. Despite being marketed as a horror title, Rental contains no jump scares and very little actual tension. Occasionally, a shadowy figure will appear, briefly turning the screen green while emitting a loud screeching sound. While this might sound effective on paper, it happens often enough that it quickly becomes annoying rather than unsettling.

Because of this, it’s hard to genuinely call Rental a horror game. At its core, it’s an exploration game with extremely tame horror elements, so tame that some players may not even register them as horror at all. I went into the game feeling fine and left feeling exactly the same. It didn’t linger in my thoughts or leave me unsettled, which is often the mark of a memorable horror experience.

That doesn’t mean the game is bad. It does exactly what it claims to do and nothing more. For players looking to occupy themselves for 15–20 minutes with something chill and slightly eerie, Rental fits the bill. But if you’re searching for a true horror experience, this game simply won’t deliver.

One of the most frustrating aspects of Rental is its controls and camera system. Movement feels unintuitive, and the camera angles often work against the player instead of helping them. This is especially noticeable in the maze section, where movement is slow, clunky, and unpleasant. These issues don’t ruin the game outright, but they definitely make the experience less enjoyable than it could be.

Despite its flaws, namely the lack of genuine horror and the frustrating controls, Rental has a certain charm. It’s cute, accessible, and easy to digest. Think of it as an introduction to horror games, or “baby’s first horror game.” It’s not terrible, but it’s also not particularly memorable. It’s simply… fine.

That said, the concept has real potential. With better controls, stronger atmosphere, and a deeper commitment to its horror elements, Rental could evolve into something much more compelling, almost reminiscent of a minimalist Cabin in the Woods–style experience.

If you’re curious to check it out yourself, Rental is available on Steam and itch.io.