Short, Simple, and Actually Scary?

This is a really fun 15–20 minute horror game. Honestly, when I see short horror games, my expectations are usually pretty low because they don’t always hit the mark, but this one definitely changed that for me.

It has that PS2-style vibe which, for some reason, always feels a lot creepier. I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it’s just because it’s the first horror game I’ve played in months, but despite how simple it is on the surface, it still managed to make me jump a few times.

The jump scares were especially well done and unpredictable. Normally, I can tell when a scare is coming, but this game caught me off guard more than once. They didn’t happen where I expected them to, and that’s what made them effective.

The story is simple and somewhat predictable, but I honestly didn’t mind. It kept me interested for the entire 20 minutes I played. The only part I had an issue with was when I got the lighter; I wasn’t sure what to do at first. That said, if you pay close attention to the notes you find (unlike me), you’ll probably figure it out pretty quickly.

For the entire game, my heart was racing because I never quite knew what was going to happen or when. That unpredictability is what makes a horror game truly effective. Only a handful of games have managed to give me that feeling, especially since I consume a lot of horror content, so credit to Psycho Inn for pulling it off.

The only thing I felt a bit indifferent about was the ending. It seemed somewhat rushed or just a little underwhelming. You can actually die in the game, which I did a few times, but it didn’t take away from the experience. However, the final interaction with the owner and the killer didn’t leave much of an impact on me. I won’t spoil anything, but it just didn’t do much.

Overall, the game is solid. If you’re looking for something short with a few good scares, this is a great pick, and I’d definitely recommend it.

Psycho Inn is available on itch.io.