街灯 -machinohi-

The gameplay mechanics are very simple and easy to understand for: while running around in the dark your "health bar" decreases and while running your stamina bar decreases also. Resting shortly under the light of the street lanterns is therefore necessary. Each day the difficulty increases and in the end (which is of course no surprise, because of the game's genre) something horrific happens. A big plus point, too from my side for the twist in the end (if you follow the story closely), which I won't spoil you of course for without a warning: the news are mentioning supernatural wounds!
I got even 2 more good reasons for you to grab this game: 1. It's absolutely free and 2. It's soon enough Halloween anyway! Enjoy, I certainly did so.
Edit: Just found out that there's a "good ending", too but... that one's more shocking and less mysterious to be honest.

街灯 -machinohi- is a really effective little horror game that surprised me with how much tension it can create from such a simple idea. I play as a middle school kid walking home at night with one strange rule in mind. I cannot stay in the darkness for too long, so I have to keep moving from one streetlight to the next. At first it feels like a childish game, but the ordinary walk home slowly becomes something much more disturbing.

The central darkness mechanic is what I liked most. Whenever I step away from a pool of light, a countdown starts and I have to reach the next safe area before time runs out. This makes simply walking down a quiet residential street feel tense because I am always watching the distance ahead and thinking about where I need to move next. It is a very simple mechanic, but it gives the entire journey a constant sense of pressure.

Things become more unsettling as the streetlights themselves start interfering with my route. What should be a familiar walk gradually becomes a strange obstacle course, and the feeling that reality is changing around me is much more effective than simply throwing monsters in my face. I liked paying attention to changes in the environment and wondering what was real and what was being distorted by whatever was happening to the protagonist.

The atmosphere is easily the strongest part of the experience. The quiet Japanese streets, darkness and realistic presentation create a lonely feeling that makes even small changes stand out. I especially liked how much the game relies on silence and anticipation. There were moments when I was more nervous about what might appear around the next corner than I would have been in a louder horror game filled with constant action.

My biggest issue is that some of the movement and stamina mechanics can become frustrating. The need to keep moving works well as a horror idea, but moments where I am struggling with stamina can make the tension feel more mechanical than frightening. Some of the later sequences also feel less natural than the earlier sections, which made me wish the game had trusted its atmosphere a little more.

The story is short, but I think that works reasonably well. There are different outcomes depending on what happens during the journey, and the experience is designed to be completed fairly quickly. That gives me enough mystery to stay interested without stretching the central idea too far. The game also includes options that let me adjust some of the more demanding mechanics, which I appreciate because it keeps the experience accessible without removing its main concept.

Overall, 街灯 -machinohi- is a compact atmospheric horror game with a clever central mechanic. I really liked the idea of using streetlights as both safe zones and sources of tension, and the quiet nighttime setting gives the whole experience an uneasy feeling. Some of the later gameplay can be frustrating, but the atmosphere and simple psychological horror work surprisingly well. It is short, but I think it makes good use of its limited scope.

Rating: 6.8/10

Ugh! Was a rough one. Check it out though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lED4H8o0Y

Loved this game until the final day. The kid we play as has to be the most unfit person in the history of the human race with a stamina bar that is incredibly annoying. The first 4 days great, creepy and the 5 second game was enjoyable for the most part. Last day completely ruined the entire experience for me. Facing a powerwalking guy that honestly could be an olympic runner compared to our main character who not matter how far of a headstart you get still catches up and manages to get you because i guy cant run more than 10 meters before falling on the ground needing an inhaler. My advice get the bad ending and leave it at that. 7/10 before trying for 2nd ending. 4/10 after trying for 2nd ending

Game is ok for what it is