The convenience store might not sound like a scary place, but that’s the setting for new J-horror game The Convenience Store, which recently released on 17 February 2020.

Created by Chilla’s Art, a two-brothers team that has made several indie horror titles in the past, it puts players in the shoes of a college girl (who’s voiced) on a night shift.

The developers describe the game as “primarily a “walking simulator” genre with puzzle-solving elements”. There’s a VHS option which is on by default, but without it, it’s a game with crisp graphics and attractive lighting.

I was intrigued by The Convenience Store despite not being a horror fan and found it to be quite the engaging (and unnerving) experience. On the downside, there’s an annoying puzzle near the end and no save function of any sort. I assume that the lack of saves was due to the length (the devs say it’s about 40 minutes long), and perhaps to persuade people to replay the game to unlock both endings.

If you’re interested, you can find The Convenience Store on Steam. It’s only RM7.65 right now thanks to a launch promotion, with the full price being RM8.50.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMDHurChwIQ&w=560&h=315]