SMILE SIMULATION

Quite different to the type of games I usually play, I found this interesting with well-paced level progression. The gameplay style appears simple enough to start but the game doesn't provide all the answers, leaving you to figure out the best strategies for dealing with the new dangers that appear. I'm looking forward to going back and challenging myself with the additional modes. Just to note - there is a fair amount of flashing images (largely during dialogue sections) which photosensitive people may want to be aware of.

A brilliant wee game, something to check out if you are a fan of surreal liminal style horror games and also keep an eye out for some familiar faces too

I had a lot of fun with this game and am very impressed about how all of the different elements came together for the overall experience! The environment is very interesting and it has a very dream-like sense to it due to it having a mixture of organic and in-organic elements. The space almost feels like when you travel through an abandoned building and you see nature attempt to reclaim it. You can see the influences of SCP and Backrooms while also keeping true to Vidas' style of environment design. The concept feels familiar enough when connecting elements of this game to games within the "Observation" / "Spot the anomaly" line of games while keeping it refreshing. The sound design and music are really good. They add such satisfying layers to the gameplay loop / overall experience. The VO is enjoyable and a great touch between different levels. This provides the carrot in front of the player to continue on. You not only play to overcome the challenges each level provides but also to uncover more story/lore about the Smile Simulation. (Shout-outs to Cheshire Jack and Kwirkee) Each entity is unique from the other and the layering of entities at later levels make for a very…

Obviously I will recommend a game where my face can kill you. Very unique, fun, and scary game. SMILE :)

While this game may have it's frustrating or "dull" moments, all in all, THIS is a great game! I feel like this concept is a lot similar to games like Five Night's at Freddy's where each time you go back through, a new challenge is added as to kinda switch up your routine and spice things up. While some deaths were frustrating because of difficulty, it wasn't the games fault and rather the fault was placed on my skill, so there were no unfair deaths.

Spoiler-Free Review Ok, so there's a lot that can be criticized here. It kinda overstays its welcome towards the end (It took me almost 2 hours!), some areas are easy to overlook, it can get frustrating at times, it has very little replay value to motivate you to try the other modes and the actual storyline of Brian and the simulation's past is pretty uninteresting. But you know what? None of that really matters all that much. Because this is one of those projects where the ambition to do something new and exciting actually pays off. Like, REALLY pays off. SMILE SIMULATION is unlike anything Vidas has made so far. The closest comparison is Theater Unrest, with both games set in a virtual/simulated reality and also putting horror on the forefront rather than story. In a way, SMILE SIMULATION finally feels like the game that will take Theater Unrest's place as the iconicly terrifying Vidas experience while also demonstrating where he has arrived as a developer since then. But even then, that's not all that it is. In this latest release, Vidas for the first time tries his hand on analog horror. (Yes, technically Analog Sammelot came out before this, but that game was so short and s…