There is nothing quite like an RPG Maker horror game. Saihate Station is a short narrative experience created and published by developer びぶ/viv. The story follows two men in their early 20s as they try and get home after their regular train ends up at an unknown station.

Despite it being a horror game, it is almost relaxing to play. The puzzles are intuitive, and there are very few that must be solved in a time limit or under duress. There is, quite deliberately, a low amount of difficulty in Saihate Station. The focus is on the dialogue and the relationship unfolding and deepening between the main characters. Oddly, this doesn’t detract from the emotional pressure of the horror. The dread this game instills is very real.

Playing The Game

In many ways, Saihate Station is structured like a visual novel. Rather than centering direct confrontation with the horrors, the gameplay focuses on the dialogue and ever evolving dynamic and situation. This, in my opinion, is an excellent choice. The space allows for an overwhelming tension to press in on all sides, heightening the moments where things become visceral and immediate.

The story of Saihate Station is a mystery, in the vein that many psychological horror stories are. What is happening? Why was there a dead body? Where did it go? Why can’t I pick up this inexplicably heavy empty duffle bag? In the first 20 minutes of the game you are handed a bouquet of tasty questions you’d very much like to have answered.

The main draw of the story is the characters. Our protagonist Haru is described on the game’s Steam page as “self-effacing” and “lacking confidence and social skills”. His coworker Shion appears to be the opposite, “talented, cheerful, and kind.” The boys’ oppositional qualities make for engaging, low-stakes conflict as they figure out where they are and what has happened. Seeing them play off of each other and reveal deeper parts of their personality is satisfying and rewarding.

Art & Music of Saihate Station

One thing that surprised me about Saihate Station was the music. Its soundtrack is rather soft-spoken, but it is excellent at heightening and directing the emotions of the player. Truly, the sound direction of this game was phenomenal, especially for the low-low price of free. As an RPG Maker developer myself, I was impressed and inspired by how well the music and sound were used throughout the whole experience.

The visual style is remarkably soft for a horror game, adding to the dream-like feel. It’s fuzzy, and delicate. Perhaps a good description would be cartoony, although that could be taken the wrong way. Everything is shape-y and easy to read – there’s contrast and cohesiveness to its color pallet and design sense. The lack of visible pixelation in the sprites and tilesets makes for an easy transition into the CGs. These also have a soft style, though with more detail, of course.

Final Thoughts

Saihate Station is excellent for exactly what it is. I played it on my MacBook over the course of a few evenings. I thoroughly enjoyed having a laid back piece of horror to round out the day before heading to bed. In many ways, the type of horror this game evokes reminded me of classics like the movie Rear Window. A self-contained mystery with a limited cast of characters, and the perfect ratio of questions to answers.

Saihate Station is available for PC and Mac through Steam or Itch.io. It is free to play and available in English and Japanese.