Captured kept me on the edge of my seat and at my wits end trying to escape the endless loop of anomalies and monsters after me. It’s a game that provides fear and fun while searching the house with only a camera and flashlight. There is also the whole being hunted by supernatural monsters element.

Captured is a game developed by Puck Redflix and published by Puck Games. The game atmosphere is full of unsettling vibes and an unnerving search to escape the unending loop alive. It kept me anxiously searching for a way out, while providing a fear inducing fun game to enjoy!

The Search for an Escape

In Captured, you are stuck in your house with no lights or windows, and you are in an endless loop being targeted by various monsters hunting you. The goal is to find and correctly identify all of the anomalies in each loop before getting killed by one of the nightmarish creatures. I found myself frantically trying to remember how things looked at the first walk through before the anomalies began. I was second guessing myself constantly! Some anomalies are very obvious, such as furniture on the ceiling or full rooms missing. But don’t get comfortable! Other anomalies are much subtler and harder to spot. They had me double checking everything. The key is paying close attention to everything while keeping an eye on the camera’s battery power.

With 5 different difficulty levels to master, Captured provides a lot of replay value while trying to beat each one. It kept me engaged while figuring out the loops and with the increased horror factor. I never knew what I would find while exploring the house during each loop. In addition, having to keep a close eye out for batteries did prove difficult at times. There were moments the camera battery almost died before I found new batteries.

The game does include moments of flashing lights and pattern graphic effects that can be a trigger for those with photosensitivity epilepsy or similar conditions. It is a first person view game, those who have difficulty with first person viewpoint games may have difficulty with this game as well.

Navigating Endless Loops

There were several kinds of monsters that can appear during the loops, which adds an increased anticipation factor while searching through the house. The various monsters require different tactics to escape from before it’s too late. The game does provide tips and warnings before they appear to try to help. Captured is all about observing closely everything about the house in the first walkthrough when starting the round. There are no big giveaways regarding what might be considered an anomaly. This means having to check every little detail in each loop to not miss anything.

The five level options to choose from are Safe Mode, Normal, Hard, Nightmare, or Insanity. Safe Mode is the only level that has all of the deadly creatures disabled from the game. It allowed me to play the game safely without worry of death, which was great so that I could focus on learning how to identify the less obvious anomalies and get comfortable with the controls. After feeling confident with the gameplay, I was able to work my way up to the other levels with the element of being hunted added in.

Hard, Nightmare and Insanity levels add a factor of “sanity” into the mix. Sanity adds another item to keep watch on while you navigate the loop seeking anomalies, aside from the camera battery. Captured has to be beat on Normal level to unlock Hard, and once Hard is complete, then Nightmare is unlocked. Insanity level unlocks once the Nightmare level has been successfully conquered. The game provides great additions and challenges to make each level distinct and while still providing an enjoyable challenge.

Frights and Thrills While Trying to Survive

Captured had me on the edge of my seat and loudly screaming and laughing afterwards from the jump scares and monsters popping up. The eerie voice that whispers in your ear during the gameplay is creepy enough to get your heart pumping in anticipation as you look desperately for anomalies before a creature comes for you. This game provides a lot of scary fun and jump scares that come out of nowhere, while keeping you constantly waiting for something to happen. Players will find themselves wandering aimlessly trying to escape the endless nightmare loops they are trapped in.

Overall, I found Captured to be the perfect terrifyingly fun game to play alone. I didn’t notice any issues during the gameplay and the graphics perfectly fit the 90s vibe it is set in. It provides a guilty pleasure for those looking for retro vibes. The jump scares were fun and unpredictable. The sinister voice that talks randomly happens when you least expect it. There is a sense of constant anticipation and anxiety while playing the game, because the scares happen at any time. Captured provides a perfect solo scary escape!

Captured is out now on PC through Steam.