MiSide

The horror game and dating simulator MiSide offers a kaleidoscope of mini-games spanning multiple genres—from classic puzzles to shooter elements—alongside a wide range of styles, from visual novels to eerie P.T.-style segments. The game’s defining feature is how dramatically it shifts both gameplay and visual style. After finding himself inside yet another virtual world, the player meets Mita, a character who loves him, and gradually gets drawn into a tense narrative with choices that affect how the story unfolds, as well as several endings. On a deeper level, the game explores loneliness and escapism.

MiSide’s story is a story within a story. The main character is an ordinary modern person trapped in the endless “home-work-home” cycle. He finds comfort in a mobile tamagotchi game, where he takes care of a virtual girl named Mita, helping her with everyday chores like grocery shopping, cleaning, and cooking.

Unexpectedly, the protagonist finds himself inside the game, where he meets Mita in person. Together, they continue taking care of daily tasks, chatting, and having fun. But gradually, the protagonist starts to grow tired of the simulator. Despite its bright, cheerful world, his fear of change proves stronger, and he decides to return to his routine. This creates a sharp conflict, because Mita has no intention of letting him go.

During his attempt to escape, a ring suddenly falls into the protagonist’s hands, giving him the ability to travel to other versions of the game—earlier and more glitched ones—where he finds other, different versions of Mita. Among them are the relaxed Sleepy Mita, who needs some encouragement; the charming Cap Mita, who loves music and fun; the intelligent Kind Mita, who wants to help the protagonist; and a small, damaged Mita: a tragic character who inspires both fear and pity. To varying degrees, they are all aware of their roles and of whether or not they can fulfill their purpose as programs designed to entertain the player, which often leads to creepy moments.

The main antagonist is Crazy Mita, who started it all. She is unique in that she moves freely between different versions of the game, has full self-awareness, and is driven to overcome her loneliness at any cost. After the true nature of the main Mita is revealed and the finale’s action-packed climax unfolds, the player will see one of three fundamentally different endings.

MiSide’s story explores deep themes, prompting players to reflect on their own lives and choices. The creators deliberately blurred the line between player and character, actively breaking the fourth wall. Characters often address the player directly, calling them “the player,” making the experience more personal. The dialogue shifts in tone from sweet and everyday to unsettling and frightening. Conversations with the different versions of Mita are especially notable, as each has her own distinctive way of speaking.

The story takes place in Mita’s house, which consists of four rooms, but only in the “final version of the game.” The earlier versions that the player finds themselves in undergo transformations, adapting to each heroine’s personality. The interiors are deliberately designed to contrast: rooms decorated in pastel colors and filled with cute, cozy things suddenly transform and become full of sinister details.

Houses in the “other versions of the game” can look either cozy or frightening, reflecting both the personality of the Mita who lives there and the “status of the game”—from a finished version to an unfinished one. Suspense is built through books on the shelves (“Run before it’s too late,” “You’re my little mistake,” “No, it’s a trap!”), videotapes bearing people’s names, figurines that are always watching the player, and other details. The spaces also change dynamically: when players return to familiar rooms, they find unfamiliar details—from unknown pieces of furniture to different photos in the frames.

As the story progresses, new locations open up: basements, spiral-shaped spaces reminiscent of Control, and “backrooms”—areas beyond the ordinary rooms where other characters can be found. The developers boldly experiment with formats, combining 3D spaces with 2D segments in the style of visual novels.

MiSide’s gameplay features a wide range of mini-games spanning many genres: arcade games, shooters, racing games, fighting games, puzzles, and even RPGs. Each mini-game has its own unique style and offers a different experience: from a Doom-style shooter to a DJ adjusting an equalizer; from collecting pieces of a picture to chopping vegetables; from playing Snake on an arcade machine to sorting figurines into boxes; from piloting a small spaceship to taking apart cartridges.

Despite their overall simplicity, the mini-games create a sense of constant experimentation, making the experience engaging and unpredictable. MiSide isn’t very difficult, and its intuitive mechanics keep things feeling fresh. The mini-games also fit naturally into the story: they’re not just diversions, but elements that move the plot forward.

When it comes to horror, MiSide uses familiar tricks: a looping corridor that grows darker with each pass (a reference to P.T.), mannequins you can’t turn your back on, well-timed jump scares, sinister facial animations and the antagonist’s voice, creepy darkness, scary faces, ambiguity, and more. But MiSide doesn’t fixate on frightening the player, quickly moving on to a new aspect.

MiSide relies less on traditional horror elements, instead focusing on psychological impact through the story’s themes and their effect on the player’s mind. The developers skillfully control the pacing, alternating tense moments with breaks that let players process what’s happening without losing their engagement.

Gameplay involves moving around, exploring different realities, solving puzzles, interacting with various versions of Mita, and taking part in action sequences. A variety of techniques convey hints and context: from “dancing subtitles” that reflect the mood to deliberate “glitches” and “malfunctions.” The artificiality of the surroundings is emphasized by brilliantly visualized “spatial distortions.”

The variety of gameplay elements doesn’t feel chaotic—each has its place and serves the overall vision, creating a cohesive and compelling story about escaping reality and finding yourself in a virtual world.