Spot the Difference or Spot the Boredom?

The indie horror scene is rife with innovative concepts aiming to unsettle and terrify players in new and unexpected ways. Among these, the “anomaly hunting” subgenre has emerged, challenging players’ observational skills and memory within often unsettling environments. The promise of subtle scares and the constant tension of the unknown can be incredibly effective when executed well. However, the line between clever design and frustrating repetition can be thin. As such, does The Stairway 7 successfully leverage its looping anomaly premise to deliver a truly chilling experience, or does its central mechanic become a monotonous trudge? Read on to find out!

Looping Nightmares or Groundhog Day Drudgery?

The Stairway 7 casts you as an individual trapped in an endless loop of stairways, accompanied by a cat (which is always an awesome thing). The core gameplay revolves around meticulously observing the surroundings on each ascent. The objective is to identify anomalies – subtle or not-so-subtle changes in the environment from one loop to the next.

If an anomaly is detected, you must descend the stairs to banish it. If no anomalies are present, then you may continue upwards. The game emphasises careful observation and memory, as some anomalies are designed to blend in, testing your ability to recall details from previous loops. Failure to identify and deal with anomalies can lead to being hunted and ultimately killed by them.

Also, beware of just how subtle these anomalies can be. For example, I was about to head up to the next level when something about the doors struck me as odd. When I looked more closely, I noticed that the door handles were missing. I descended part of the way down again to make sure and sure enough the doors on the lower level all had door handles! As such, I continued down, heard the confirmatory sound that the anomaly had been removed, and then went back up again.

Spotting the Scare or Missing the Mark?

The primary mechanic of The Stairway 7 is the cyclical ascent and descent of the staircase, punctuated by the need to spot differences in the environment. These anomalies can range from visual changes in objects and the appearance of new elements to more sinister occurrences. You interact with the environment through a first-person perspective, moving up and down the stairs. An inventory system allows for the management of found items such as notes and medicine (of which there isn’t enough!).

Eerie Visions or Mundane Manifestations?

The graphics of The Stairway 7 are good, with a deliberate, slightly “2010’s” feel to them. Lighting and shadows play a significant role in creating atmosphere and potentially obscuring or revealing anomalies. The audio design contributes to the horror experience through ambient sounds and specific cues that may indicate the presence of an anomaly or a threat. (Also, there is a cat who is rendered adorably.)

Endless Loop or Finite Frights?

The replay value of The Stairway 7 hinges on the variety and randomness of its anomalies. If the anomalies and their placements remain largely the same across playthroughs, the replayability might be limited once you become familiar with them. As there are 70 floors to get through, it would be difficult to remember all of the anomalies, which in turn means that you may forget about a certain type of anomaly by the time you get to the end. This means that you can be caught out / miss an anomaly through other playthroughs because you simply forgot about them.

Conclusion

The Stairway 7 presents an intriguing premise, blending the tension of a horror game with the core mechanic of a “spot the difference” puzzle. The endless loop of stairways and the constant threat of unseen anomalies create a potentially unsettling atmosphere. Some anomalies can be so subtle that they’re almost impossible to detect, and whilst potentially fun, it also has the potential to annoy people too. An overview summary of what type of anomaly you had missed would be wonderful, as I often found myself wondering where exactly I had gone wrong. With that said, The Stairway 7 is a fun, claustrophobic (in a good way) anomaly detection title that will force you to keep your peepers peeled – otherwise you may well perish!

Grade: 7.0/10