Hello, I'm Mob, part of the Negolove team at SKOOTAGAMES.
Last time, I greeted everyone in my report from the Osaka Game Dungeon, but the first event I actually attended in 2026 was this "DREAMSCAPE #4." The event took place on Sunday, January 18th. The location was the UDX Gallery in Akihabara, the holy land of otaku culture.
This time, the theme was surprisingly "Horror Games Only." To be honest, I enjoy watching playthroughs of horror games, but I'm the type who struggles (well, quite a lot) to play them myself. Especially with "jump scare" moments where something suddenly pops up on the screen, I’m confident I would cry.
Upon entering the venue, it was a stark contrast to the previous DREAMSCAPE #3, enveloped in dark colors of black and red. The lighting was dimmed, creating a somewhat ominous atmosphere. …It sounds terrifying, but in reality, it was bustling with many visitors, creating a space that felt more like the "excitement of waiting in line at a haunted house" rather than grim.
The characteristic of DREAMSCAPE, which is having "many places to sit," was also present this time. If you got tired from playing, you could step away a bit to observe or wait for an open seat, allowing you to enjoy at your own pace. If someone is thinking, "I want to go to a game event, but I'm scared because I don't know the atmosphere," I would definitely recommend this event. (The games on display may be scary, but the place itself is very welcoming.)
Now, let me introduce a few works that I experienced while sweating nervously in this strange mix of comfort and screams.
Don’t drop the Cake: The Dilemma of Gaze and the Pleasure of Protecting the Cake like a "Punishment Game"
First up is a game that many of you may have seen impactful footage of on social media: ‘Don’t drop the Cake’.
As the title suggests, the objective of this game is simple: "Do not drop the cake on the ground." Players carry a whole cake on a cutting board (or a plate) with both hands and walk towards the destination in a dimly lit hallway. No matter what ghosts appear or what supernatural phenomena occur, the cake must be fiercely protected.
The controls of this game are quite unique. Movement is done using the keyboard's WASD keys, where W moves you forward, and A/D rotates your body, resembling a "remote control operation." So what does the mouse do? Surprisingly, it is used not for "viewpoint control," but for "adjusting the tilt of the cutting board in your hands."
This creates a truly genius and somewhat cruel dilemma. Since it’s a horror game, something might jump out from the dark hallway ahead. Therefore, you want to keep your gaze forward and stay alert. However, if you only look ahead, the balance in your hands may falter, causing the cake to slip. When you hurriedly look down, you might feel like something moved in your peripheral vision…
The photo is shaking embarrassingly.
The game system forces two pieces of visual information that humans cannot process simultaneously upon you. In that situation, I found myself trembling with fear, yet at the same time, I couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly, thinking, "What kind of punishment game is this?" It was an incredibly fresh experience.
If the essence of game development lies in providing players with appropriate stress, then the combination of "gaze control" and "balance maintenance" can truly be called an invention.
Moreover, adding a unique adverb like "to avoid dropping (the cake)" to the common horror game verbs of "running away" and "hiding" is brilliant. The rules are easy to understand for anyone without explanation, yet it offers a thrill that has never been experienced before.
Honestly, whether I can buy the full version and play it to the end is questionable, especially since I'm not good with jump scares (laughs), but I felt that this intense hook and addictiveness have the potential to spark a "cake delivery" movement worldwide, transcending Japan.
Anxiety: Nostalgia for Forgotten "Internet Horror Stories" and the Romance of Rituals
Next, I experienced the horror simulation game "Anxiety", which is already available on Steam. In stark contrast to the earlier cake delivery game, this was a type of horror work that quietly but surely chips away at your psyche.
The concept is to "recreate internet horror stories in your home (the in-game apartment)." While the modern world is changing due to the rise of social media and AI, the early internet was rife with horror stories that seemed to invade reality, such as "playing hide and seek alone" and "ways to go to another world." This game allows you to collect those unidentified horror stories and verify each one in your room, making it a paradise (?) for occult and horror enthusiasts.
Before playing, I imagined it would be a puzzle game similar to the recent trend of "finding anomalies," like a spot-the-difference game. However, it turned out to be slightly different; you read the text and execute the steps written there without deviation. It was a very experimental game that placed emphasis on the process of "recreating horror stories."
Many horror contents tend to focus on the "result" that appears at the end of the horror story, which is "something (ghosts or monsters)." However, this work emphasizes the enjoyment of the "steps" and "actions" leading up to that point. Don't you think that's actually very "romantic"?
As adults, we often think, "That's definitely a lie," when we encounter urban legends online. However, in this game, as you read through countless online ghost stories and gaze out the window, the primal thrill we felt as children reading those tales—wondering if they might actually happen—comes rushing back. Whether it's the heartbeat of fear or the heartbeat of anticipation, it's hard to tell, but it vividly resurfaces.
At the venue, I managed to recreate one ghost story while sweating nervously. In that moment, I thought, "Ah, I want to go home and experience this alone." And so, I left my seat, almost fleeing (or perhaps to save the enjoyment for later).
For those who have fond memories of being thrilled by online ghost stories or find joy in analyzing texts and executing them faithfully, this is a title you should definitely check out.
Don’t stop smiling: The Paradox of Fear and Smiles, and Facial Muscle Pain
Coincidentally, I ended up experiencing two games that started with "Don’t" this time. The third one I’d like to introduce is ‘Don’t stop smiling’. As the name suggests, it’s a horror simulation game where you must "never stop smiling."
When I first saw it in an article, I thought it was a VR game, but at the actual exhibit, it was playable with just a laptop's webcam. This game also involves progressing through a space reminiscent of a school hallway, similar to the cake game I introduced earlier. However, the rules imposed on the player are more physical and peculiar: "You must maintain a smile at all times in front of the camera."
No matter what obstacles appear before you or what terrifying entities might jump out, the player must keep their mouth corners up. The situation of forcing a smile while your face contorts in fear amplifies the creepiness of the experience. Yet at the same time, I found myself genuinely laughing at this absurd and ridiculous situation, wondering if the theory that "even a forced smile tricks the brain into releasing melatonin" is true. They say fear and laughter are closely related, but to experience that on a system level is something else.
For those who are not good with horror, please be cautious while watching.
And above all, as the game progresses, my face starts to hurt (laughs). I later learned that there are indeed breaks where you don’t have to smile... The physical constraint of "having to keep smiling throughout the game" might be a more intense form of "fear" than any horror presentation.
Of course, it wasn’t just a game where you simply had to smile. There were moments when you had to close your eyes or make mouth movements other than smiling, indicating that the mechanics were well thought out to avoid being just a one-off gag.
Although I played in a dimly lit venue, I want to applaud how accurately the camera captured the changes in my expression. It’s this high level of technical precision that creates this strange immersion. I hope this unique fear (and facial pain) reaches many users in the final version.
Recommended by Godaka: Curated Selection of the World's "Strange Games"
Now, as a bit of a side note, I’d like to talk about a particularly unique exhibition at this event. At the far end of the venue, there was a section lined with PCs in two rows. This was the "Recommended by Godaka" corner, curated by the influencer Godaka, who introduces various strange games on YouTube and X.
Selected not only from Japan but also from overseas, this corner featured a collection of carefully chosen "strange games." Among them, I’d like to briefly introduce two that left a strong impression on me.
‘DarkBound’: A Hybrid of Healing and Horror for Cat Lovers (Maybe?)
The horror adventure game features a cat named "Miaguel" who ends up in the hospital due to certain circumstances, encountering mysterious events in the late-night hospital. The visuals evoke a polygonal style reminiscent of the old PlayStation and Nintendo DS era. However, despite its cute appearance, the direction and sound effects deliver a rather grim and authentic horror experience.
Systems like "Don't stay too long in dark places" and "Rub a match to buy time" are simple yet create excellent tension. At the same time, the protagonist cat's adorable gestures and form provide a unique gameplay experience that is both terrifying and oddly comforting. This is definitely a title I would recommend to those who think, "Horror games are scary, but I love cats!" (If such people exist, that is.)
'Offering App': An Unknown Experience Confronting the Unfathomable "Something"
Another title that gained attention on social media for its unique art style and metafictional elements is 'Offering App'. I had the opportunity to play it and eagerly took on the challenge, but I was engulfed by a storm of bizarre systems and visuals that far exceeded my expectations.
To be honest, it's impossible to explain the content of this game in detail, nor do I want to. Depending on the player, some may be amazed by the expressions possible in the game, while others may feel discomfort and think, "I didn't want to see this." I believe this is a work that divides opinions sharply.
Personally, I fall into the former category, as I was able to experience an intense gameplay experience that is uniquely creative, transcending the mere feeling of being shown something strange. In a way, it might be one of the most memorable games from this event. Currently, it seems you can apply to participate in the playtest on Steam, so if you're interested (and brave), definitely check it out. ...Good luck!
The Depth of the Horror Genre
Now, at DREAMSCAPE #4, we protected the cake, recreated ghost stories, continued to create smiles, and also touched upon the curator's carefully selected strange worlds. Although it was an event focused on the genre of "horror games," what I encountered there was an astonishingly diverse range of approaches aimed at the single point of "scaring."
There were elements that toyed with visual perception and balance, stimulated intellectual curiosity and nostalgia, forced physical expressions, and confronted us with incomprehensible absurdity. Each method was different, but all possessed a powerful energy in their shared goal of "shaking the player's heart."
Despite being a horror game, which I usually struggle with, by the time I left the venue, I was filled with a pleasant sense of fatigue and a satisfaction of thinking, "Indie games are really fun after all." I believe this was an incredibly stimulating start to the events of 2026.
Well then, see you in the next report. I hope to introduce you to a slightly more peaceful game next time (laughs).