(BURIED TAPES) The Cleaner

A beautiful game

(BURIED TAPES) The Cleaner is a compact psychological horror game developed and published by LIAR MANNEQUIN that proves effective horror does not require a lengthy campaign or elaborate mechanics. As the opening chapter of the BURIED TAPES anthology, the game introduces players to a series of paranormal incidents supposedly preserved on old VHS recordings. Drawing inspiration from retro horror films and found-footage storytelling, it delivers a tense and atmospheric experience that gradually transforms a routine household task into a terrifying struggle for survival. The premise is deceptively simple. Players assume the role of Mary, a young woman living in 1996 who earns money by offering cleaning services. After responding to an urgent request, she arrives at a house expecting an ordinary work assignment. Her responsibilities appear straightforward: tidy rooms, remove trash, clean stains, and perform basic household chores. For a while, the game allows players to settle into this routine, creating the impression that they are participating in a mundane simulation. However, beneath the surface, something feels off. Small details begin to suggest that the house hides secrets far darker than anyone could have anticipated. One of the game's greatest strengths is its ability to create unease through gradual escalation. Instead of relying on immediate scares, The Cleaner takes its time establishing a believable environment and familiar routine. Players become comfortable moving through the house, learning its layout and carrying out tasks. This familiarity becomes crucial because it allows subtle changes to feel genuinely disturbing. The horror emerges naturally from the environment, making players question what they have seen and whether the house is changing around them. The cleaning tasks themselves are more important than they initially appear. On paper, these activities are repetitive and ordinary, but they serve as a clever narrative device. By encouraging players to move repeatedly through the same rooms, the game ensures that even minor environmental alterations become noticeable. This approach creates suspense without requiring constant threats. The house slowly evolves into a source of anxiety, and players become increasingly reluctant to enter spaces that seemed harmless only moments earlier. Atmosphere is where The Cleaner truly shines. The residence feels isolated and strangely lifeless from the moment players arrive. Empty rooms, dim lighting, and an overwhelming sense of silence create a constant feeling of vulnerability. Even when nothing overtly frightening is happening, the environment maintains an uncomfortable tension that keeps players alert. The game demonstrates a strong understanding of psychological horror by allowing anticipation to become one of its most powerful tools. The retro visual presentation contributes enormously to the overall experience. Inspired by the graphics of the original PlayStation era, the game embraces low-polygon environments and deliberately rough visual fidelity. This aesthetic is enhanced by VHS-style distortion effects that make the entire experience feel like a damaged recording from another era. Static interference, visual noise, and image degradation are not simply stylistic choices; they actively strengthen the atmosphere by obscuring details and making players question what they are seeing. The result is a visual style that feels authentic to the game's found-footage concept. The VHS framing device is particularly effective because it gives the anthology a strong identity. Rather than presenting itself as a standalone horror story, The Cleaner feels like one recovered file from a larger archive of supernatural incidents. This concept creates intrigue beyond the immediate narrative and leaves players curious about future entries in the series. It adds a layer of mystery that extends beyond the events of the game itself. Sound design is another standout element. The game relies heavily on ambient audio and environmental sounds rather than excessive musical cues. Distant noises, subtle creaks, and moments of near-total silence create a persistent sense of dread. Players are often left listening carefully for signs of danger, which naturally increases tension. The restraint shown in the audio design is admirable because it allows suspense to build organically rather than forcing scares through sudden loud noises. The first-person perspective further enhances immersion. Experiencing the story directly through Mary's eyes makes every discovery feel more immediate. The lack of complicated controls or gameplay systems keeps players focused entirely on exploration and atmosphere. This simplicity works to the game's advantage, ensuring that nothing distracts from the growing sense of fear. At roughly ten to fifteen minutes in length, The Cleaner is undeniably brief. Some players may wish for a longer story or more extensive exploration of its concepts. However, the short runtime helps maintain intensity and prevents the experience from losing momentum. Every moment feels purposeful, and the game concludes before its central ideas become repetitive. In many ways, it resembles a short horror film that delivers a focused burst of suspense rather than a lengthy narrative adventure. What ultimately makes The Cleaner memorable is its ability to transform an ordinary scenario into something deeply unsettling. There are no grand monsters, complex puzzles, or elaborate mechanics. Instead, the game relies on atmosphere, pacing, and psychological tension to create fear. It understands that horror often works best when it invades familiar spaces and routines, turning everyday activities into sources of anxiety. (BURIED TAPES) The Cleaner serves as a strong introduction to the anthology's concept and demonstrates considerable promise for future installments. Its combination of retro visuals, effective sound design, environmental storytelling, and slow-building psychological horror creates an experience that lingers in the mind long after it ends. While its short duration limits its overall scope, the quality of its atmosphere and presentation make it a memorable entry in the growing collection of VHS-inspired horror games. Rating: 8/10

Nice retro style Waking Simulator / Adventure. Easy Achievements, 100% / 13min.

great

Cheesy and short horror game, I quite like the aesthetic.

[h2](Buried Tapes) The Cleaner (PC)[/h2] Buried tapes is so far a two-part short horror series presented in that granular VHS format from the protagonist’s perspective. The found footage gives us the time stamp of Sept 18 1996 when a person named Mary requests our advertised cleaning services at a residence numbered 356 on Terrence Spurs, which is located in the Three Village area. Upon arriving with no one home and a key left under the door mat, we are then given a list of chores with the last request being that we simply ‘Feed the other pet with the food being at the back end of the library’. Little do we know, that not only are ‘we’ the intended food for the absurd abnormal pet, but that we have also been cleaning a house which was burnt down to the ground over 40 years ago. This game is free and was constructed by a US developer named Isma Pal. It contains 3 achievements and jovially mocks the creepy pasta genre. I guess on the positive side I would never be out of work running a cleaning business in a 'Silent Hill' type of suburb. Below is the complete game by me showing both endings, the bad one where you get eaten and the good one where you don't… https://youtu.be/TqYpoQB0ch0?si=cXzZqDmjgPwhxahg My Reviews: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/6843548/

7/10 This game is cute and short. The reveal of what the other pet is was kinda stupid but also well foreshadowed and too funny to be mad at. If you like indie horror PSX type games, this is a cute little one to check out.