The Deadseat

Fun little survival game with some simple but original mechanics, kind of what Five Nights at Freddy's did but with its own twist. I haven't seen any Youtuber play it yet but they must love it too. lol It's not perfect though. The controls are a bit weird, with a mix of keyboard and mouse inputs causing mistakes that shouldn't happen. But the game gives you time to you get used to them so it's no big deal since it's fairly easy anyway. I would still prefer using only the keyboard, or better yet a gamepad but the game doesn't seem to handle those. Also the audio mix is a bit inconsistent, which can be problematic because most of the gameplay is based on it. Sometimes I'm not sure which direction the noise comes from, or whether it's a sound I should pay attention to at all. I'm not particularly fan of the RPG-looking parts where you need to find objects. The game should use another method to grant them to the player, because it kinda breaks the flow, especially when you restart a section multiple times in difficult mode. I ended up skipping those parts altogether and not bother with those objects. In fact the unskippable dialogues are a bit annoying too. But I still recommend because it's an original, short and sweet experience.

I mean...there's worse ways to spend $3. I think "story rich" is pushing it and this would do better as a short horror film.

Accurate simulation of a child drowning out a disfunctional marriage in the backseat playing games. Surprisingly engaging and deep experience for such a cheap price tag. I didn't expect such an engaging gameplay loop as what I got that felt tense but fun at the same time. At first it appeared to be a FNAF inspired camera minigame but was way more fast paced and satisfying that what it appears, although the actual gameplay is quite easy and in my opionion are given way too many resources (at least on normal mode). After this however, the story got way more unnerving and I must absolutely praise whoever worked on the audio which was the main aspect that put me on edge towards the end. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you are), the horror aspect is relatively weak as the monster is fairly tame and you're too busy flipping through the game and windows to really be on the edge of your seat. But for this price tag this is an absolute must buy. ★★★★⯪

The Deadseat is a tightly focused psychological survival-horror game that turns the backseat of a moving car into an unexpectedly effective nightmare. Developed and published by Curious Fox Sox, it places the player in the vulnerable position of a child traveling home with arguing parents. Instead of relying on sprawling locations, elaborate combat systems, or constant exploration, the game deliberately confines the experience to a small space where observation, resource management, and divided attention become essential for survival. This restricted perspective gives the horror an intimate quality because there is no convenient doorway to run through when something threatening appears. Its opening situation is deliberately ordinary. The protagonist sits in the backseat while tension between the adults in front creates an uncomfortable atmosphere. To escape from the argument, the child focuses on a handheld video game. What initially appears to be a simple distraction soon becomes central to both the story and gameplay. The boundaries separating the handheld adventure from the real journey begin to weaken, allowing objects acquired within the game to appear in the physical world. This unusual relationship transforms the device from a background prop into an important survival mechanic. The strongest element of the gameplay is the way it forces the player to divide attention. Looking at the handheld screen can provide valuable resources and opportunities, but concentrating on it means paying less attention to the surrounding car. Meanwhile, a supernatural creature threatens the protagonist from outside this temporary digital refuge. The player therefore has to constantly judge whether it is safe to continue playing or whether something nearby requires immediate attention. This simple conflict produces considerable tension because progress and vulnerability are directly connected. Resource management adds another layer to the encounters. Survival is not simply about spotting the monster and reacting quickly. Supplies obtained through the handheld game must be used intelligently, and wasting an important item can make subsequent situations significantly more dangerous. The relatively limited environment makes every available defensive option feel important. Rather than empowering the player through conventional weapons, the design emphasizes preparation, timing, awareness, and understanding how the threat behaves. The car itself is an excellent setting for this type of horror. The protagonist cannot freely explore the world or simply abandon the situation, making the player feel like a genuine passenger rather than an action-oriented hero. Familiar parts of the vehicle gradually become sources of anxiety as darkness and supernatural events distort what should otherwise be a safe environment. The first-person perspective reinforces the restricted viewpoint, while the retro appearance of the handheld game provides a strong visual contrast between the protagonist's attempted escape and the increasingly disturbing reality surrounding them. There is also a meaningful psychological element beneath the monster encounters. The parents' argument establishes emotional discomfort before the supernatural danger fully develops, making the protagonist's desire to disappear into a video game understandable. Escapism consequently becomes more than a narrative excuse for introducing the handheld mechanic. The game explores what happens when a comforting imaginary space begins interfering with reality itself. A mysterious voice promising escape further complicates the situation, leaving the player to question whether apparent assistance can actually be trusted. The main story is relatively short, and anyone expecting a lengthy horror campaign should keep that scope in mind. However, its compact structure works in its favor because the central concept remains fresh throughout the experience. The game does not needlessly expand its small environment or introduce excessive filler simply to increase playing time. Instead, it develops its mechanics and atmosphere around a specific premise and concludes before that premise becomes repetitive. Players wanting a tougher experience can move into Hard Mode after the primary campaign. This mode continues the story while substantially increasing the pressure. The monster becomes faster, levels are remixed, and the one-life structure makes mistakes much more consequential. It effectively tests whether the player genuinely learned the survival mechanics during the standard campaign. Situations that were manageable before become stressful tests of resource conservation, reaction speed, and awareness. Challenge Mode adds further replayability with eight predetermined challenges as well as customization options affecting the protagonist, enemy, and environment. This allows players to experiment with the underlying systems under different conditions instead of merely replaying the same campaign unchanged. Hidden lore provides another reason to investigate these challenges, giving players interested in the story additional material to uncover while attempting increasingly difficult scenarios. The presentation complements the restrained design. Its combination of first-person horror and retro handheld imagery gives the game a recognizable visual identity, while the confined perspective ensures that small environmental changes can have considerable impact. Sound and atmosphere are particularly important in such a restricted environment because the player often needs to interpret danger without having a complete view of what is happening. The resulting uncertainty is frequently more effective than simply placing a monster directly in front of the camera. Steam Deck compatibility is officially categorized as Playable rather than fully Verified. Performance with the default graphics configuration is considered suitable, and the game can run successfully on SteamOS. However, handheld players should expect compromises. Some functionality is not fully accessible through the default controller configuration, touchscreen interaction or a community controller layout may occasionally be useful, and text entry can require manually opening the virtual keyboard. Some interface text may also appear small, while certain prompts can display keyboard, mouse, or non-Steam Deck controller icons. It is therefore functional on the Deck, but the experience is less seamless than a fully optimized handheld release. The Deadseat ultimately succeeds because its mechanics reinforce its central theme. The handheld game represents escape from an unpleasant situation, yet using that escape requires the player to become less aware of immediate danger. That contradiction gives the experience a clever identity beyond its monster encounters. The short campaign may leave players wanting more, but Hard Mode and Challenge Mode provide meaningful reasons to return. As a compact horror experience, it delivers an inventive premise, effective claustrophobia, interesting resource management, and a surprisingly thoughtful examination of childhood escapism. Its greatest accomplishment is making a simple car backseat feel like somewhere the player desperately wants to leave despite having nowhere else to go. Rating: 9/10

The Deadseat takes a familiar horror concept and twists it into something genuinely creative, placing you in the backseat of a car with only a handheld console to distract you from the growing tension around you. What starts as a simple distraction mechanic quickly becomes the core of the experience, as the game within the game begins to bleed into reality—forcing you to manage resources, defend yourself, and react to threats in a confined, constantly moving space. It carries strong Five Nights at Freddy’s-style DNA in how it builds tension and forces awareness on multiple fronts, but the moving car setting and dual-layer gameplay give it a distinct identity. Where the game really stands out is in its execution of that idea. The pacing is tight, making its 30–60 minute runtime feel purposeful rather than limited, and the addition of harder difficulties after completion adds real replay value for those who want to push the mechanics further. The story, centered around escapism and a troubled childhood, adds an extra layer of unease without overwhelming the gameplay. That said, its short length and relatively simple systems may leave some players wanting more depth, especially once the core loop is understood. Still, at a $3 price point, it’s an easy recommendation—a unique, well-executed indie horror experience that does something different and does it well. —The Ember Archives https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45601239/

Great "defend x" style game. Story is interesting too. Only problem can be the audio mixing can be off at sometimes, especially at the last level, where there is only slight sound to rely on, and other sounds can drown it out.

Играть не советую

At the crossroads, you really shouldn't turn left.