MiSide is a psychological horror and adventure game developed by AIHASTO and published by IndieArk.Â
The game follows the player character who, after downloading a mobile game, finds themselves inside that game with a cute girl named Mita. The player soon finds out they’re in an earlier version of the game and need to go through a series of puzzles to upgrade to the version where Mita exists.
Everything seems like the perfect domestic dating sim as the player gets to know Mita inside domestic bliss. However, things soon become sinister as the player starts to glitch, and the game warps into a distorted nightmare realm.
Soft Girls Murder Too
The music, decor, and furnishing on MiSide are peak soft girl core. Pastel pink walls, plants, and cute decor fill Mita’s home. It’s perfect for a light-hearted dating sim. Once we delve deeper into the game, it distorts and turns into nightmare fuel filled with murder, distorted realities, and the ghosts of game versions past.
Following in the footsteps of games like Doki Doki Literature Club, we soon find ourselves running from a murderous waifu as she takes all those who foolishly download her onto their phones as prisoners.
The Horror
When the game has its moments of true horror, it falls a little flat.
I think the scariest moment of the game was during a repeating hallway segment where the cheerful music slowed down as the hallway became darker and the clocks and television started to go haywire. By the 6th loop, the music disappears, and it becomes pitch black and loses its impact.
When it comes to dealing with Crazy Mita herself, there’s a bit of a comical aspect to her heinous actions. When she threw a freshly decapitated head at the player, I cackled at the sound the head made when it hit him.
While these attempts at horror failed to scare me, I enjoyed the uncertainty I felt as a player as I moved through each space. Which Mita was I getting this round? What spaces would I find myself in? Was I closer to freeing myself? These questions filled my head as I progressed. When I reached the end, I realized the true horror of this game.
Too Many Mini-Games?
To fully integrate the player into the peak girlfriend experience, we can play many mini-games with Mita throughout the game. In the beginning, I thought it was a cute way to connect with Mita. After we distort, we get opportunities to play other games with her. I found myself annoyed because I wanted to pursue the plot further.
However, I also see it as a testament to the dev’s passion for their project as they added these mini-games on top of the puzzles we have to solve to progress through the rest of the main story.
Multiple Endings
The game has three endings, but they can only be achieved after the player finishes the main story. The ability to jump between game chapters makes it easy to earn the other two. Throughout the first run, we find clues that allow us to unlock content in past chapters and alternate endings.Â
Final Thoughts
MiSide is an enjoyable game that relies more on the unsettling nature that comes with not knowing if you’re truly safe. While the moments of replicating true horror fall a little flat, I appreciate the dedication from the devs to try and create a suspenseful environment. The game itself is short enough to get a decent gaming experience, but not long enough that it drags out too much.
MiSide is currently available on Steam.
