Exit 8-like “spot the anomaly” indie game has you trapped in an old Japanese shopping arcade 

Japanese indie developer Chiara Games opened the Steam Store page for Juban Shotengai ~Escape the Japanese Shopping Street~ on January 29. The game is currently under development and will be available for the PC (Steam) in Japanese and English. 

Juban Shotengai ~Escape the Japanese Shopping Street~ is a “spot-the-anomaly” walking simulator with mild horror elements. The game is inspired by the Japanese indie hit The Exit 8, and will feature similar game mechanics. 

In Juban Shotengai, you suddenly wake up in an unfamiliar, old Japanese shopping arcade. Your goal is to escape by finding Avenue #10. As you walk along the shopping street, you must look out for anomalies. If you spot something unusual, you must make a left turn. On the other hand, if there are no anomalies, you need to turn right. Consecutively making correct turns will eventually lead you to safety. 

The in-game video and screenshots released so far reveal an atmospheric 3D environment. The shopping arcade comes to an abrupt end with a fork in the road, with the  road on the right glowing green and the road on the left glowing red. The covered street is full of various shop signs and notices, which will likely require careful scrutiny when looking for anomalies. 

Much like The Exit 8, Juban Shotengai has a looping structure, and it can also be replayed several times as new anomalies will show up. You will be able to move faster in reruns, and meeting certain conditions will unlock a function that helps you identify anomalies. The play time is stated to be 15 to 60 minutes. 

The Exit 8 was released in November last year and instantly became a hit for its creepy, backroom-inspired setting and anomaly-spotting gameplay. Its popularity triggered the appearance of many tribute games, and Juban Shotengai is the latest twist on the subgenre. 

Those who enjoy these addictive spot-the-difference walking simulators can also keep an eye out for Chilla’s Art’s upcoming title Shinkansen 0, which takes places on a Japanese bullet train. 

Shotengai ~Escape the Japanese Shopping Street~ is planned to release for the PC (Steam).