Life Eater is a short, gripping 'kidnapping sim' that’ll have you questioning everything you believe in

Life Eater caught my eye the moment it appeared on my Twitter feed, having described itself as a ‘horror fantasy kidnapping sim’. My initial thought was “oh, God no,” as I immediately worried just how sadistic a game like this could get in our current climate. But, while it is somewhat sadistic, it also has plenty of heart.

And considering the game was developed by the likes of Strange Scaffold – the brilliant minds bursting with bizarre ideas such as neo-noir shooter El Paso: Elsewhere (which is soon being adapted into a film) and market tycoon, Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator – it really comes as no surprise that Life Eater is as strange a concept as it is, while feeling incredibly hearty.

Describing a kidnapping simulator as ‘hearty’ definitely doesn’t feel quite right, but it’s that thought – that jarring feeling – in and of itself that makes Life Eater stand out to me amongst other games. As you kick things off, you’ll be stepping into the shoes of a druid, Ralph, who must navigate your typical day-to-day life while completing annual sacrifices to his dark God, Zimforth.