From the twisted mind behind Buckshot Roulette, indie developer Mike Klubnika returns with s.p.l.i.t — a short but unforgettable psychological horror experience that blends hacking simulation, immersive storytelling, and a typewriter’s nightmare.
Let’s be clear: s.p.l.i.t is not your typical typing game. Yes, you’re glued to a keyboard the entire time, but that’s just the medium. What s.p.l.i.t delivers is a deeply immersive cyberpunk thriller soaked in dread and glitchy nostalgia, wrapped in a 90-minute psychological meltdown.
A Keyboard-Only Descent Into Madness
Set in a dim, concrete bunker from a lost era of tech, s.p.l.i.t puts you in front of a dusty, PS2-style terminal surrounded by glowing orange text and ominous electronics. You play as Axel, a hacker working with Sarah and Viktor to gain unauthorized access to a shady facility conducting horrific experiments. The only tools at your disposal? A keyboard, your wits, and two vintage CRT monitors.
Using only Alt + A/D to pivot between the in-game chat and the command-line hacking interface, you dive headfirst into a world built entirely on text, commands, directories, and paranoia. No mouse, no gamepad — just you and the terminal.
Narrative Through Code
Conversations unfold in a pseudo-IRC chat, complete with nostalgic “bloop” notifications. While the dialogue auto-generates, your responses are timed, immersive, and carefully crafted to maintain the game’s pacing. The characters feel real, human, and even conflicted — especially during moments of high stress as secrets unravel.
But when the chatting stops and the hacking begins, your typing accuracy really matters. Commands must be precise — spacing, punctuation, and case sensitivity included. Navigating file trees, uncovering encrypted documents, and solving logic-based puzzles turns s.p.l.i.t into one of the most intense and satisfying puzzle games in recent memory.
Challenge Meets Immersion
Not a coder? No problem. Type “help” anytime for a full command list, or use “print” to store clues on a virtual sticky note. The game cleverly guides you without hand-holding, letting failure feel like part of the process. With trial-and-error, deductive reasoning, and atmospheric pressure building, every breakthrough feels earned.
What begins as light snooping soon descends into a psychological horror trip. The final act pushes the tension to the limit, where typing becomes an act of survival — brutal, vivid, and unforgettable.
Why You Should Play s.p.l.i.t
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✅ Short and impactful: Playtime is under two hours.
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✅ Keyboard-exclusive: A rare, tactile experience.
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✅ Incredible atmosphere: From soundtrack to visuals.
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✅ Unique gameplay: A blend of hacking sim, horror, and immersive narrative.
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✅ Insanely affordable: Just $2.50 on Steam through July 31 ($3 after).
Final Verdict
If you enjoy cyberpunk horror, puzzle-solving, or games that play with form and function in surprising ways, s.p.l.i.tdeserves your attention. It’s eerie, sharp, and experimental in all the right ways — an interactive nightmare that lingers long after the final keystroke.
Play s.p.l.i.t. Just don’t expect to sleep soundly after.