Aka Manto

About

Aka Manto is a horror game based on the Japanese urban legend of the same name, where players must escape the clutches of the vengeful spirit known as Aka Manto. With multiple endings based on the choices you make, the game tests your wits and nerve as you try to survive the ghost's deadly games. Explore different locations, uncover the spirit's dark past, and avoid its various forms to escape and uncover the truth.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 944 reviews

graphics32 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

Aka Manto delivers a terrifying atmosphere with its PS1 aesthetic and sound design, making it a memorable horror experience.
The game offers a challenging gameplay experience with puzzles that require thought and strategy, rewarding players for their persistence.
Many players find the game to be genuinely scary, with effective jump scares and a relentless AI that keeps them on edge.

The lack of save points and permadeath mechanic can lead to frustrating gameplay, as players must restart the entire game upon death.
The limited inventory of only three slots makes item management cumbersome and often requires backtracking, which can detract from the experience.
Some players report issues with the AI, stating that Aka Manto can teleport unpredictably, leading to unfair deaths and a lack of clear strategy.

graphics
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
3%
The graphics of "Aka Manto" are intentionally designed in a low-polygon, PS1 aesthetic that evokes nostalgia while enhancing the game's horror atmosphere. While some players appreciate the retro style for its immersive and chilling qualities, others find the visuals challenging to navigate, which can detract from the experience. Overall, the graphics effectively contribute to the game's eerie ambiance, though they may not appeal to everyone due to their blocky nature and limited visibility.
- “Aka manto does a great job creating a tense atmosphere with its sound design and creepy PS1 style graphics.”
- “The graphics are perfect for what the game is portraying itself as.”
- “The PS1 aesthetic is wonderful and the demon is scary as hell.”
- “Pixel graphics are not an excuse to make everything impossible to see, and a limited inventory on just basic paper is laughable.”
- “Too difficult and too loud, also graphics are in some old style so it is very difficult to see stuff.”
- “The graphics make it hard to navigate which actually increases the difficulty, especially when you are trying to escape aka, which I would assume is a good thing if you are looking for a challenge.”
gameplay
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
10%
The gameplay of this horror game is characterized by its challenging puzzles and complex mechanics, which can be frustrating for some players, especially due to glitches and poor level design. While the atmosphere and art style are praised, many reviewers note that the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay, combined with permadeath and limited inventory, can lead to a tedious experience. Overall, the game may appeal to those who enjoy difficult survival horror, but it requires patience and a willingness to navigate its flaws.
- “The difficulty, complex map layout, and the psychotic levels of trial-by-error focused gameplay is not an issue.”
- “I genuinely think this is the best PS1 throwback horror game I've ever played; the mechanics are all super solid and the game, while very difficult, is very well made.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's fun to navigate through the school, trying to remember the way and where all the items are and what they might be for.”
- “Some gameplay mechanics either don't work or make no sense.”
- “Glitchy gameplay and poor level design was enough for me to quit the game.”
- “It's a backtracking simulator; just watch some YouTuber playthrough. Great atmosphere destroyed by a collectathon gameplay loop.”
atmosphere
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique graphic style, reminiscent of PS1-era horror games, and its ability to create a genuinely creepy and tense environment. Players appreciate the effective sound design and attention to detail that enhance the sense of unease, making encounters with the antagonist, aka manto, particularly terrifying. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect, successfully immersing players in a chilling and engaging horror experience.
- “It has great atmosphere, good scares, and is genuinely creepy all around but it's just not for me.”
- “Aka Manto does a great job creating a tense atmosphere with its sound design and creepy PS1 style graphics.”
- “Absolutely fantastic, terrifying atmosphere, visually pleasing, decently scary monster, perfect amount of time, (not too long not too short), decently difficult, overall 9/10.”
- “The atmosphere it creates, the fact you don't run into anything actually threatening till you progress to a certain point, and omg the noises the aka manto makes are something out of hell.”
- “The monster isn't that frightening; they make the atmosphere really quiet and then blast the speakers whenever aka manto appears, as well as stealing the Ju-on grunting/moaning noise to make it all seem scarier than it really is.”
- “The game doesn't really have an atmosphere, but you are still afraid to die (because you start all over again).”
story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
6%
The story is generally considered intriguing, albeit somewhat complex and slow-paced, with players uncovering its narrative through scattered tape recorders. While it draws on the urban legend of Aka Manto, the plot is described as simple and not deeply developed, focusing more on atmosphere and gameplay than on intricate storytelling. Overall, the game successfully combines horror elements with a unique backstory, making it enjoyable for those willing to explore its layers.
- “The effects, scares, story, and a play on the original folktale is absolutely amazing.”
- “The story is actually quite interesting even if you know nothing about Japanese culture, and the in-game story coupled with the recordings you can find that explain new things are a great addition to the game.”
- “Tense atmosphere, great art direction, and an interesting backstory that highlights personal conflicts within Japan that happens quite frequently, which was a nice touch.”
- “The story is hard to keep up with, but it's kinda interesting.”
- “It's a fairly simple game with a barebones, but acceptable plot which is discovered via scattered tape recorders.”
- “There is a short story that's explained via records you find around but nothing very deep or linking it to aka or why the girl is there.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
79%
13%
The music in the game is a polarizing aspect, with many praising the intense and atmospheric chase music that heightens the horror experience, while others find it overwhelmingly loud and annoying. The lack of a cohesive soundtrack is noted, but specific tracks, like the one dedicated to aka manto, are highlighted for their impactful delivery. Overall, the chase music is seen as both a thrilling and frustrating element of the gameplay.
- “If you're looking for a horrifying, completely unsafe atmosphere filled with jumpscares and probably the most bumpin' chase music I've ever heard.”
- “There's a song dedicated to aka manto, named 'aka manto' by eviktionz on SoundCloud.”
- “Soundtrack is non-existent, but the music that plays when aka manto finds you is very loud and annoying.”
- “Also, the scariest part of the game is the chase music: it's unbelievably loud and you're less running away from aka and more the music itself, which is a garbled mess of screams and bass.”
- “Enemy's chase music is annoying.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd premise of being chased by a malevolent spirit with a quirky obsession for bathroom stalls, creating a blend of terror and hilarity. Players find amusement in the exaggerated animations and loud, obnoxious sounds of the ghost, which often lead to unexpected comedic moments, especially during streaming. Overall, the game successfully combines chilling elements with laugh-out-loud scenarios, making it both entertaining and frightening.
- “The sheer turmoil of having to sprint away from a malevolent spirit with a penchant for bathroom stalls is both terrifying and hilariously absurd.”
- “It's a game that keeps you on your toes—and laughing at your own misfortune.”
- “Very funny story behind this ghost and their love for public bathrooms.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, affecting various aspects of gameplay, such as item interactions and AI behavior. While some glitches can be amusing, they detract from the overall experience and reflect poorly on the game's quality. Players may enjoy the game if they can overlook these stability issues, but significant bugs remain a concern.
- “There are bugs upon glitches upon bugs upon, you guessed it, bugs again.”
- “The game is also very buggy; sometimes pausing and unpausing will make you unable to open doors (which is a death sentence), sometimes items can't be dropped, and sometimes aka manto will just spawn literally on top of you.”
- “Overall, this is a promising game marred by some pretty buggy AI.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to the lack of a save feature, which makes each death feel frustrating. The limited inventory space adds to the grind, as players must constantly manage their items while navigating a challenging environment. While some appreciate the difficulty, many feel that the repetitive nature of the gameplay detracts from the overall experience.
- “While it is pretty spooky the first time around, there is no way to save your progress, so every death is just tedious.”
- “It is also very difficult which will appeal to some people, but for me, the game does feel too tedious.”
- “The game has two endings, the hardest of which is pretty tedious to achieve if the player doesn't know where to look for items.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game offers high replay value thanks to its random route patterns, particularly appealing for speed runners. However, the absence of saves and checkpoints detracts from its overall replayability, leading some players to find it only moderately engaging.
- “+ High replay value due to Aka Manto's random route patterns, especially if you participate in speedrunning.”
- “I can't see much that would merit the game's replayability value, due to the lack of saves and checkpoints.”
- “The replayability is mediocre.”
- “The replayability is lacking.”