s.p.l.i.t

About

s.p.l.i.t is a single player simulation game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by Mike Klubnika and was released on July 24, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

s.p.l.i.t is a single-player horror simulation game centered on immersive terminal hacking and strategic planning. Players engage in detailed command-line puzzles and real-time IRC chats to execute a malware attack within a sinister facility, all set against a backdrop of stunning graphics, a spectacular soundtrack, and a highly emotional, intriguing story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,117 reviews

story185 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Unique gameplay that immerses players in a terminal-based hacking experience.
Excellent atmosphere and sound design that effectively build tension and dread.
Intriguing story with dark themes that leaves players wanting to know more about the world.

Very short playtime, typically under an hour, which may leave players wanting more content.
Limited interactivity with the terminal, lacking features like tab completion and full path navigation.
Some players may find the gameplay confusing if they are not familiar with command line interfaces.

story
395 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
51%
2%
The game's story is widely praised for its intriguing and immersive narrative, though many players express a desire for more depth and length, as it typically concludes in under an hour. The storytelling is often described as effective and atmospheric, utilizing unique mechanics like command-line inputs to enhance the experience, but some feel it leaves too many questions unanswered. Overall, while the story captivates and engages, it often feels like a tantalizing glimpse into a larger world that players wish to explore further.
- “The story is excellent.”
- “The amount of interesting world building and story that this game can pack neatly into an hour is utterly astounding to me.”
- “The story is compelling and gives you enough crumbs of context to intrigue you but without actually explaining anything.”
- “My problem is the way in which the game explores exactly none of itself, from story to theme to context to mechanics.”
- “By the time you start getting really invested in the story, the game is over, which is a huge shame.”
- “The story is very short, could be longer with different tasks in the filesystem and devices.”
gameplay
335 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
64%
2%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its unique terminal-based mechanics, which some players found engaging and immersive, while others criticized it for being overly simplistic and short, typically lasting around 30 to 45 minutes. Many reviewers appreciated the atmosphere and story integration, but expressed disappointment over the limited gameplay depth and underutilization of mechanics, leaving them wanting more content and complexity. Overall, while the gameplay offers a novel experience, it often feels like a teaser rather than a fully fleshed-out game.
- “The gameplay is also something you don't see often and was fun.”
- “The atmosphere is great and the gameplay is captivating; if you are reading this review and haven't finished the game yet, that is all you need to know, it's worth it.”
- “I really enjoyed the tight, focused mechanics of the game, especially because I'm not super familiar with command line interfaces.”
- “My problem is the way in which the game explores exactly none of itself, from story to theme to context to mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is barely there – it feels like the puzzles are designed explicitly for people who have zero idea how to operate a terminal, and assume you will spend twenty minutes figuring out how to navigate the filesystem.”
- “The gameplay would also be well done, but there's 10 to 15 minutes of it with barely any puzzles, with most of the features heavily under-utilized and some not used at all.”
atmosphere
212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
34%
1%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the effective use of sound design and music to enhance tension and dread. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a rich, oppressive environment that captivates and engages, despite its short length. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional impact and narrative depth.
- “The atmosphere is suffocating in the best way.”
- “The game builds a beautifully unsettling atmosphere, and I really liked how the ending cutscene showed a glimpse into the game's world.”
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the graphics make this experience more chilling.”
- “The atmosphere is disturbing and stressful at some points.”
- “The game throws you in without any explanation and sets a very uncomfortable atmosphere in accordance with the situation.”
- “The atmosphere is typical Klubnika; if you've played any of his other games, it follows essentially the same art style: gritty, dark, and bleak.”
music
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
37%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke strong emotions, with many players praising the soundtrack as a key element that drives tension and immersion. Reviewers noted that the sound design effectively complements the game's visuals, creating a chilling and engaging experience, even if some felt the music wasn't memorable outside of gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is described as exceptional, contributing significantly to the game's psychological horror elements and overall vibe.
- “The soundtrack goes insane and really adds to the tense atmosphere.”
- “The music, artistic style, and writing are all great at setting the mood, and I played through the game twice to get both endings.”
- “The dark ambient soundtrack is expectedly good and sick as hell to listen to, and it does a very good job of building tension when things pick up.”
- “None of the soundtracks for these games fail to give me anxiety.”
- “It's all emotional thumping noises, music.”
- “The soundtrack varies between meditative and anxiety-inducing with a pounding beat that makes you nervous you might screw up.”
graphics
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their unique art style, which combines gritty, low-poly aesthetics with a dark, atmospheric tone that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the retro, PS1-inspired visuals that contribute to the game's immersive horror elements, although some noted that the pixelated graphics can occasionally lead to confusion during gameplay. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, effectively complementing the narrative and sound design to create a compelling and engaging atmosphere.
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the graphics make this experience more chilling.”
- “The art style is grungy and dark, a perfect match for the game's narrative.”
- “Overall game idea is great, visuals are stunning, sound is atmospheric.”
- “I wish there was a way to emphasize interactive elements in the game without compromising the visuals with predictable glow or yellow paint, because there are programs in the filesystem and objects in the game world you'd think you could interact with, but simply can't.”
- “The window serves no purpose, the briefcase cannot be used, and many of the system files are purely aesthetic.”
- “Because I have an AMD-only system, this game cannot render 3D graphics.”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised for its ability to evoke intense feelings of anxiety, discomfort, and unease through sound, atmosphere, and narrative rather than traditional visuals or cutscenes. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from panic and dread to a sense of vulnerability, with many noting the game's unique capacity to make them feel deeply unsettled yet engaged. Overall, it is recognized as a powerful emotional experience that leaves a lasting impact.
- “Incredibly good at creating its atmosphere and the ending genuinely made me feel sick to my stomach.”
- “There are no elaborate cutscenes or high-fidelity visuals to fall back on, so all the emotional weight comes from suggestion, sound, and uncertainty.”
- “No other game has made me feel such an overwhelming sense of panic and dread, 10/10 would shat again.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
50%
23%
Overall, the reviews indicate that the game has very limited replayability, with many players noting that once both endings are completed, there is little incentive to play again. While some appreciate the initial experience and narrative, they express a desire for more depth and replay value, suggesting that the game feels more like a short demo rather than a fully fleshed-out title. A few reviewers mention that certain games by the same developer offer better replayability, highlighting a contrast in design choices.
- “Br is a very cool arcade game with great replayability.”
- “The game also randomly creates data every new playthrough, this adds replayability.”
- “Comparing this to Buckshot, the reason Buckshot works so well in its short form is because of the replayability and randomness; there is a reason to play it over and over again, and even if you only play it once, it's a unique experience with tense fun gameplay.”
- “Unfortunately, there is no replayability after you beat both endings, but it's still a nice experience.”
- “I really hate to give this developer a negative review, but even for three bucks, this game is extremely short and completely lacks replayability.”
- “Compared to his other games, this feels more like a demo than usual, especially with the lack of replayability and depth even within the file structures.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization received mixed feedback; while many players experienced solid performance without significant bugs, some noted minor issues such as FPS drops during specific scenes. The sound design and voice acting were praised, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere despite its short length and limited replay value.
- “Not much replay value and a little unoptimized, but other than that, a fun, short psychological horror game.”
- “The sound design and short performances from the voice actors are perfect.”
- “I just encountered an FPS drop in the ending cinematic; it's the only bug that I found. Maybe it's the optimization that is bad, or maybe my PC, I don't know.”
- “Performance was solid throughout, and I didn't run into any bugs or glitches.”
- “The looming, encroaching sense of dread is also captured really well, and I loved how the lobotomy looked like a device stuttering, looping, only to crash at the end.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as quirky and light-hearted, with players appreciating its creative and amusing elements, despite its brevity. While some found the humor to be a highlight, others felt it diminished as the game progressed. Overall, the game offers a mix of funny moments and clever references, particularly related to coding and technology.
- “It's kind of funny to see a system with both DOS/Windows and Unix features mixed, and I have to admit I have been hitting 'tab' to try autocomplete commands more than I should.”
- “Creative game, kind of short but still funny.”
- “Short but very sweet, simple but satisfying code-based puzzle horror game with a sprinkle of humor.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
83%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the lack of features like tab autocomplete in the terminal interface, which can make navigation cumbersome. While some enjoy the challenge and pacing, others may struggle with the repetitive nature of typing commands, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “The story is pretty nice, but if you've ever used an actual Linux terminal before, you will be frustrated by the lack of tab autocomplete and the 'cd' command being unbearably tedious.”
- “That being said, I can see people finding the game a bit tedious or hard, especially if they're not used to typing and stuff.”
- “I enjoyed the gameplay as someone who likes more interactive simulation games (and terminals), but I can understand how some could find it tedious.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is highly inconsistent; while some players report solid performance with no bugs, others experience severe visual glitches and unresponsiveness, particularly after using the Steam overlay. Overall, the feedback suggests a divide between those who encounter significant issues and those who find the game stable.
- “Unplayable, visual glitches all over the screen past the menu and no response from the dev.”
- “Outside of being unable to type anything after accidentally opening the Steam overlay, I didn't really find any bugs or glitches.”
- “T did not hit that spot for me at all, the main bulk of the gameplay consists of very dull old PC troubleshooting with no sort of time limit or any other kind of elements to make it stressful in any way, ended up feeling like a chore.”