SEPTEMBER 1999

"SEPTEMBER 1999" is a harrowing 5-minute first-person game with a found footage visual style, where you explore an abandoned building while avoiding unseen terrors. The audio design and tense atmosphere have been praised for creating a genuinely scary experience. The game features rebindable controls and offers a windowed mode for easier resolution adjustment. Available on Steam, it's a short but impactful horror game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,398 reviews

graphics94 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features impressive graphics and a unique VHS aesthetic that enhances the overall atmosphere.
It effectively creates a sense of unease and tension without relying on jump scares, making it a refreshing horror experience.
As a free game, it offers a brief yet intriguing narrative that encourages players to piece together the story themselves.

The gameplay is extremely limited, with no real interaction or objectives beyond walking around for a few minutes.
Many players found the experience too short, leaving them wanting more depth and content.
The lack of a coherent story or clear context left some players confused and unsatisfied with the overall experience.

graphics
189 mentions
50 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their impressive realism and effective use of a VHS aesthetic, creating a creepy and immersive atmosphere. Many reviewers noted that the visuals evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of old camcorder footage, enhancing the horror experience despite the game's short length. While the graphics are a standout feature, some players felt that the overall gameplay and story were lacking, making the game more of a visual experience than a fully developed game.
- “The graphics are so good that you might mistake them for real life, and it is creepy throughout its short runtime.”
- “The photorealistic graphics along with the analog filter make this an easy recommendation.”
- “The graphics were visually stunning; in some parts, it genuinely looks like a real-life viewing from a 1990s camcorder.”
- “The graphics will make you choose between low and ultra high, but the truth is it doesn't really matter, as either way it's grainy and downgraded behind a VHS filter in a way that's highly reminiscent of old video cameras from back in the day.”
- “I will say that the visuals were eerily realistic at first glance, but that feeling also faded as you're staring at the same objects the whole time.”
- “It's more of a short experience than an actual game, but it's only 6 minutes, so I would recommend you play if just for marvelling at the graphics alone.”
story
181 mentions
28 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a brief, atmospheric horror narrative that unfolds over approximately five to six minutes, primarily through environmental storytelling and visual cues rather than dialogue or direct interaction. While some players appreciate its subtlety and the psychological tension it evokes, others find the plot vague and underdeveloped, leading to mixed feelings about its coherence and depth. Overall, it serves as an intriguing, albeit minimalistic, exploration of horror themes that encourages players to piece together the narrative themselves.
- “It truly immerses you into its story, solid 10/10 no doubt.”
- “The short story is very immersive and it does the horror tag good.”
- “It tells a short, concise story in a very subtle way, and exits right after, and I think it perfectly nails what it's trying to do.”
- “You walk from a bedroom to a hallway and from the hallway to the bedroom multiple times as a vague 'horror' story plays out.”
- “Only 6 minutes long, no interaction, no real story, you just can wildly speculate what may have happened.”
- “There's no interactions at all, you just walk around for about a minute until the camera cuts to advance the 'story' of the game and you rinse and repeat for 5 minutes and 30 seconds.”
atmosphere
166 mentions
57 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "September 1999" is widely praised for its eerie, immersive quality, enhanced by VHS-style graphics and effective sound design. Reviewers note that the game creates a haunting tension and a sense of unease without relying on jump scares, making it a compelling short horror experience. Despite its brevity, the game successfully captivates players with its unsettling ambiance and environmental storytelling.
- “September 1999 is a short free VHS-styled found footage horror game that has a creepy atmosphere worth exploring if you have 5 minutes and 30 seconds to spare; definitely recommend to those looking for a quick horror game to play.”
- “The atmosphere is haunting and the subtle twist is enough to have you staring at your desktop in silence for a few minutes.”
- “This game delivers a very ominous and eerie atmosphere for such a compact experience.”
- “The atmosphere was so well done & uncomfortable, the confusion you feel asking yourself 'what is this?'”
- “This game (more of an experience as there is almost no interaction to speak of) relies solely on the creation of a creepy horrific atmosphere for its effect rather than jump scares or violence.”
- “Although its playtime is only 5 minutes and 30 seconds, it has such an uneasy atmosphere in it.”
gameplay
43 mentions
9 % positive mentions
84 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is minimal, primarily consisting of exploring a couple of rooms with very little interaction, often described as more of a walking simulator than a traditional game. Players noted that the experience relies heavily on atmosphere and storytelling rather than gameplay mechanics, with many feeling that the short duration (around 5-10 minutes) limits its potential. While some appreciated the unsettling ambiance and aesthetic, the lack of substantial gameplay left many feeling frustrated and wishing for a more developed experience.
- “Also, I think that the sounds (footsteps, echoes) are very important in a horror game and, in this game, they were well adapted to the gameplay.”
- “Very short with a greater focus on atmosphere over gameplay and story, but it was a very enjoyable experience that I'd recommend any horror fan check out.”
- “Without any real gameplay, September 1999 manages to instill a sense of dread that even some full-on horror games can't achieve!”
- “The only gameplay is you going through the same 2 rooms and revisiting them some days later.”
- “There's basically no gameplay whatsoever; the game is a walking simulator where you explore the house and after some time the game automatically advances the in-game time to another piece of the footage.”
- “There is no gameplay, no scares, and nothing of substance here.”
music
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as a mix of uplifting piano melodies and ominous tones that enhance the atmosphere, contributing to both tension and emotional moments. While some players appreciated the sound design and its ability to evoke feelings, others felt that the music lacked personality and could have been better integrated into the gameplay experience. Overall, the music effectively supports the game's eerie ambiance, though opinions vary on its execution and impact.
- “The atmosphere, sound, and music design are so fantastic.”
- “+ uplifting piano music in all the right moments.”
- “Yes, the music was ominous and the atmosphere and old camera aesthetic were neat, but the game itself not only is devoid of gameplay (which isn't a sin in itself, since I think walking sims can be enjoyable if they're done correctly), but also of personality.”
- “In addition, the voice acting was pretty convincing, and the music was offputting enough to work!”
- “Used music”
humor
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding amusement in the absurdity of gameplay moments and quirky character interactions, while others note that certain elements, like the crying guy, come off as unintentionally funny. Overall, the humor seems to stem from the game's oddities and the player's experiences rather than a consistent comedic tone.
- “It'd probably be quite funny to watch my playthrough of this in third person, bouncing off things and walking laps of the hallway.”
- “Funny concept.”
- “If you find it boring... just walk around for a few minutes. I was going to do a bad review, but then I had to wait 5 minutes and that's funny enough when the game gets interesting.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players describe the emotional aspect of the game as deeply unsettling and immersive, effectively evoking feelings of unease and discomfort within a short playtime. The combination of spooky sounds and visuals creates a raw emotional horror experience that leaves a lasting impact, making players feel as if they are part of a disturbing narrative. Overall, the game successfully elicits strong emotional reactions, leaving players feeling both captivated and disturbed.
- “This game made me feel like I was actually there.”
- “[u]september 1999[/u] is raw emotional horror.”
- “Never have I played a game that in less than 6 minutes made me feel gross for playing it, but somehow held me prisoner until its completion.”
replayability
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, noting that the timed elements encourage exploration and discovery of previously unnoticed details. Many suggest that aiming for different routes enhances the overall experience, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.
- “It has a replay value, allowing you to notice things you missed the first time because it's timed.”
- “The game offers significant replay value, encouraging exploration and discovery on subsequent playthroughs.”
- “It has replay value, as you can notice things you haven't seen the first time due to the timed nature of the game.”
- “Aim for something with replay value; you're doing fine, just don't take the easy route.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its excellent performance, with users reporting no slowdowns or lag. This positive experience has encouraged players to seek out similar games that are also well-optimized.
- “Performance was great with no slowdowns or lag.”
- “I would be down to play similar games if they are optimized correctly.”
- “Would be down to play similar games if they are optimized correctly.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users have reported various bugs and glitches that affect the overall stability of the game, indicating that these issues are a significant concern in their gameplay experience.
- “As the final fifth of my new review format, it wouldn't be complete without mentioning bugs, glitches, and other issues I come across.”