SIDE EFFECTS

About

SIDE EFFECTS is a multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Jaybooty and was released on November 21, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

SIDE EFFECTS is a tense, turn-based medical roulette game where up to four players consume mysterious pills that can heal, harm, or cause instant death. Manage your resistance carefully to survive each round, while using experimental items and tactics to outlast your opponents. Bluff, adapt, and survive in this deadly trial of wits and luck.

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 408 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Highly entertaining and fun to play with friends, offering a unique twist on the Russian roulette concept with pills.
The game features a variety of items and strategies, making each round unpredictable and engaging.
The visuals and sound design create a creepy yet humorous atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

Multiplayer can be plagued by bugs, including freezing and issues with players being kicked from lobbies.
Single-player mode lacks depth and can feel repetitive after unlocking all items, leading to low replay value.
Some players report frustrating mechanics, such as consistently going first or being targeted unfairly during matches.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
53%
12%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of strategic thinking and randomness, drawing comparisons to "buckshot roulette" while introducing unique mechanics, particularly the pill selection system. While many players find the experience immersive and enjoyable, some criticize it for becoming repetitive after a few sessions, and note technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, it appeals to both casual and dedicated players, especially those who appreciate indie games with a blend of luck and strategy.
- “Their games feel fresh and original, with well-thought-out mechanics that encourage strategic thinking and experimentation.”
- “The atmosphere, design, and overall gameplay are immersive and enjoyable, making their projects appealing to both casual and dedicated players.”
- “Highly recommended, especially if you like games like buckshot roulette with gameplay based around a mixture of luck and strategy (especially when it comes to items).”
- “Unfortunately, for what it offers, no matter how fun the multiplayer is, I can't recommend it because the gameplay becomes repetitive after a couple of matches. Considering that this version is no longer in early access, it has a few bugs that currently force me to give it a negative rating.”
- “The gameplay does seem like it'll get repetitive after a while though.”
- “Not sure what to say here - the game mechanics are a clone of buckshot roulette, just with pills instead.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its unpredictability and the comedic interactions that arise during multiplayer sessions, particularly when friends make poor decisions or face unexpected outcomes. Players find the visuals and character designs amusing, and the game's dark humor, centered around mortality and competition, adds a unique charm. Overall, it is considered a hilarious party game that thrives on social dynamics and absurdity, making it a memorable experience for those who enjoy lighthearted chaos.
- “This game is really funny when your friend says some confident stuff then just dies, lmao, or they make a really stupid decision.”
- “My sister kept dying on the first pill every time; it was so funny.”
- “The developers saw humor in mortality and built a competitive game around it, and that creative boldness gives the experience personality far beyond its mechanical simplicity.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
34%
14%
The game's graphics are characterized by a lo-fi, PS1-era aesthetic that effectively enhances its creepy and psychological horror themes. Players appreciate the attention to detail and the playful, exaggerated character designs that contribute to a humorous yet unsettling atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are well-executed, adding to the game's charm and appeal, despite some reports of bugs in multiplayer modes.
- “✔️ Creepy aesthetic with good little details - the longer you play, the more you notice small touches that fit the tone.”
- “The visuals avoid realism in favor of exaggerated, cartoon-adjacent character models that make the violence feel absurd rather than grotesque, keeping the game tonally playful instead of bleak.”
- “The art style leans into a lo-fi, PS1-era aesthetic, which perfectly complements the dark theme.”
- “The game has a creepy art style.”
- “This graphically impaired hunk of trash claims to be a gambling game, but it's not.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with players noting that there is minimal narrative content and a desire for more backstory and environmental storytelling elements. Suggestions include adding an infinite mode and incorporating distinct patient backstories to enhance the single-player experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game could benefit significantly from a more developed narrative.
- “Reveal some of the backstory of the facility.”
- “Add some environmental storytelling, such as graffiti, reports written by other patients, or even a patient backstory, since they do seem somewhat distinct from each other in terms of player models.”
- “There isn't much of a story.”
- “Maybe singleplayer could add some story mode elements.”
- “Add some environmental storytelling; such as graffiti, reports written by other patients or even a patient backstory - since they do seem somewhat distinct from each other in terms of player models.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and significant performance issues, including high CPU usage. Many players experience glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes, leading to frustration despite the game's enjoyable mechanics. Overall, the consensus is that the game is too buggy to recommend until substantial updates are made to address these stability issues.
- “There’s an annoying glitch that occurs almost half the time, where the game suddenly freezes and you can’t do anything.”
- “Secondly: even when it does start it either crashes immediately or freezes for like 2 minutes and then crashes.”
- “Bought this about a week or so ago, have not been able to load into a single multiplayer lobby, just freezes on a blue-ish screen.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players finding it engaging due to its modifiers and RNG, rating it around 7.4/10, while others criticize it for low replay value and a lack of engaging content after initial playthroughs. While it offers some fun as a party game, many users feel that it becomes repetitive quickly, especially after unlocking most items.
- “Like buckshot roulette, much of the replayability comes from achieving things and being rewarded for it.”
- “The modifiers and RNG of the game give it a lot of replayability for a fun party game that doesn't take up much space at all on the computer.”
- “Pretty straightforwardly just better than buckshot roulette; much more replayable, rounds last longer and feel more chaotic due to there being a massive variety of pills instead of just 'blank' and 'live' rounds.”
- “The game has low replay value, and it's hard to stay engaged with.”
- “Even with the advantages of low price and multiplayer, this game sadly doesn't provide much replay value.”
- “I got bored really fast with this game and the replayability is around 0, especially after you unlock most of the items. This game is dead and not well optimized.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The atmosphere of the game is described as heavy and immersive, with a blend of unsettling and cold, experimental elements that enhance the gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the creepy art style and the personal feel of the sounds, some find that the spooky atmosphere can diminish over time, leading to mixed feelings about its lasting impact. Overall, it appeals to both casual and dedicated players, particularly those who enjoy high-stakes scenarios and psychological tension.
- “Controls are simple, the atmosphere is heavy, and every sound feels personal.”
- “The atmosphere, design, and overall gameplay are immersive and enjoyable, making their projects appealing to both casual and dedicated players.”
- “The unlock cycle is kinda annoying and the spooky atmosphere wears off really quick to the point where it's annoying as well.”
- “If you enjoy high-stakes gambling, clever item synergy, and psychological duels in a dark, unsettling atmosphere, this prescription is definitely worth filling.”
- “[*] similar to buckshot roulette in nature of the ruthless testament of luck, with less dark, rusty, oppressive atmosphere and more cold, indifferent, 'medicinal' experimentation.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game is described as fitting the genre but quickly becomes repetitive and lacks variety, with some users noting long periods of silence. While the calm soundtrack complements the game's unsettling atmosphere, it ultimately fails to enhance the experience, leading to low ratings from players.
- “Music is appropriate for the genre.”
- “I loved the concept so much, a pill-based buckshot roulette, but that's not worth the wait times and little support for future updates from our dev here, and oh yeah, the OST gets old quick.”
- “Music: 1/10 (completely silent most of the time)”
- “The game sets the stage with sterile white environments, unnervingly calm music, and a premise that feels more like a social experiment than entertainment: participants take pills, wait for consequences, and hope they don’t die.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy heavily emphasizes aggressive advertising, which may detract from the overall user experience.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and intrusive.”
- “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is praised for its impressive design and engaging concepts, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- “The depth of each character's backstory adds layers to the gameplay, making every decision feel meaningful.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, particularly through unexpected events like character deaths, which can be both heartbreaking and humorous. Players appreciate the rapid emotional escalation during short sessions, making the experience feel fresh and engaging.
- “What makes side effects so entertaining is how quickly it escalates emotionally.”
- “It excels in short sessions, where unpredictability and emotional swings feel fresh and funny.”
- “Somehow managed to take the death pill first pick every time, heart breaking ”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly aside from some bugs, players express dissatisfaction with its lack of engaging content and low replayability, leading to a perception of it being poorly optimized in terms of long-term enjoyment. In contrast, "Side Effects" is noted to be well optimized.
- “The game runs smoothly minus the bugs.”
- “Side effects is well optimized now.”