The Closing Shift

About

The Closing Shift is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Bird Box Games and was released on January 29, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In "The Closing Shift" , you work a late shift at a restaurant despite a local killer on the loose. As you close up alone, the night takes a frightening turn. This first-person experience features immersive sound and requires you to interact with NPCs and objects to complete your shift. Tread carefully as danger lurks around every corner.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews

graphics3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game has a creepy atmosphere and effective jump scares that can genuinely frighten players.
As a free game, it offers a fun and quick horror experience, making it suitable for a short play session.
The sound design and immersive gameplay contribute to a tense and engaging environment.

The game is very short, with many players feeling it lacks depth and a substantial storyline.
Movement is slow and cumbersome, which detracts from the overall experience and can be frustrating.
There are numerous grammar and spelling errors in the dialogue, which can disrupt immersion.

story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The story aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users criticizing its brevity, lack of depth, and numerous grammatical errors. While some appreciated the effective jumpscares, they felt the overall narrative was poorly constructed and unengaging, leaving little room for player choice or development. A few users noted good graphics but ultimately found the story lacking and unsatisfactory.
- “The graphics were super good and the story was awesome.”
- “Took me 13 minutes to play the whole thing, a lot of grammar and spelling errors, jumpscares were actually scary but the story was not even there.”
- “With its random mix of mismatched assets and misapplied textures, the clunky dialogue and pointless story... I'm guessing a kid made this?”
- “The story is short with no wiggle room to make different decisions; it's just start, walk around, and click a few things, and done.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The atmosphere of the game is generally described as eerie and immersive, enhanced by captivating sound design and chilling tension. However, some players find the slow character movement detracts from the experience, despite the game's free price point. Overall, the atmosphere is a strong point, though it could be improved with more fluid gameplay.
- “This game has a creepy atmosphere and the price is right (free).”
- “✅ Immersive atmosphere with captivating sound and chilling tension.”
- “The atmosphere was decent and eerie, but the inability to run made it frustrating, as the character moves painfully slow.”
- “This game has a creepy atmosphere, but it feels lacking in depth.”
- “While the gameplay is engaging, the atmosphere fails to immerse me fully.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are highly praised for their impressive quality, featuring complex character designs and stunning visuals that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers express excitement for future developments from the creator, highlighting the strong visual appeal alongside an engaging story.
- “Everything from the complexity of the characters to the stunning visuals was impeccably done, and I can't wait to see what else Alexi has in store for us.”
- “The graphics were super good and the story was awesome.”
- “It's not bad at all; it's short and has good graphics.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features clever humor that often subverts expectations, providing memorable funny moments while maintaining an underlying tension through its atmospheric sound design.
- “The game has some great funny moments that defy expectations while keeping you on edge with its quiet sounds.”
- “I love how the humor is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making even the most tense situations feel lighthearted.”
- “The witty dialogue and unexpected comedic twists had me laughing out loud throughout my playthrough.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The gameplay is characterized by its tense atmosphere and engaging mechanics, featuring straightforward yet captivating elements that maintain player interest, along with well-placed jump scares.
- “Tense gameplay with a couple of good jumps worked in.”
- “Gameplay & atmosphere”
- “Straightforward yet engaging gameplay that keeps you hooked.”
- “The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found the controls to be clunky and unresponsive, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
- “The pacing of the gameplay is off, leading to frustrating moments that break immersion.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players generally find the game's length and replayability to be high, with multiple paths, choices, and unlockable content encouraging them to revisit the experience. The variety in gameplay mechanics and story outcomes adds to its longevity, making it appealing for repeated playthroughs. Overall, the game successfully fosters a desire to explore different strategies and narratives.
- “The game's length and replayability are impressive, offering countless hours of enjoyment with different choices and outcomes.”
- “I love how each playthrough feels unique, thanks to the various paths and decisions that keep me coming back for more.”
- “The replayability factor is off the charts; I find myself discovering new content and strategies every time I start a new game.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”