Chairbound: Office Horror Where Your Only Friend is a Rubber Duck (and a Ticking Clock)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell continues his harrowing journey through *Chairbound*, a terrifying office escape game where a rubber duck might be the only thing standing between him and certain doom. It's weird, it's unsettling, and it's got me hooked.
Right, so I've been following Edwin Evans-Thirlwell's descent into the terrifying depths of *Chairbound*, and mate, it's getting weirder by the minute. For those just tuning in, *Chairbound* (available on Steam) throws you into a huge, ominous building strapped to an office chair with a ticking timer. Sound stressful? Fair dinkum, it is.
Edwin's latest dispatch from the corporate abyss at Rock Paper Shotgun details a continued struggle for survival, all while trying to figure out what in the bloody hell is going on. He's encountered a creepy kid (who's looking for her 'toy'), discovered more rubber ducks than should logically exist, and learned that when the timer hits zero, it doesn't explode – it just unleashes some nasty gas that sends you back to square one. Progress! ...sort of.
The real head-scratcher? The rubber duck. It seems utterly useless, yet Edwin's gut is telling him it's the key to survival. (Anyone else getting strong *Portal* weighted companion cube vibes?) He reckons it might offer protection from the gas. I mean, it *is* a video game, so logic often takes a backseat to the absurd. But what does it *mean*?
Our chairbound adventurer even stumbled into a computer room (because what self-respecting scary building *doesn't* have one?), complete with more monitors than you can shake a stick at and a disconcerting pool of what he suspects is blood. Bodes well, that. Bodes *very* well for a nice, relaxing office escape.
Honestly, *Chairbound* sounds like the kind of game that worms its way into your brain and refuses to leave. It's got that perfect blend of unsettling atmosphere, bizarre characters, and a central mystery that keeps you hooked. The kind of game that makes you question your sanity while simultaneously reaching for the 'play again' button. Sound familiar?
Edwin's cliffhanger ending leaves us all wondering what horrors await him on the seventh floor. Will the rubber duck save the day? Is the creepy kid friend or foe? And more importantly, will he ever escape the clutches of that infernal office chair? Guess we'll have to wait and see. One thing's for sure: *Chairbound* is shaping up to be one hell of a ride. And for this writer, one hell of a mystery.
My own take? I have a suspicion the blood is something to do with what happens when someone tries to add blockchain to a game that doesn't need it. Just a hunch...
Tags: horror, indie games, puzzle, escape room, survival horror
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun