Exhibit of Sorrows is a short, atmospheric horror‑puzzle game set in a curious, circus‑themed exhibition. As a visitor, you explore a series of unnerving clown and doll exhibits, each with strange interactive puzzles. To progress, you must collect keys by performing these eerie interactions—some of which are morally and emotionally uncomfortable. The game gradually intensifies as the exhibits change in disturbing ways, and you must obey the rules, avoid angering the clown, and follow the instructions to reach the ending. The visuals are simple but evocative, creating a mood of creeping dread. Though brief, Exhibit of Sorrows delivers a memorable psychological horror experience.
Setting & Atmosphere
You arrive at a strange, circus‑themed exhibit. The exhibition halls are full of clown and doll displays, each one more peculiar and unsettling than the last. The game leans heavily into a vintage carnival / sideshow aesthetic: muted colors, old fair‑style fonts, simple graphics, and a slowly increasing tension.
Though visually simple, the atmosphere is heavy, eerie, and psychological—it plays on discomfort, uncanny elements, and moral unease rather than relying only on gore or constant jump scares.
Gameplay & Mechanics
- The game is quite short — roughly 5‑10 minutes of play for most players.
- It uses basic point‑and‑click / click / interact mechanics. You move through rooms, examine exhibits, click on interactive objects, collect keys, follow instructions.
- Each exhibition / clown display has its own small puzzle or interaction. For example, you might need to inflate a clown, stretch a doll’s arm, or use water drops to trigger something, in order to get a key.
- As the game progresses, you’re forced to perform increasingly disturbing or morally uncomfortable actions to proceed. The tension builds as the exhibits change or become more uncanny.
Rules / Player Goals
- Your goal is escape: collect keys in each exhibit, follow the instructions, then at the end do certain actions (like turning lights back on, maybe restoring exhibits to their original state) to finish.
- There is risk: upsetting the clown (or violating the rules of exhibits) results in worse outcomes. You must respect the exhibits, obey the given instructions, and be careful.
Themes & Unique Features
- The game’s horror comes from the player’s own actions: doing things you’d rather not do, to progress. This creates dread and tension in a personal way.
- It uses psychological unease more than gore. The designs are often uncanny: dolls, clowns, things that seem innocent but twisted.
- The experience is linear: there is one ending, no branching paths, no big replay incentives.