Slender Game

WARNING - This game is not for the faint of heart. If you're a fan of "The Blair Witch Project" and survival horror video games such as "Silent Hill" and "Siren," then get ready for the scare of your life when you play "Slender," a horror video game created by Parsec Productions. The game runs on both Windows and Mac and is absolutely free to play.

Backstory - Developed at the Something Awful forums in the thread entitled "Create Paranormal Images", Slender Man took shape. As with other dangerously spooky characters from urban legends, the Slender Man looks and plays the mysterious role very well. His origins are unknown; however, he induces fear in the hearts of all those who seem him with his outstretched limbs and featureless face. The Slender Man stalks unsuspecting children and the occasional video game player who happens to be walking through the forest at night armed only with a flashlight.

Controls - Controlling the character is quite simple. Use the W-A-S-D keys to walk, and move the mouse to view the surroundings. Clicking the right mouse button toggles the flashlight on and off, and left clicking picks up the pages found at various locations in the game.

Gameplay - The game lacks a solid explanation of why you're in the forest, but it makes up for it with genuine scares and a creepy atmosphere. The point of the game is to collect eight pages hidden at different landmarks, all while the Slender Man stalks you from behind. At the time of this review, there really is no endgame. Even after collecting the pages, you must stay in the forest until the Slender Man captures you.

If you really want a good scare for free, then turn off the lights and download "Slender." Afterward, you'll sleep with the lights on and avoid evening strolls through the woods.