KinitoPet and digital horror!

[rinni]

Short and sweet post because school is pretty intense right now, but i recently discovered a game (? dubious) called KinitoPet that i think is a masterclass in digital horror! it's so reminiscent of what i'm trying to do with my site, what with telling a story of a digital assistant that's an extention of its creator that goes on to infect other peoples' devices. this isnt the most groundbreaking story in the world ofc, transhumanism and ghosts posessing machines and spreading like viruses is nothing new, but this game (?) is just so... insanely cool. It does so many interesting things with the player's device! although it isnt very long, and there's definitely a lot of room for elaboration and deepening of the story, it's such an incredible first step into the budding foray of digital horror!

have any of you heard of KinitoPet before? What do you think about it? How do you think all these amazing events were achieved?! Please discuss here at length!! i think this is a super interesting game/topic!

[alexela64]

I love KinitoPet! i watched Thafnine's playthru of it. I wish the part with the differing world inside the pc was a little more fleshed out. But it was a refreshingly good horror game -- in an age where horror games have arguably gotten pretty low-effort.

[xXWebMasterXx_Gina]

I had this game popup in my recommended a couple days ago. I was excited to check it out since I love games that use/mimic desktop environments and I would really like to see some kind of modern implementation of the whole desktop pet/assistant concept (without the whole data collection/tracking angle XD). But, I was immediately let down to find out it was a horror game.

My hesitation to play anything that relies on jumpscares/screamers aside, I do just find the whole "game/retro software but what if it was corrupted/haunted?" to be a tiresome trope. It was cool for a minute with things like Ben Drowned which were made when the internet was still in its infancy and stories were harder to verify. But now, it just feels bland and as a personal aside, an often misguided use of effort that could have been used to make a genuine successor to the media they are referencing.

That said, I still would like to give the game a fair shake because I know with projects like these, there is still an immense amount of effort put in to capture the feel of the software/concepts they mimic, not to mention the equally clever and concerning uses of the user's system; but I just don't think I can with the included jumpscares. 

[MrsMoe]

KinitoPet is pretty damn cool imo. I agree that the whole "cursed video game" genre is pretty played out, and this game includes a lot of its usual cliches, but it does a lot of stuff I think is pretty inventive. I love the interactive elements most of all and those GODDAMN 3D scenes, like the one in the basement.

I think one of my favorite examples of digital horror right now would have to be Lacey's Games. The art is so good and it seems to have a really compelling narrative about SA and depression.

[wygolvillage]

I watched a playthrough and have mixed feelings, I think they played their hand with the jumpscare stuff a little too early. I think you need to establish a bond with the player first to make the horror stuff feel like a satsisfying payoff, especially since the jumpscares aren't really connected to the story. And like, the subtler scares like asking for all that personal info and admin access was really cool! I wish the focus was more on the kind of creeping dread of being "watched"... It just feels out of place?

The digital horror genre has so much potential and I'm still waiting to find something that really scratches that itch for me. IDK, it's a pretty new genre so I'm watching it closely.

[klonpa]

dittoing the above post! im honestly not a fan of the writing in general, feels really cheesy at times + doesnt cohere with the premise very well to me 

but i have to respect the effort put into the way it interacts with your actual computer!! the 3d sections also have really well made environments + cool looking effects going on!! ( hampered by the... really unfortunate 3d models of the monster versions of kinito and friends. they are really incredibly not scary X| )

my favorite bit has to be the one you get when recording the game:

Spoiler

"why are you recording me" with the screenshots of your recording software from your ENTIRE PLAYTHROUGH... its so so cool!! i love the idea of the invasive spyware getting freaked out at being spied on lol

[close]

easily one of the most standout moments for me. i just wish there were more things in the rest of the game that hit like that for me

basically: very cool concepts, mixed ( but still technically impressive ) execution, im glad it exists! hope it inspires some similar stuff that has more of what im looking for in the story department

[wygolvillage]

dittoing the above post! im honestly not a fan of the writing in general, feels really cheesy at times + doesnt cohere with the premise very well to me 

but i have to respect the effort put into the way it interacts with your actual computer!! the 3d sections also have really well made environments + cool looking effects going on!! ( hampered by the... really unfortunate 3d models of the monster versions of kinito and friends. they are really incredibly not scary X| )

my favorite bit has to be the one you get when recording the game:

Spoiler

"why are you recording me" with the screenshots of your recording software from your ENTIRE PLAYTHROUGH... its so so cool!! i love the idea of the invasive spyware getting freaked out at being spied on lol

[close]

easily one of the most standout moments for me. i just wish there were more things in the rest of the game that hit like that for me

basically: very cool concepts, mixed ( but still technically impressive ) execution, im glad it exists! hope it inspires some similar stuff that has more of what im looking for in the story department

I feel like I lost a lot of the nuances by watching a playthrough rather than experiencing it myself wrt the fourth wall breaks and the way it interacts with the computer itself. Ah well :P

You echo my sentiments perfectly. I'm excited to see what stories and experiences this work inspires!!!

[Phoenix]

KinitoPet is such an awesome game, ive watched so many playthroughs of it. I enjoy analog horror but the style was a bit before my time. Digital horror is my fav kind of horror media atm

[Shay]

Yeah I've heard of KinitoPet, that game actually is really good. It horrified me and genuinely made me think the little guy would hack my pc... then I remember it's a steam game, nothing will really happen and I calm down.