‘Finnish Cottage 8’ Is Another Excellent Addition to the Anomaly Trend, With Great Visual Language and an Intriguing Premise (Review)

It feels like Anomaly games are a dime a dozen now. Especially with plenty of independent creators trying to make the next big game. And while there are some that are genuinely great, most fall into the category of “streamer bait”, or generally unremarkable. That’s why I was impressed with my time visiting the mökki in Finnish Cottage 8. As the name suggests, it takes a fair bit of inspiration from games like The Exit 8. But it does this while putting enough of a unique spin on it to make it feel like more than just another jumpscare simulator.

‘Finnish cottage 8’ is A Familiar Song and Dance, but One That Deserves a Playthrough

Much like The Cabin Factory, Finnish Cottage 8 takes place within the walls of a log cabin. Different anomalies are causing all sorts of chaos from within. If things looked normal and familiar, I was allowed to leave through the front door. However, if anything was even the slightest bit out of place, I should consider the run tainted. I then had to leave through the sauna door. After setting foot inside of the walls for the first time, I had a simple task; study the room and get to know it on an intimate level. I would need it to survive.

After thinking I had the room memorized, I confidently strolled through the front door. And I was doing quite well, even on my first run. I thought that I had everything figured out, as I cleared Exit 6 with ease and started on Exit 7. Then, everything went south quickly. I didn’t realize when the voice through the radio told me to check everywhere, they literally meant everywhere.

I locked eyes with something in the back corner of the sauna and stopped dead in my tracks. Unable to look away from this terrifying creature staring straight back at me. I exited once again and was on to the final room. And at this point, I thought I was in the clear. But then I misread something and was sent back to Exit 0 once again. Rather than disappointment, I was genuinely excited to dive back in and see what else I could experience.

‘Finnish Cottage 8’ Does a Great Job of Making Me Feel Like I’m in a Different Land

Trying to make a product that can appeal to a specific audience is one thing. But one part of Finnish Cottage 8 that helps it stand out from its peers is how much it genuinely made me feel like I was whisked away to a different land. As I explore the cottage, a radio chatters on behind me in Finnish. And since I am unfamiliar with the language, it helped add to the authenticity of the experience. While I wasn’t completely sure what the radio was saying to me, I know that there were times when it genuinely had me feeling uneasy. Mainly since I was unaware if it was trying to help or hinder my progress.

I was also happy to see that Finnish Cottage 8 didn’t rely on just typical jumpscares to make the experience feel more “scary”. Rather, it depended on its environment. And while there were still a few moments that felt cheesy instead of terrifying, the general vibe here was that of proper horror. But the most impressive part about Finnish Cottage 8, rather than its scares and horror, is its meticulous design language.

More often than not, Anomaly games feel like asset flips. And while that’s a perfectly acceptable thing to do, it does dampen the mood and makes what could be a great game into something that’s slightly more forgettable than you’d like it to be. Finnish Cottage 8 aims for a middleground of realism and stylized graphics that help it stand out. It will keep peeking around in the back of my mind, even after it’s done.

As the First Project From Savukivi Games, I’m Genuinely Excited To See What Else They Come Up With After ‘Finnish Cottage 8′

Working as a solo game developer is a difficult job, but Savukivi Games has put out a polished game here. The graphical presentation is great. Finnish Cottage 8 also runs well, regardless of what I was playing it on. And the general vibe is creepy and unnerving, rather than feeling like a cheap asset flip like other games of the same ilk.

Is it groundbreaking by any means? No, not at all. But it’s a very fun “spot-the-difference” game by someone passionate about the subject matter, rather than just another game to try and build hype. If you’re attentive, it’s a game that can be beaten rather quickly. But I would also suggest that you give yourself a chance to fail and see what they’ve put into the game.

As a first attempt at creating a game, Finnish Cottage 8 goes above and beyond. It was genuinely surprising to see how well-crafted everything was, and what type of horror Savukivi Games aimed for. As someone suddenly thrust into the enjoyable world of anomaly games, I can easily say this is one of the most polished ones I’ve played to date.

Verdict: Strongly Recommended

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Finnish Cottage 8 is available now on Steam. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.