Loading critic reviews...
Deals
Finding deals...
Live Streams
Finding live streams...
About Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat is a short adventure game by nasu173, released October 9 2025 for PC. You play as Michael, returning to his childhood home after his parents’ death to clean up during a chaotic Halloween night. The game blends mundane tasks like tidying rooms with eerie encounters as you navigate a house filled with strange characters. It’s a minimalist experience, no combat, no puzzles, just exploration and dialogue. The setting is a small suburban home, but the tone shifts between spooky and absurd as you uncover fragments of Michael’s past. With a runtime of 10 to 20 minutes, it’s more of a vignette than a full story. The game feels like a haunted short story, leaning into the dissonance between Halloween’s campy horror and genuine unease.
Gameplay
You spend the game wandering Michael’s house, clicking on objects to interact or trigger scripted scenes. The core loop is simple: clean up clutter, talk to bizarre visitors, and occasionally react to jump scares. Controls are basic, mouse to navigate, keyboard for dialogue options. The game has no save feature, so you’ll restart if you miss something. Each room reveals a new layer of the house’s history, but progression is nonlinear. You can spend 10 minutes doing the bare minimum or 20 minutes investigating every drawer and corner. The atmosphere hinges on subtle audio cues, like distorted laughter or distant music, paired with glitchy visuals. It’s not a horror game in the traditional sense but leans into discomfort through tone and pacing.
What Players Think
Trick or Treat holds an 8.7/10 community rating but only 72% completion. Average playtime is 14 minutes, matching the 10-20 minute estimate. Moods are split: 45% spooky, 30% eerie, but also 25% confused. Critics gave it 78/100, praising its “deliberately unsettling vibe” but calling it “underdeveloped.” Players on forums argue whether the ambiguity is clever or frustrating. Some loved the short runtime as “a haunting mood piece,” while others called it “a gimmick.” Achievement data is minimal, only two unlockable trophies, mostly for finishing. Reviews highlight the game’s “cheap thrills” but note it “doesn’t deliver lasting impact.” The polarized reception suggests it’s a risky but memorable experience.
PlayPile's Take
Trick or Treat is best for fans of atmospheric experiments and micro-narratives. If you enjoy games like Five Nights at Freddy’s for their tone over mechanics, this will scratch the same itch, but with a much shorter commitment. At $4.99 (if priced like similar indie games), it’s a low-risk bet for a spooky vibe. However, the lack of depth and polarizing design means it’s not essential. It’s a curiosity more than a classic, but its bold focus on mood over gameplay makes it worth a try for horror fans who like their scares abstract.
Game Modes
Single player
Achievements
Loading achievements...
Similar Games
Finding similar games...
Buzzing on Bluesky
Checking Bluesky...