Game Controls
Understanding the controls is key to survival in The Mantis. The developer kept them simple to focus on immersion:
- Mouse: Hover to interact with objects and look around the environment.
- Left Mouse Click: Select or grab items (e.g., picking up the garbage bag).
- Spacebar: Interact or confirm certain actions.
- ESC Key: Pause the game and access the menu.
The minimalist control scheme keeps you focused on the scary exploration and adds to the game’s mystery-filled atmosphere.
The Mantis Short Horror Game
The Mantis – Short Horror Game is an online game that is short and has a real punch, and you will not easily forget the chilling experience that the game offers. This game is created in a nostalgic PSX-style look with the usage of Godot, combining horror, exploration, and mystery into a rather small, yet highly disturbing adventure.
About The Mantis – Short Horror Game
The Mantis – Short Horror Game places the players in an enclosed area where weird sounds, weird visions, and a humanoid insect-like appearance haunt you. It is a small project, but it has an impressive usage of missions, cutscenes, shaders, and pause menus all combined in a retro look of the old style.
The concept of the game is not hard one-terrifying, however. You are in a building and you are going along the rooms and are confronted with secrets and dangers. The actual tension is provided by the frightening mechanic in which the monster only slows down when you stare at it. This is a slight twist but a brilliant one that makes the players decide between facing their fear or being engulfed by it.
Gameplay and Atmosphere
The gameplay is straightforward but unnerving:
- Exploration: Move through dimly lit spaces, solving small objectives like grabbing a garbage bag or staying safe until morning.
- Horror Elements: The sound design, from sudden noises to ambient hums, makes even silence feel threatening.
- Mystery and Suspense: Each room feels like it’s hiding something, and every step could lead to a jumpscare.
Many players compared the humanoid insect design to Guillermo del Toro’s creature aesthetics, making The Mantis feel like a playable horror film.
Game Controls
Understanding the controls is key to survival in The Mantis. The developer kept them simple to focus on immersion:
- Mouse: Hover to interact with objects and look around the environment.
- Left Mouse Click: Select or grab items (e.g., picking up the garbage bag).
- Spacebar: Interact or confirm certain actions.
- ESC Key: Pause the game and access the menu.
The minimalist control scheme keeps you focused on the scary exploration and adds to the game’s mystery-filled atmosphere.
Why The Mantis Stands Out
What makes this game resonate with horror fans?
- 3D retro visuals that tap into nostalgia while amplifying fear.
- A scary but clever mechanic where observation becomes your weapon.
- Short but intense gameplay that’s perfect for a quick horror session.
- A passionate indie creation, built as both a learning project and a love letter to classic horror.
Players praised the game’s atmosphere, with many admitting it made them physically jump or even cover their eyes. For a short horror game, that’s the ultimate win.
If you’re craving a scary, room-based 3D horror experience, The Mantis – Short Horror Game is worth your time. It’s a blend of exploration, mystery, and fear, designed to keep you hooked until the very end.
Whether you’re a hardcore horror fan or just dipping your toes into indie scary games, this one delivers the tension and satisfaction you want from a short horror game.