Tag: indie horror

Eight Pages – A Slender: The Arrival Survival Diary Log 2: Strike One

Eight Pages – Log 2: Strike One

Platform: Steam Deck
Rule Set: Apex Predator Rule Active (1 / 3 Strikes)

Video: First strike recorded, a choke point mistake, and a second attempt under pressure (no commentary)

The forest drew first blood.

A little transparency before we begin properly. I had already stepped into this map once, collected the scrapbook items, and then realised I wasn’t recording. That’s why those pickups don’t show the usual notification. A strong start. Completely intentional. Obviously.

We continue where Log 1 left us. Survival instincts of a potato fully engaged, I head deeper into Oakside Park. As I pass what I assume is the canoe rental building — based entirely on a large sign suggesting that it is — my character slows. I hear something. It sounds like whispers carried on the air. Or maybe just wind doing a very good impression.

The pace returns to normal, but something has shifted. This is where the chapter really begins.

I reach the park layout sign and stop. The paths are mapped out clearly. Landmarks marked. I try to commit as much of it to memory as I can. I know this is going to matter later. Behind the sign is the first page. I take it.

And then I hear that sound.

It’s been over ten years since I last heard it, but it hasn’t lost its edge. That low, deliberate cue that signals one thing and one thing only: Slender has taken his first step.

Eight pages are scattered across the park. I need to collect them before he catches me. Simple objective. Complicated execution.

I didn’t make it to eight.

On page five, I entered a building. It had one entrance and one exit. I knew that. I went in anyway. I grabbed the page and turned around. He was already standing in the doorway.

No dramatic chase. No narrow escape. Just a blocked exit and rising static. I tried to push past him. He didn’t move. The screen filled with noise and the forest claimed its first strike.

Strike One.

Before going back in, I want to peel the curtain back for a moment.

This map never changes its shape. The paths stay where they are. The landmarks don’t move. There are nine key locations across the park, and eight of them will contain a page. Which eight changes each run, but the layout itself remains constant.

Slender’s behaviour escalates with every page collected. The more you gather, the more aggressive he becomes. By page seven, he is relentless. Sprinting feels like control, but stamina drains quickly, and once you commit to a bad position late-game, there’s little room for error.

Entering a single-exit building at five pages wasn’t unfair. It was poor timing. The forest didn’t cheat. It capitalised.

So I went back in.

Same park. Same layout. Different page placements. This time I found that same building early and cleared it immediately. I didn’t want to face that choke point near the end again. With the landmarks fixed in place, it becomes possible to track where you’ve been. Once you confirm a location has no page, you eliminate it from consideration. The park starts to shrink.

He appeared several times. Close enough to raise the static. Close enough to make me question my route. But not close enough to end it.

Seven pages collected. One missing.

I reached a fork in the path and hesitated. I took the right route first. It led back toward the car. Not what I needed. I doubled back, expecting him to be waiting. He wasn’t.

The other path led to a tent. And pinned against it, almost casually, was page eight.

I grabbed it. The footsteps stopped.

He appeared behind me. My character suddenly decided cardio was a priority and broke into a sprint before everything faded to black.

Map cleared.

But the forest has already taken one strike.

Two remain.

Log 2 Takeaways

  • A single-exit building at five pages is a calculated risk, not bad luck.
  • The map layout stays the same — page placement does not.
  • Slender escalates with every page collected.
  • Clearing choke points early changes the late-game pressure.
  • Strike One proves the Apex Predator Rule is active.
Continue the journey:

Log 1 |
Log 2 (You are here) |
Log 3

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Eight Pages – A Slender: The Arrival Survival Diary Log 1: For Sale, No Exit

Eight Pages – Log 1: For Sale, No Exit

Platform: Steam Deck
POV: Handheld camera (battery + recording timer on-screen)

Video: First steps into Oakside: the house, the generator, and Oakside Park (no commentary)


I start filming outside a giant “Land for Sale” sign, and somehow end the night being told to “FIND ME LAUREN.”
Normal property viewings don’t usually escalate like this.

My POV is through a handheld camera, complete with battery life and a recording timer in the corner.
I’ve no idea if the timer will behave across multiple recordings (because I’m doing this over several),
but we’ll find out together.

The first thing I see is a huge sign advertising land for sale, telling me to contact Kate.
I’m supposedly driving somewhere important. I’m just not told where or why.

The road is blocked by a fallen tree.
We don’t know who did it, but I’m running the theory that Kate did.
Easier to drop a tree across the road than take down a massive sign with your name on it.
Either way, I don’t take it as a no.
Instead of getting back in the car and leaving, I go for a hike.

The light drops fast.
Oakside might be a mountain town, but surely physics still applies.
Either the sun is speedrunning the sky, or my character timed this trip perfectly for sunset.
By the time I reach a house—likely part of the land Kate was selling—it’s fully night.

Both the front door and garage door are open.
I let myself in.
Because that’s always a strong opening move.

The House: Half Powered, Fully Suspicious

The house is confusing.
I check one phone: no power.
I check another: there’s a message on the answering machine.
So either one half of the house has electricity and the other doesn’t,
or the wiring here follows horror rules instead of logic.

I find scattered notes and a flashlight.
The flashlight becomes essential immediately.
The camera throws out a brief burst of static during my tour,
which is the kind of detail you pretend you didn’t notice.

The location is good, though.
Remote. Quiet. Surrounded by forest.
If you ignore the notes, the power issues, and the open doors,
it’s practically ideal.

There’s a locked door.
The key is in the bathroom.
Exactly where I’d hide something important.

The Locked Room: Paper Walls and Beacon Talk

The unlocked room is covered in paper.
Every wall layered with writing.
Panic used as wallpaper.

One note mentions someone being scared of a beacon.
That’s not a phrase you want to read at night with limited battery.
Add it to the list of things to ask Kate.

I notice the back gate is open.
Instead of leaving in my car like a sensible person,
I decide to go through it.
Survival instincts of a potato.

Before that, a quick go on the slide.
No reason.
Just committing to the bit.

Generator Detour and a Burned House

A short walk down the path leads to a generator.
It turns on easily.
Too easily.

Nearby is a burned down house and another note.
I read it.
A small child appears in front of me, back turned.

I move around to see their face.
Quick jump scare.
I leave.
For once, a decent decision.

I circle the house briefly.
Not lost.
Just getting steps in.

Eventually I reach a sign: Oakside Park.

Oakside Park: “FIND ME LAUREN”

I’ve already entered two buildings uninvited.
One more won’t hurt.

Inside, graffiti covers more paper in the same style as the locked room.
Large, direct, personal:
FIND ME LAUREN.

I’m guessing I’m Lauren.
Because Oakside doesn’t seem interested in subtlety.

Log 1 Takeaways

  • The camera HUD keeps me informed and mildly stressed.
  • Kate’s land sale feels more like a trap than an advert.
  • Sunset in Oakside runs on horror time.
  • If a key is easy to find, it was meant to be.
  • “FIND ME LAUREN” suggests this is personal.
Continue the journey:

Log 1 (You are here) |
Log 2

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Survivor’s Log: Two in the Pipeline

Survivor’s Log: Two in the Pipeline

This is another short pipeline note rather than an announcement. Just a record of what’s coming next and why.

There are two games lined up, both relatively contained, and both chosen because they fit the kind of survival experiences I want to document right now.

Slender: The Arrival

The first is Slender: The Arrival.

I originally played it when it first released. Since then, it’s received a 10th Anniversary update that effectively rebuilds the experience and introduces new content, including an additional location.

Because of that reset, this isn’t a nostalgia run. It’s closer to approaching a familiar idea in a form that’s changed enough to warrant a fresh look.

This will sit under Survivor’s Dread, recorded as a single-attempt run, with the logs reflecting how the attempt unfolds rather than aiming for a specific outcome.

Iron Lung

The second is Iron Lung.

Interest around it has increased recently because of the upcoming film adaptation, which is what initially put it on my radar.

What actually held my attention was hearing how personal the project was, and how much of the atmosphere and intent came directly from the game itself.

I’ve been aware of the creator behind the adaptation for a while, but I’ve never followed their content directly. What stood out wasn’t who was making the film, but the decision to make a film at all.

Choosing to adapt a small, largely unknown game suggested there was something specific in the source material that made it worth that level of commitment.

That curiosity is what led me here — to the game itself, rather than the adaptation built around it.

This will be treated as a one-off survival horror run. A single attempt, recorded without embellishment, documenting the experience as it unfolds.

Nothing Locked In

There are no dates attached to either of these yet. They’ll be recorded and published when there’s space, rather than being slotted in to chase relevance.

As always, the point isn’t to follow momentum elsewhere. It’s to document things that feel worth documenting at the time.

Surviving, Not Suffering

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🩸 Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary Log 3: TNT, Torpedoes & Terrible Timing

Platform: Steam Deck
Rule: Apex Predator (Charles must kill me three times for the run to end)

⚙️ Survival Status: 3 Strikes Total
Only Charles can take them away.
Each egg restores a lost strike — but I can’t exceed three.
When the last one’s gone, the run ends.

“If there’s a bad time to use explosives, I’ll find it.”

I start by doing a quick sweep for guards near the mine that’s supposedly holding ammo for the rocket launcher. Thankfully, no one’s around — which is rare, and suspicious. The entrance itself, however, is locked. Naturally.

My map says, “Find a way in.” Okay, fair enough. I look around and find some TNT. Perfect. If that doesn’t open a door, nothing will.

Important survival lesson: stand further back when lighting TNT. I take a chunk of damage from the blast, and I’m pretty sure Charles just got a notification that I’m being an idiot. If he missed that one, don’t worry — I detonate a second explosive down the tracks. More fire, more noise, more damage to me. Subtlety is dead, but the door isn’t. Yet somehow, the mine opens, and I grab the rockets.

Back to John Smith, who hands over The Boomer. I’m officially armed and ready to make even more bad decisions.

Lighthouse Lunacy

My next bright idea: go exploring. I notice a marker close to the island’s edge. Against every instinct I have, I run for it. Turns out it’s a lighthouse, home to a woman named Claire — who needs the breakers fixed.

There’s a shed nearby with four breakers. Easy enough. I sprint over, slot them in, and head back. Apparently, I “missed a step.” Turns out I need to turn them on, and it’s a little puzzle. Thirty seconds later, lights on, job done. Claire thanks me by saying fixing the lighthouse will help others spot us more easily. Yes, Claire. Including Charles.

I make a break for the train. The moment I mark my next stop, I hear it — that whistle. Round two is on.

Round 2: Return of the Rail Demon

Charles is far more persistent this time. I test out The Boomer and land a few solid hits. He claws, rams, and screeches like he’s auditioning for the next Doom soundtrack. Twice, I think he’s gone, and twice, he charges back in. After burning through some scrap for repairs, I finally drive him off. Victory number two to me.

Feeling cocky, I decide to visit another local — Ronny, who seems like he’s gearing up to tell me his life story. Nope. He just wants me to climb some dangerously tall buildings for a box of papers, promising maybe one scrap as a reward. I climb anyway, find a tin of paint for the train (score), but fail a jump and lose a scrap.

Technically, that did count as a “death” — but since it wasn’t at the claws or wheels of Charles himself, it doesn’t break the Apex Predator Rule. Accidental gravity-assisted injuries are free passes in this run.

After a few more attempts, I decide Ronny’s box isn’t worth the spinal injuries. My train, on the other hand, gets a stylish new coat of paint — a well-earned upgrade after surviving two Charles encounters.

Danger on the Hill

Feeling brave — or stupid, jury’s out — I go for Theodore’s supply box next. Unfortunately, the area’s crawling with Cultists. I spot one and think I’ve figured out his patrol pattern. I haven’t. The second guard ambushes me from uphill. I sprint for the train, but pause to open my map — rookie mistake. The cultist scores a hit.

As I’m running, I hear that familiar whistle again. Charles is awake, and maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that I didn’t grab that box. I dive into my train, patch up, and decide both Theodore’s mission and Ronny’s tower of death can wait.

For now, the plan is simple: find the next closest survivor, avoid blowing myself up again, and maybe, just maybe, make it to Log 4 without turning into train food.

Need a guide? Explore every stop, scrap pile, and spider sighting with the Aranearum Island Map Guide — your unofficial atlas to surviving the rails.

Continue the Journey

← Log 2: Flame, Speed, and Fetch Quests | Log 4 →

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Choo Choo Charles – Day One Diary: Eugene, Eggs, and Accidental Manslaughter

My Choo Choo Charles day one diary includes a monster-hunting job, a sprinting NPC, and Eugene’s untimely (and possibly avoidable) demise.

The Job Offer That Should’ve Been a Red Flag

I got a call from Eugene. Said he had a job that would help “my museum.” Didn’t specify how, didn’t ask if I had museum experience, just told me it was time to go monster hunting. I should’ve asked questions. Like “what kind of monster?” or “why me?” or “have you ever heard of hazard pay?”

Instead, I said yes.

Meet Charles: Part Locomotive, Part Arachnid, All Nightmare Fuel

I found myself rowing to a misty, ominous island with Eugene casually explaining that we’re up against a half-train, half-gigaspider named Charles.
Cool. Totally normal Saturday

Upon docking, Eugene says there’s a train up the hill we can use — but also notes Charles isn’t the only thing to worry about. Then he bolts. Full sprint. No hesitation. Just gone. I’m used to NPCs dragging their feet, not outpacing me like they’ve got somewhere better to be.

Learning the Ropes (and the Rail Controls)

Eugene points me to a nearby shack with the key to access the train. This is where I learn how to use the map and set waypoints. Handy, and slightly more intuitive than most in-game maps.

I return with the key, unlock the garage, and meet my new metal ride. It’s already equipped with a mounted machine gun and has three levers: forward, reverse, and stop. That’s it. No cup holder. No horn. No emotional support buttons.

First Encounter: Train vs. Terror

I hit the forward lever and the train lurches ahead — straight into my first encounter with Charles.

Cue panic.

The gun works, technically. But it does about as much damage as a water pistol might do to a tank. Charles shrugs it off, mauls Eugene mid-sentence, and disappears into the fog.

I’m left alone. On a moving train. Slightly traumatised.

About That Stopping Distance…

After the chaos, I check the map to reorient myself and decide to go back to Eugene — assuming he’s maybe clinging to life. I reverse the train and, thinking I’ve lined it up just right, I slam the stop lever.

I do not stop in time.

I run over Eugene.

It’s unclear whether Charles killed him or if I finished the job by turning him into railkill. Either way, his final words croak out — something about finding the eggs and stopping Charles once and for all.

No pressure.

If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Day One Diaries | Survival Game Playthroughs & First-Day Survival Challenges

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