Rental

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Perfect cabin for a family of four. Close to the beach. Contact the caretaker.

Platforms: PC
Stores: Steam
Price: Free
Rated: Very Positive on Steam (92% of 5,685 reviews)
Length: about 15 to 30 minutes
Players: 1
Controls: Arrow keys or WASD to move, Space to interact
Made by: Lonely House
Released: 2024

Get it on Steam Animita Project (publisher)

What frightens Umi's family rents a beach cabin advertised as perfect for a family of four, but the caretaker is missing and the offer was not as grand as promised; Umi explores the cabin, meets odd characters and pieces together what is wrong with the place, until the rental man tells her she will never see her parents again.
Content: mild horror, child in danger.

Rental is a free, short horror adventure by Lonely House about the dangers of renting a house in an unknown place. You play Umi, a young bunny whose family's beach cabin turns out not to be what the listing promised, exploring it in a cute, low-poly style that recalls classic survival horror.

About Rental

Rental was made by Lonely House, a Chilean studio that is part of Animita Project, and released free on Steam in March 2024, published by Animita Project and Astrolabe Games. Its makers describe it as a short and spooky adventure about the dangers of renting a house in an unknown place.

The listing promised a perfect cabin for a family of four, close to the beach with great vibes. For the summer holidays, Umi's family rents it. But the caretaker is not there to meet them, and Umi soon realizes the offer was not as grand as promised.

You walk Umi through the cabin and its grounds, talk to a quirky cast of characters, and find items that help you go further and work out what is wrong with the place. The cute animal characters and soft, blurry 3D sit against dim corridors, a dark second area and threats that are all the more unsettling for being said so cheerfully.

Critics compared its look to early Animal Crossing and its mood to early Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Its horror is mild, which makes it a good first horror game for younger or easily spooked players, and a quick, odd evening for everyone else.

How to play Rental

Download it free from Steam.
Move Umi with the arrow keys or WASD and press Space to talk and interact.
Explore the cabin, speak to everyone you meet and pick up useful items.
Use what you find to open new areas and learn what is wrong with the rental.

Screenshots

Rental screenshot: Umi, a white bunny in a pink dress, stands before a weathered wooden cabin under a grey sky

Rental screenshot: in a lamp-lit bedroom, the rental man tells Umi to forget about her parents because she will never see them again

Rental screenshot: Umi walks down a long, dim wooden hallway lined with doors

Tips

Talk to every character more than once; their lines point the way.
The second area is built to disorient; note landmarks so you do not go in circles.
It is short, so play it in one sitting with the lights down.