Nearly six months after the release of the indie horror hit Mouthwashing, it has been announced that the title is finally coming to consoles. The reviews have been unprecedentedly positive, and the Swedish development team, Wrong Organ, is looking to the next step. Mouthwashing will officially land on consoles later this year, with the PS5 and Nintendo Switch to be confirmed for a release.

The Appeal of Mouthwashing

A large audience in the horror genre has a nostalgic feeling when seeing analog-style horror graphics. With a simple concept in gameplay, fans can focus on the scares above all else. The story follows a space crew of five that experiences a violent and brutal crash, leaving the crew stranded and lost. This situation puts the player in an immediate fight-or-flight reaction, with no hope in sight. Adding to the already dire issue, the player begins the game with dwindling supplies.

The name of the game Mouthwashing comes into view when the crew attempts to find supplies but instead finds an infinite amount of mouthwash. This already unique premise of a wrecked crew in space is continuously becoming more unhinged throughout the game. All members of the crew have a lot of issues they were and still are dealing with during this nightmarish event. With all these elements added to being in a confined and wrecked ship in the middle of space, it maximizes the immersion.

Unnerving Analog Horror

As the horror genre of video games has developed throughout the years, one theme has found success the most. The story of Mouthwashing is incredible and should not be overlooked, but the imagery is what terrifies the audience most. A horror game does not need the best graphics to be successful. It may be one of the few genres of video games where poorer graphics equate to more immersion for the player. The eerie feeling that one gets when viewing some of the disturbing images in Mouthwashing will stick.

In recent years, analog horror has risen in popularity among a wide demographic. Mouthwashing is indeed using the analog horror style and PS1-style graphics to its advantage. The extremely successful sales numbers for Mouthwashing are partly due to this sub-genre of horror fans who find this style more unnerving. For the original generation of horror gamers, this is what they grew up on with games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.

Conclusion

The success of Mouthwashing has been evident in the community with over 500 thousand sold copies. For only $12.99 on Steam, the reasonably priced indie horror hit is bound to find new fans on consoles. Horror game fans without a PC should look into updates on the Mouthwashing console release, as it is hard to find a negative review anywhere. Many factors go into what makes this game so popular in the horror community. The story itself would make Mouthwashing a memorable horror game, but the setting, graphics, and overall sense of dread separate it from others.

This style of simple horror or what some might call a ‘walking simulator’ is always a risk, especially to keep an active audience. Mouthwashing has found the perfect balance for the casual gamer who just wants a good scare and the avid gamer who wants a challenge. The future of developer Wrong Organ is uncertain, but after the success of this title, a new project is expected to be announced soon. Despite winning big during The Horror Game Awards, his game is still greatly underrated, and the console release will only be a positive for the community.