Side Effects

Side Effects is a tense two-player survival game where each round pushes players deeper into uncertainty. Taking place in a controlled experiment setting, two test subjects are locked into a twisted game of pill roulette. With each pill, the risks increase and the chances of survival narrow. Players must manage their tolerance levels, use limited items, and think strategically to outlast their opponent. Only one subject will leave the trial alive.

Core mechanics of the game

In Side Effects, each turn requires players to choose whether to take a pill, skip a turn, or use an item to shift the odds. The pills come with randomized effects—some helpful, some harmful, and some fatal. Players must carefully monitor their character’s tolerance, as taking too many pills in a row can quickly lead to overdose. The game's tension rises not through speed or action, but through choices that test logic, risk management, and nerve.

Tools, tactics, and chance

To survive the experiment, players must rely on more than just luck. A few items can appear during gameplay, and knowing when to use them is crucial. The timing and order of each action can be the difference between life and death.

Items and elements include:

• Pills with random effects (healing, poison, neutral)

• Medical kits to reduce side effects

• Scans that reveal pill types

• Buffs to delay tolerance buildup

• Risk-reduction options to avoid immediate danger

Each of these factors changes the flow of the match and keeps the experience unpredictable.

Visuals, design, and development

Side Effects is inspired by Buckshot Roulette, but uses its own logic system centered around medical experimentation. Its minimalist presentation uses dark colors and sparse environments to create unease. The interface is simple, but the unpredictability of the pills and the psychological pressure on the players carry the experience. While still a prototype, the game functions as a playable concept that hints at deeper mechanics and potential expansions in future updates.

Side Effects is an experimental title that challenges players to survive a deadly trial through choice and chance. It avoids traditional combat and instead focuses on tension, psychology, and minimalism. The short sessions, unpredictable outcomes, and player-versus-player focus make it a unique entry in the growing genre of survival decision games. Even in its early form, the game delivers moments of shock, strategy, and dark humor.