The film adaptation of a horror game is currently receiving amazing ratings. Interesting: The source material is not a big franchise, but an indie game.
Which movie is it about? Exit 8 is a new horror film based on the game The Exit 8. It is an indie title from the developer Kotake Create, released in 2023 and ported to almost all platforms since then.
The Japanese film by director Genki Kawamura uses the same premise as the game: A person finds themselves in a seemingly deserted subway station and wants to leave through exit No. 8. This is more difficult than expected.
Over time, anomalies appear, the environment changes, and those who do not pay close attention and notice the changes must start over again – like in a loop.
The film revolves around a young man who is stuck in just such a subway station. A poster informs him that he must not go any further in the face of an anomaly.
Repeatedly, he fails in his attempt to reach Exit 8, encountering other people who confuse him more than help him.
Anomaly defeats blue hedgehog
Is the film good? In recent years, we have received some strong video game adaptations. Just think of Arcane or Cyberpunk Edgerunners, although these are series. Which ones are really the best, you can find out on MeinMMO.
For films, according to Rotten Tomatoes, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is considered the best video game film so far, boasting a critic score of 86% (152 reviews). In comparison, Exit 8 can easily sweep the floor with that.
Currently, the horror film has a rating of 95% (as of 11.04.2026). Although fewer critics have rated it so far with 93 reviews compared to Sonic, the gap of 9 percentage points is still significant.
What is praised about Exit 8 on Rotten Tomatoes is primarily the dense, eerie atmosphere. According to reviews, a lot has been made from the simple idea of the source material:
- “Exit 8 is both quite faithful and a standalone, uniquely gripping horror film,” writes Oscar Goff from Cambridge Day.
- “Exit 8 is not only one of the best video game adaptations, it could even be the best so far,” says William Bibbiani from TheWrap.
- “A fresh addition to contemporary J-horror that cleverly adapts its characters to its own rules without turning them into mere props for the next shock effect,” writes Richard Whittaker from Austin Chronicle.
- “Even though Exit 8 is adapted from the game into a live-action film, it remains surprisingly immersive and captivating as a concept, even if its story never becomes as profound as its gameplay mechanics,” concludes Ben Wasserman somewhat critically.
Especially for fans of the source material, the film is likely to be a real highlight. But horror fans in general might also enjoy it. This also applies to the faint of heart: Exit 8 has a comparatively low age rating of 12 for the genre.
When can you see the film? The theatrical release in the USA took place on April 10, 2026. So far, there is no date for Germany, but the distributor Neon, which is bringing the film to theaters in the United States, is also active in Europe.
Perhaps Exit 8 will still find its way to local screens or at least land on a streaming service or as a physical disc in stores. Has the film piqued your interest? Let us know in the comments. Another genre classic, on the other hand, had a harder time: 44 years ago, no one wanted to see a small horror film, only Stephen King helped the director achieve great success
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