Side Effects

Side Effects is a short-form experimental game centered around survival and risk-taking in a clinical setting. The player takes part in a fictional pharmaceutical trial where pills must be consumed in turns. Each pill may affect the body positively or negatively, but the outcome is unknown until it’s taken. The game focuses on minimalism and strategy, requiring players to manage their resistance level while facing uncertain effects. Every decision influences how long the player can survive in the trial.

Turn-Based Risk Management

The main mechanic of Side Effects is turn-based pill consumption. In each round, players are presented with a new pill that may heal, damage, or alter their stats in some way. There are no detailed labels or instructions, and each choice must be made based on limited information. Once a pill is taken, the player’s resistance either increases or decreases. A full loss of resistance ends the session. The game becomes increasingly complex as tolerance builds and the effects of pills become less predictable.

Game Systems and Tools

To navigate the danger, players are given access to a limited number of items that may help during the trial. These items introduce small strategic elements that can reverse damage or slow down resistance loss. Timing and selection are crucial, as only a few items are available in a single run.

Included features:

·         A resistance meter that acts as health

·         Pill effects that are unknown before use

·         Tolerance mechanics that reduce effectiveness over time

·         Limited-use support tools (injectors, blockers, stabilizers)

·         Visual and audio feedback for each change

Replay and Short Session Format

Each session of Side Effects is short and designed for multiple replays. Since the game relies on random pill effects and changing conditions, no two sessions play out the same way. Players learn through repetition and experimentation, slowly developing a sense of pattern without ever fully mastering the system. The absence of dialogue or traditional storytelling creates an abstract and focused experience.

Presentation and Atmosphere

The visual design uses a clean interface with medical themes, emphasizing the sterile and controlled environment of the trial. There is no backstory or external objective; everything is contained within the interaction of the pills and the player’s resistance meter. Ambient sounds reinforce the atmosphere without becoming intrusive. Side Effects is built to be simple in form but tense in execution, offering a quiet and thought-driven challenge for players looking for something unusual.