Cinematic adaptations of video games are rarely successful. Games offer active entertainment, allowing players to make decisions that affect the outcome, whereas film is more passive—we’re observers of the narrative rather than participants. 

Even the most story-driven games can sometimes falter in adaptation. So when a game has almost no narrative at all, it’s up to the filmmakers to create compelling characters and a driving story. 

This is done particularly well in Exit 8, adapted from the Japanese indie horror game of the same name.

We open with a man (Kazunari Ninomiya) scrolling on his phone while riding the metro, tuning out the angry businessman who screams at a woman and her child a few feet away. His ride is interrupted when his ex-girlfriend calls to let him know she’s pregnant and wants his opinion on whether or not to keep it. Is he ready to be a father, or is it all too overwhelming? 

He heads out of the metro station to meet her at the hospital, only to find himself stuck in an infinite loop of corridors. In order to make it to the exit, he must carefully observe any anomalies in each loop, and as you might imagine, the anomalies become stranger and more reflective of his current dilemma.

The game is essentially a first-person walking simulator with a “spot the difference” mechanic to advance to the next level—no real story, no real protagonist. The film, on the other hand, gives us a main character and even fleshes out the only other person in the corridor, a man (Yamato Kochi) who walks by during each pass, seemingly stuck in his own loop. 

It’s smart filmmaking to take such a simple premise and build themes of parenthood, the purgatory of guilt, and the isolation of modern life on top of that, because a film needs to be about something in a way that is less necessary for a game. 

Exit 8 taps into the game’s frustration and tedium of starting back at zero, the confusion of second-guessing your own memory, and the unsettling tension of wondering what’s awaiting you around the corner, and stitches these game elements into themes and messages. What begins as a relatively simple challenge becomes a harrowing affair for The Lost Man as he’s confronted with his own apathy, his inner fears, and opportunities to break out of the repetitive loop of his own life.

The film also feels very efficient from a production standpoint, with a small cast and one primary set, allowing it to focus on the scenario and the growing anxiety in our main character. It’s a very effective 95 minutes that focuses on a liminal loop, yet never feels unsatisfyingly repetitive.

Director Genki Kawamura and co-writer Kentaro Hirase show that even a game with a simple hook can become an interesting film with the right themes and characterization. In a way, Exit 8 benefits from the limited scenario of the original game because it actually creates more freedom for the filmmakers to craft a satisfying and meaningful narrative that works well on screen.