VACANT

Vacant begins with the player arriving at a small roadside motel during a long trip. With nowhere else to stop, the choice is made to check in and rest. The lobby is empty except for a single person at the counter. The player is given instructions to follow—pay, take the key, go to the room. But even in these first moments, the atmosphere starts to change. Something about the host’s behavior feels out of place, though nothing has clearly gone wrong.

Limited Tools, Focused Movement

The player can move around the motel using a basic set of keys. Interaction is simple: walk to a point of interest and press a button to engage. Instead of offering inventory or puzzles, the game focuses on subtle changes. The behavior of the host responds to how the player moves and acts. The design keeps everything within a small space, making attention to detail important for progress.

·         Move using directional keys

·         Interact by pressing a single action key

·         Pay attention to the host’s responses

·         Enter and exit locations in fixed order

·         Watch for changes after each completed step

Strangeness In Familiar Places

The game does not shift drastically in appearance, but small visual changes begin to alter how the space feels. Lights stay on, but shadows seem to move without clear cause. A sound in the distance may repeat with a slight delay. Nothing is explained directly, and the player must continue forward with limited control. The motel never becomes unsafe in a direct way, but the line between normal and wrong becomes thin.

Endings Without Clear Warnings

The player’s actions shape how the story ends. Some outcomes come quickly if the sequence is rushed or details are missed. Others require more careful attention to the host’s reactions. There are no written goals, no map, and no hints. The structure pushes the player to make sense of what is happening by observation alone. The final moment reflects what the player has chosen to see or ignore.

Short Path, Full Experience

Vacant is designed to be completed in one sitting. The entire game takes place inside and around the motel, and the session ends after a few key events. Its power comes from how normal actions slowly lose their meaning. The setting remains still, but something inside it keeps shifting.