Earlier this month, we took a look at the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2021. This was a showcase of multiple game demos, each pulling inspiration from both the horror genre and the original PlayStation. One of the games briefly touched on was JANITOR BLEEDS, a first-person survival horror experience that tasked the player with exploring an abandoned arcade while evading certain doom. The JANITOR BLEEDS demo left such an impression that it only seemed right to expand on it further here. Developed by Korpus and published by Bonus Stage Publishing, JANITOR BLEEDS is set to release in 2022 on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

JANITOR BLEEDS Demo

A Dream Scenario Turned Nightmarish

The JANITOR BLEEDS demo opens with a brief text narrative. Essentially, a man went missing one night when leaving a bar, his car being located miles from habitation. Many people have also gone missing around the same location, leaving the authorities desperate for information regarding this case. You begin the game on that same road, and with nowhere else to turn, you wander down it. As you do, you see an ominous red light in the distance, though its source is unknown. After a brief hike, you stumble upon an abandoned location known as Hemo’s Arcade. However, as this area is continually explored, it becomes evident that the player isn’t as alone as they once thought.

Throughout the JANITOR BLEEDS demo, the player remains in the video arcade, exploring not only the main floor but offices, storage rooms, and other areas patrons typically aren’t given access to. The arcade in question may not be large in scale but it’s dense in atmosphere. Most of the rooms are void of light, so the player will have to rely on not only their flashlight but their ability to memorize the layout of the arcade. Even when danger doesn’t seem imminent, the feeling of being on edge is consistent, which makes this brief demo experience all the more engrossing.

When Entertainment Bleeds Into the Real World

One of the major mechanics of JANITOR BLEEDS is the lone arcade cabinet the player can access. By collecting coins scattered throughout the arcade, you can play the game within the game known simply as JANITOR. On the surface, it’s a fairly innocent game; you play as a janitor whose main objective is to clean up trash. By successfully clearing levels, the player will be given color-coded keys, which unlock doors to new areas of the arcade. However, the main antagonist of the JANITOR arcade cabinet, which is a distorted mess of code that destroys any being in its path, bleeds into the real world. This is where the survival horror element of JANITOR BLEEDS becomes evident.

JANITOR BLEEDS embraces traditional survival horror in the sense that the player is consistently at the mercy of a threat they can’t harm. There are no handguns, shotguns, or grenades to speak of. The player has only their flashlight and evasive skills as they attempt to keep out of sight of the arcade game monster brought to life. The moments when the monster is close and the player is forced to hide were the highlights of the JANITOR BLEEDS demo. These bring what should be a dream scenario – having a video arcade all to oneself – and bend it into a fight for survival.

The Verdict

The JANITOR BLEEDS demo is relatively short, able to be completed in under 15 minutes. However, it gives just enough content to the player, motivating them to see what else the game has in store. How else can the JANITOR arcade cabinet influence the game’s real world? Are there other threats that the player should be cognizant of and, more importantly, do everything in their power to avoid? JANITOR BLEEDS made a solid first impression and should be on everyone’s radar come the New Year.

As mentioned earlier, JANITOR BLEEDS will be available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. However, you can try the demo for yourself now and get a taste of what’s to come when the full game drops in 2022. If you enjoyed the demo, you can add JANITOR BLEEDS to your Steam wishlist so that you’ll be notified when the full game becomes available.