ROJO for Mac

Free Spanish horror experience

ROJO is a free-to-play simulation that lets you investigate an outdated and unexpectedly creepy apartment unit. This survival horror from Miguel Moreno is rich in Spanish history, with particular references to its period under the leadership of Francisco Franco. What starts out as a search for a missing friend becomes a fight for survival.

The great use of atmospheric horror to create tension and its social message makes ROJO one of the must-try games in the indie horror genre. This game manages to combine the effective design from Slender: The Eight Pages and the psychological horror appeal of Mandela Invasion.

Explore the room of a Francoist

What sets ROJO apart from most horror games is that it doesn’t rely on the supernatural. Instead, it projects the very real fears of fanaticism and extremism, ideologies that take on different shapes. This sets the mood for the entire game as you find clues, solve puzzles, and try to outrun the figure that lurks inside the apartment. Notes, images, and symbolism advance the game and its message.

As a horror game, it’s all about the creepy setting and the violent potential of the mysterious apartment owner that sends chills. You are sent into the game environment with nothing aside from a faulty flashlight. The game is filled with artworks, Easter eggs, and references that capture a mix of the modern and the era of the controversial Spanish figure. It also supports English as well as Spanish languages.

Lastly, although it lives up to its name of being a Spanish horror experience, it remains a rather brief experience with no replayability. Once you solve the mystery, there is no more content to explore and no other endings to find. It creates an ordinary-looking yet immensely frightening environment and it also manages to make its message clear. However, as an indie game, it could explore other story possibilities.

A powerful one-shot material

ROJO is one of those small, independent projects that can be played in a couple of minutes. However, the way it tells its story and sends its message is something guaranteed to stay with players long after they’ve played it. It’s filled with references to Spain and its history. Some are fun, some are intriguing, and some are outright horrific—creating an effective environment for a short horror game.