There are absolutely, for certain, no snakes in this free horror game

(Image credit: Two Star Games)

I don't know about you, but when I'm booking a hotel, I want to be certain there's no chance a snake will slither up my bedsheets. But for some reason, I'm a little suspicious of No-Snake Hotel's snake-free guarantee.

Created by Gavin "Two Star Games" Eisenbeisz, No-Snake Hotel is a tiny, free horror game developed in only 24 hours. The entire development process is captured in a handy YouTube video, where Eisenbeisz explains that he wanted to make a custom horror game for his friend based on his worst fear: snakes.

While yes, it's very YouTube, the video is a fascinating little bite of what it takes to make even a tiny five minute joke game in Unreal, as Eisenbeisz turns an empty starting project into the creepy, presumably snakeless corridors of the final game.

And despite that brief runtime, No-Snake Hotel is a great wee joke. In those few minutes it expertly builds tension through lighting and set-dressing, leaving mandatory horror game notes around and even managing a brief fakeout. You know what's coming, but that doesn't make the final reveal any less shocking.

It's a good sign for Eisenbeisz's upcoming full-fledged horror game, Choo Choo Charles, which he announced to viral reception last year. That's set to release later this year, at which point we'll finally be able to answer the question of which is scarier: steam engines or snakes?

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.