Most gamers have that one shitty game they secretly love.
Others go, "Ugh, this is trash!" and steer clear, but for some, it's more like, "Hmm? This is like aged kimchi—earthy and kinda good..."
Even I, a die-hard gamer who won't deny my gamer soul no matter what, have my own personal turd.
Its name? Anomalous Survival RPG!
The title alone reeks of that adorable newbie indie vibe—it's a solo-dev Korean game.
And get this: it's their first project!
Could be a burner account, sure, but I don't buy it.
That art style—subtly realistic yet distinctly 2D—is one-of-a-kind. I've never seen anything like it in any other game.
Coming from a player who scarfs down even double-digit download counts without discrimination, it's basically confirmed.
So, what drew me into this game?
What's its one saving grace?
...
Surprisingly? None.
Creative genius?
With "anomaly" right in the name? Please. Every anomaly in here is ripped straight from web novels or creepy sites—familiar faces all around.
You don't even need to look up weaknesses, so a newbie with 20 minutes under their belt can fake pro status. If you wanna call that a plus, fine.
High freedom, then?
Nope. Genre constraints keep it locked down.
Unexpected twists and wild variations?
Three hours in, you've seen most endings. And they're all predictable as hell.
Stunning graphics?
I dig the uncanny valley art style, but "stunning"? Not even close.
Thing is, all those elements are crippled from the jump—blocked by the genre being text-based, which is archaic bordering on prehistoric.
Last but not least, charming characters?
As if. The most screen time any character gets per run is under five minutes. No way to build a story there, not even for a game god.
From this description alone, you're probably wondering why the hell I play this trash.
And here's the crazy part.
I have no idea either.
???
Even I know how insane that sounds.
But what can you do?
It's the truth.
Did the dev slip some hypnosis app on me or something? My hand just keeps wandering back.
Anomaly. Survival. RPG. Text-based. PC game.
It's wild how they built this around such dusty genres, but somehow, the more I play, the more thrilling and fresh it feels.
Is this that funky dog smell thing people rave about?
Never owned one, so no clue.
Anyway.
I was knee-deep in a run, chasing another ending, when it happened.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[For the first time, the Nameless Entity revealed itself before you.] [You gazed upon the Nameless Entity. Its holy yet repulsive form pierced your pupils through the medium of light.] [Before the Nameless Entity could comprehend you, you understood it first.] [Its simple yet perfect structure.] [If you were human, a sentient being, a living creature, an individual, something of this world, ■■■, there was no way you couldn't understand.] [The Nameless Something observed you. Head, chest, belly...] [You could not continue your actions. It was far too grotesque.] [You yearned to become as great as the Nameless Something.] [A sudden realization hit you: the easiest way to become great is to become one with something great.] [You remembered this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. To become a part of it—a component of the great.] [In that moment, you shed the ethics learned through socialization and the innate human revulsion.] [You, I, we—we all beheld you.] [...]
I bolted to settings and smashed the abandon button before the gross image could pop up.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[You unleashed all your abilities, desperately attempting suicide.] [A mind transcending human limits burned its final spark.] [...Success. As consciousness faded, it almost sounded like a satisfied smack of the lips.] [You were certain this choice was the best of your life.]
Then, as usual, I checked the records.
⚔ STATUS ⚔⏱ Total Play Time: 1 hour 32 min 24 sec📊 Floor: 62nd Floor⚔ Combat Eval: S📖 Story Eval: S🛡️ Survival Eval: S+🏆 Overall Eval: S
"Oh, over 60 floors—been a while."
Here, "floor" means episodes cleared.
Usually three minutes per floor, with 6-7 being average for most players. So that "Nameless Entity" back there? Way freakier.
Not many hit this mark, so it's hazy. Shh, trade secret.
I hit new game on habit, thinking,
'Gonna keep this run short and quit.'
With my skills, 30 floors in 30 minutes is a breeze.
Speed-reading honed since childhood turns the anomalies into speedrun fodder.
I spun the name dice quick, set difficulty to Nightmare, went to switch mode to Strong and Mighty Morning... and paused.
⚔ STATUS ⚔👤 Name: Han Saetbit🎲📈 Difficulty: Nightmare⚙ Mode: ALL-IN
An ALL-IN mode? Huh?
I play at least five runs a day. No way I missed one.
Had to be newly added.
'Hmm...'
I pondered.
Pick it? Skip?
Pick it, and tonight's fun but tomorrow's hellish tired.
Skip, and I trade current fun for a strong morning like the mode name.
Wrong answer.
I know myself.
Curiosity would keep me up worse than picking it.
'Just one more?'
The thought hit, and my finger was already moving.
-Press.
Selected ALL-IN, hit next. Stat screen popped.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[ALL-IN mode sacrifices all other stats for one. Other stats start at 0, but your chosen stat rises by the lost amount. (Bonus: Chosen stat +3)]
"Huh?"
I legit panicked, blurting it out loud.
Dump all other stats, pump one to the extreme?
"Did I get that right?"
Raising even one stat in this game is brutal.
And gains scale exponentially.
One point difference? Night and day.
Stats tie into the level system, another benchmark. Here's the breakdown:
Level 0
Borderline anomaly. Often human-friendly.
Levels 1-4
Street ghosts to urban legends. Most anomalies here.
Level 5
Mythic monsters show up.
Level 6
Same myths, bigger leagues. Can't lump cat with tiger, right?
Level 7
Global orgs solo it. Nations need coalitions.
Level 8
Global org coalition handles it.
Level 9
Prevention best. Normally unsolvable.
Level 10
Straight impossible. Instant death event if it appears.
That "Nameless Entity" from earlier? Level 10.
Finally, Level 11.
Mentioned but never seen, even after thousands of runs.
Feels like a MacGuffin.
Stats work similarly, so maxing one makes the game stupid easy.
But stat-up chances are rare. And random—luck dependent.
Without grinding runs like me, hitting Level 10 in one stat? Dream on.
It's not even a stats game. Quiz-solving and deduction are the meta.
"Theoretically, couldn't you start at 11?"
Chars roll random stats on create: -2 to +2 range.
Lucky rolls like 2,2,2,2 aren't impossible. Seen it myself.
Tack on the busted all-clear bonus "chosen stat +3"?
I shook my head.
Who greenlights a mode like this?
Maybe this is the day my inexplicable love for this turd finally dies.
I eyed the stat slots.
⚔ STATUS ⚔💪 Physical (Select)🧠 Mental (Select)🍀 Luck (Select)😊 Charm (Select)
Normally, I'd pick Physical. Suits my style.
But today, Charm tugged at me weirdly.
"Hmmm..."
Charm's the most niche stat.
Luck's a straight upgrade, and structurally maxes at 4—pure support at best.
Still, I trusted my gut.
"Eh, if it's trash, restart."
I picked Charm without overthinking.
Blinked.
Unconscious reflex.
"..?"
I opened my eyes naturally.
A vast blue field stretched to the horizon.
"???"
And just like that, possessed out of nowhere.