$4.99It Steals The Monster Stalks You
Collect the orbs in a maze while things that hide, hunt and lie in wait try to catch you.
Is It Steals worth it?
It Steals is worth it if…
- you like horror built on clever ideas rather than cheap jump scares
- you enjoy arcade-style challenges where every death teaches you something
- you want short, intense sessions that keep your heart rate up
- you prefer figuring out a monster's rules over following a tutorial
- you don't mind that a full run takes only a few hours
Screenshots
The tables have turned
Most horror games let you sneak past the monster. Here, the monster sneaks past you. The creatures in It Steals stalk you through the maze, use your expectations against you, and strike when you feel safest. One mode even casts you as the seeker in hide and seek, which sounds harmless until you find what you were looking for. The reversal is the whole idea, and it works: you spend every second wondering what is behind you instead of what is ahead. The maze walls are always hiding something, and it is usually already moving.
Five ways to be hunted
Each mode is a new monster with its own rules. In Classic, a creature fears your flashlight until it decides it no longer does. Another mode hands you a camera in total darkness, where a flash is your only weapon and batteries are running out. In one, the walls themselves are predators, indistinguishable from ordinary walls until they move. An invisible phantom hunts in another. Three expert variations push the same ideas further. Each mode gives you tools but no instructions: you infer, improvise, and learn something with every death. Perma death makes each run count.
What should you know before playing?
How long does a playthrough take?
It is a short game by design. Players report clearing everything in roughly two to four hours, with three extra expert variations if you want a steeper challenge. What it lacks in length it makes up for in density: every mode is a distinct idea, and the game is built to be replayed once you know its tricks. Think of it as a sharp, focused experiment rather than a long campaign.
Is it actually scary?
Yes, and not through jump scares. The dread comes from the sound design, the darkness, and knowing something intelligent is stalking you through the maze. The creatures move at alarming speeds once they start hunting, and the chase sequences are where the tension breaks. The simple pixel visuals look harmless at first; the monsters do not behave that way.
Do you need to be good at horror games?
You need patience more than reflexes, though quick reactions help once a chase starts. The game deliberately withholds information: it gives you tools and expects you to work out how to use them. Early deaths are part of the process, and the game drops hints and little taunts after each one. If you like a challenge with a clear rule set to decode, it fits well.
