The rise of AI has become one of 2025’s most controversial subjects, sparking debate over the moral dilemmas it presents even in its infancy. A game revolving around an AI feeding you a series of horror scenarios feels not only fitting, but like a haunting peek into our possible future. That’s exactly what Pulsatrix Studios, supported by Fireshine Games and The Iterative Collective, aims to deliver with A.I.L.A. 

The game opens in a dark, decaying dungeon. You’re held captive, but manage to free yourself and begin a desperate escape while an axe-wielding maniac hunts you through the shadows. After suffering several grisly injuries, including an axe cleaving through your fingers and hand, you finally break through to the outside world. Freedom finally seems within reach as you stumble toward safety until a nuclear explosion erupts on the horizon, wiping everything out in an instant. Game over. 

Or is it? You pull off your VR headset and step away to make a cup of tea, trying to unwind after what you’ve just endured. It’s a wild opening that sets up the game’s premise perfectly. You play as Samuel, a playtester for new horror games; however, all the games are created by an AI named A.I.L.A. Each scenario she produces is entirely different, ranging from a medieval horror tale where you play a knight struggling to survive, to a detective mystery focused on investigating your missing partner. 

I really enjoyed how each game gradually affected Samuel’s mental state and how his relationship with the AI shifted over time. What begins as a distant, professional dynamic slowly becomes more personal, to the point where he even allows A.I.L.A. to take over parts of his home. Small touches, like Samuel starting every morning with tea, only to abruptly switch to coffee after a particularly traumatic scenario, add a grounded realism to his unravelling psyche. It’s a well-written portrayal of psychological strain.

As for the games Samuel plays, they’re fairly cliché horror stories, but they’re short enough that they never overstay their welcome. Each one draws heavily from Resident Evil. At one point, I even found a Leon Kennedy ID card, a not-so-subtle nod to how influential that iconic franchise is on this game’s design. The game even recreates the famous zombie reveal from the original Resident Evil, making its inspirations unmistakable. 

While it’s nice, I just wish the developers had taken more inspiration from Resident Evil’s combat as well, because it unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired. Each themed game gives you a different arsenal, firearms in the modern-day scenarios, axes and swords in the medieval ones, for example, and there’s actually a decent variety to choose from. But the moment-to-moment fighting feels janky, and battling groups of enemies becomes a gruelling task, not because of any intentional difficulty, but simply due to how clunky the combat can be. 

This makes the boss fights downright rage-inducing at times, especially when you finally defeat one, only for the game to crash during the following cutscene. Being kicked back to just before the fight and forced to redo the entire encounter is bad enough, but imagine that happening THREE more times. I put the game down for a while out of sheer frustration, then returned and managed to get past the fight without the glitch. 

There were a few other crashes during cutscenes, though most of them didn’t block my progress and were more of a minor annoyance than anything else. These were the main technical issues I ran into, and if they hadn’t affected my progress so severely, I might have been willing to overlook them. Unfortunately, their frequency makes them impossible to ignore. The only other problems I encountered were a handful of minor camera glitches.

On a more positive note, the puzzles were genuinely enjoyable. Many rely on environmental clues, requiring real problem-solving, whether that’s combining items, finding a solution on a scrap of paper, or simply using trial and error to get past. One puzzle in particular had me using different weights to perfectly balance a bar and unlock its hinges. Once again, the Resident Evil influence is clear, but in this case, the game absolutely nails it.

The world design is pretty linear, which means some backtracking is bound to happen, but thanks to the shorter level structure, it never becomes tedious. The environments themselves are well-detailed, too. The interior of a church looks excellent, and the rundown castle delivers all the dark fantasy vibes you’d expect. But it was the old family farmhouse that really stood out to me, its unsettling layout and surprisingly thoughtful architecture make it the most memorable location in the game. 

Outside of the VR headset, you’re free to explore Samuel’s home between playtesting sessions. I won’t spoil what unfolds there, but elements from the VR experiences slowly begin to bleed into the real world. The house itself is well designed, with a layout that feels lived-in and believable. And yes, you have a pet cat you can feed and pet, which is always an automatic thumbs up from me. 

Audio design is crucial in a horror game; it can build tension before a jump scare or elevate a creepy moment, and here it’s a bit hit and miss. Sometimes the sound cues landed perfectly and genuinely made me jump; other times, I was left unsure of what the audio was even trying to convey. Monster footsteps, in particular, were confusing while hiding. It was often difficult to judge how far away the creature was, making it hard to know when it was safe to come out. 

Overall, A.I.L.A. is an interesting take on the horror genre, offering a creepy narrative that’s unfortunately held back by clunky combat. Fun Resident Evil-inspired puzzles and strong art direction do their best to carry the experience, and at times, they succeed. Still, the technical issues and uneven gameplay stop it from reaching its full potential. Even so, there’s enough creativity here to make it a memorable, if flawed, horror adventure.

Written by: Dylan Kocins