The Backrooms: Lost Tape PS5 Review | A Serial VHS Found Footage Horror

Released on June 5th, 2026 through publisher Perp Games, The Backrooms: Lost Tape tries to do something somewhat different with the Backrooms property. Utilizing five episodically titled VHS tapes in a found footage style it allows players to take on the role of people who unwittingly and purposefully traverse the backrooms for their own reasons, and to their own ends as things reveal themselves in eerie silence, shrouded darkness, panicky escape, and amidst musically atmospheric maze-like madness.

Through three titled tapes, and two unknowns The Backrooms: Lost Tape puts the player in the shoes of several different protagonists, each of which get clipped into the liminal spaces whether they desired to or not. The tape of Josh for example sees a custodian of the same name who has finished cleaning what looks to be a movie theater only to find himself dropped into the Backrooms after a message pops up onscreen. It is here he stumbles upon notes of previous visitors, and wherein he attempts escape.

Josh's journey, like others', takes place in multiple different settings seemingly connected by maze-like interiors decorated in creepy ways. You'll find doorways, crawlspaces, and even exit elevators as well as unfortunate meetings with the resident monster that will pursue you should you stray off the intended pathway. Along the way environments transition from the traditional liminal spaces to heavenly skyscrapers filled with pools of water and even outdoors grassy fields with starry skies, and Potemkin villages surround by a sea filled with floating Gnome statues. It is through traversing these out of place destinations that you will eventually find and ending. It may not be the escape the main character hoped for, but it is an ending, nonetheless.

As Josh, Nikolas, or any other of the featured participants of interest you have some basic movement, and interactive mechanics that will help you as you move forward. You can walk, run, shine a flashlight, and crouch to duck under low hanging obstacles or entryways. All in the first person perspective. The rest of the experience is one of tourist level photo realism done in an unsettling and uncanny manner. It is a walking simulator where survival is the key to finishing what was started. And while exploration might seem inviting there are risks associated with taking every corridor, doorway, or entrance to an area. The threat therein is a monster who will pursue, and end your journey before it's done. Keeping moving, and choosing paths wisely are your only hope.

The Presentation ...

The Backrooms: Lost Tape is a photo realistic walking sim in the horror sense. It features uncanny environmental mazes that lead to other environments, and other mazes. Along with the dark and light contrasts in said environments, the trek through this liminal in between space is accented by crisp sound effects, eerie silence, and even moments of musical reprieve. There's even the occasional groan and inhuman growls of whatever lies in wait beyond the corners and shadows. It is a mixture of tonal and visual anomalies that culminate in the tense horror the game is meant to present. Only broken up by the occasional voice acting of some characters as they come into play.

The Verdict ...

Unless you've got the patience and persistence to see it through The Backrooms: Lost Tape is not going to be a game that appeals to you. It is a tense first-person horror experience that heightens fear around each and every turn. It's the surprise of what lies in wait that keeps the player on the edge of their seat. Through the photo realistic environments, and visuals along with the sound effects and soundtrack this trip into the Backrooms delivers the usual frights and curiosities that those who are a fan of the creepy pasta look for. It doesn't really reinvent the premise, but turns it into a found footage style experience much like the film series V/H/S has done. To that end it is alright, and at a decent price it gives you more than a single playthrough's worth of content to enjoy. I recommend it mostly to fans of the Backrooms lore, and SCP creepypastas. That and fans of found footage horror.