Ever played the adorable adventure games Machinarium, Chuchel, Samorost, Botanicula? Super cute, delightfully trippy games with an unmistakable style, all from the Czech studio Amanita Design.

At some point, though, these guys went completely off the rails and made a horror game. The disclaimer at the start spells it out loud and clear:

"Happy Game" is not a happy game.

You play as a child (I’m guessing a 6-year-old boy) trapped in nightmares, and your job is to help him navigate these horrors—finding his ball, his dog, and so on. Gameplay-wise, it’s still classic Amanita point-and-click: move your mouse around, stretch and rip the limbs off eldritch creatures, raise adorable little guillotines—you know, wholesome stuff.

The game is acidic, deeply psychedelic, and packed with brutally cynical humor. Honestly, some modern horror films could learn a thing or two from this kind of presentation. The whole ride lasts just 2–3 hours—short enough to stay fresh without wearing out its welcome. Major props to the devs for their sense of restraint.

Beneath the nightmare-fuel exterior, there's a clear theme about PTSD and the terror of facing fears alone, without support. And the game straight-up mocks toxic positivity from the very poster: cute bunnies everywhere (oh god, the bunnies...), smiles all around—while reality is an absolute fucking nightmare. It’s not just a game, it’s a statement.

If you can handle sudden bursts of graphic horror and don’t have photosensitive epilepsy—dive in, no fear, no regrets.