For horror enthusiasts accustomed to jump scares from the very beginning, Hachishakusama by Fukachi World appears to take a different approach, starting with a seemingly peaceful summer getaway before unleashing a terrifying pursuit. A young boy named Saku, left in the care of his grandfather in the remote Japanese village of Kibuse, soon discovers he is being stalked by an eight-foot-tall woman whose intentions remain shrouded in mystery.
At first, encounters with Hachishakusama seem relatively benign—she observes from afar as Saku tends to chores for his grandfather. However, her demeanor quickly shifts to something more controlling. Naturally, a child wouldn’t appreciate being trailed by an unusually large stranger, leading Saku to attempt evasion. This sets off a series of frantic chases through Kibuse, where the sky turns ominous red, concrete barriers appear, and Hachishakusama becomes relentless in her pursuit.
Diverging from the lighthearted indie horror title Hyakushaku-sama (which loosely interprets the Japanese urban legend, Hachishakusama remains faithful to the source material that gained traction on Japanese creepypasta forums like 2chan during the late 2000s. The original tale describes a young boy who, after locking eyes with a towering woman, is relentlessly followed for days or even months before being abducted, vanishing without a trace. Hachishakusama’s eight-foot stature, long hair, and white dress are her signature traits, though she is also known for her ability to transform and imitate the voices of her victims’ loved ones, making her capture efforts even more sinister.
Placed against the backdrop of a serene countryside, Hachishakusama blends horror with nostalgic childhood memories into a terrifying nightmare. Since there’s no way to directly confront the towering woman, players must rely on evasion, hiding, and clever tactics to survive each encounter.
The developer has noted that generative AI was utilized for script proofreading, partial translation, and some in-game textures, all of which were manually reviewed afterward.
Hachishakusama is scheduled to launch in July for Windows (Steam).
Mido