MR. ELEVATOR
Our verdict
7/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 6–12 h
Mr. Elevator is an odd first-person puzzle adventure from a small Japanese team. Five strangers board a talking elevator and descend into a surreal otherworld drawn to look like early Windows Paint, where you knock on doors, listen to symbols and sounds, and use found objects with separate left- and right-hand controls. It suits players who like strange, lateral-thinking puzzle games more than tidy escape rooms.
Eight of its nine Steam reviews are positive, though only one reviewer wrote at length. That player calls it a hidden gem, praising puzzles that keep switching mechanics and a crude but striking art style, and admits reaching for a guide when solutions became obtuse. The game also picked up a PlayStation sponsor award at BitSummit 2024.
The same review flags missing subtitles, sluggish controls and some moon logic. With so few reviews, reception is still thin, but at a modest price it is worth a try if offbeat visuals and lateral puzzles appeal; skip it if you want fair, clearly signposted logic.
Pros
- Striking MS Paint-style otherworld unlike any other puzzle game
- Puzzles keep changing mechanics: sounds, symbols, tools
- Two-handed object controls make item use feel physical
Cons
- Some solutions lean on obtuse, moon-logic leaps
- No subtitles and controls feel unresponsive
- Very few reviews so far to judge it by
About
"BitSummit 2024 Sponsor Award PlayStation®PRIZE, INNOVATIVE OUTLAW AWARD NOMINEE"
This is an adventure game where five protagonists—men and women who boarded the enigmatic talking elevator, "Mr. Elevator"—solve puzzles in a mysterious otherworld they are lost in, searching for what each of them seeks. Freely explore the unique world, drawn in the style of early Windows Paint software, and thoroughly enjoy the puzzles that appear before you.
I'm Mr. Elevator.
Are you looking for something?
If you're in trouble, I might be able to help.
It seems that five men and women have wandered in here.
Are you... looking for someone?There are many doors lined up. Let's try knocking or hitting them.
Oh, the door opened.
Sometimes you may walk in the dark,
And in vast fields, you may encounter strange creatures or stone statues.
Does a broken smartphone have any use?
This looks good for turning screws.
Sometimes you might hold a book and think about how to use the items you found,
And you might listen to a walkie-talkie.
How is it? Do you think you'll find what you're looking for?
If you like, you can take your time to find what you're looking for.I'll always be watching over you.
■How to Play (Press Esc to show)
Move: W, A, S, D
View: Move mouse
Run: Shift
Right hand: Right mouse button
Left hand: Left mouse button
Move cursor: Move mouse while holding a mouse button
Action (while pointing the cursor at an object you can interact with):
Right hand: 3, 4, C, V
Left hand: 1, 2, Z, X
Switch Items
Right hand: E
Left hand: Q
Zoom Item (while holding an item):
Both hands: Hold both mouse buttons
Switch Cursor (when hands are out): Shift
