Ten Bells
Genres: Puzzle, Horror, Thriller, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 30-8-2024
Developer: Hillfort Games
Our verdict
8.5/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 1–3 h
Ten Bells is a single-player anomaly horror game set in a looping old English pub. Each pass through the building, you decide whether something has changed: if all is normal you carry on, and if you spot an anomaly you turn back. More than 55 anomalies range from subtle to deadly, and objects you collect piece together a ghost story about the pub's past. It suits players who like spot-the-difference horror in short, tense sessions.
Players love it, with about 97% of 446 Steam reviews positive. Tag votes lean towards psychological horror, dark atmosphere and walking sim, plus a sizeable escape room vote. The few written reviews call it one of the most polished games in the anomaly genre and say it holds up for repeat runs. The developer puts a full run at roughly 80 minutes to three hours.
The complaints in the written reviews are small but real for some players: there is no option to turn off head bobbing, which made it unplayable for one reviewer, invert-look resets every run, and the intro cannot be skipped quickly on replays. At under five dollars it is an easy recommendation for horror fans; skip it if motion sickness is an issue for you.
Pros
- 55+ anomalies in a moody looping English pub
- Collectible story items add a ghost tale to the loop
- Very cheap and quick to replay
Cons
- No option to disable head bobbing
- Settings like invert look reset each run
- Few detailed player reviews beyond the score
About
Ten Bells is an anomaly horror game set in a timeless English pub. This unsettling escape room game draws you into a world of surreal anomalies and a hidden story, where every detail matters and the ghostly past lingers.
On Ten Bells:
“For real; W game no lie.” - CaseOh
"I started the game half-hearted and taking the p***, but by the end, I was fully tensed up and immersed. Nice job, Ten Bells!" - Yahtzee, SecondWind
"This Is THE BEST Anomaly Horror Game Ever Made." - The Outer Middle Show
"[Clapping on stream to 14m followers] This is one of the best anomaly games that i've ever seen." - Windah Basudara
"The SCARIEST Anomaly Horror Game..." - POiiSED
"The BEST Anomaly HORROR Game EVER Made". - SWOL
"I've played almost every single anomaly loop game out there, and I can safely say this one surpasses them all by an enormous amount." - Thorlar
Ten Bells is a Spot-the-Difference Anomaly Horror
Explore the eerie timeless pub
If you don't find any anomalies, progress onwards
If you spot an anomaly; go back the way you came
Evade traps and the inhabitants of the pub
Unravel the mystery through collected items
Reach and eventually escape the Ten Bells
...if you can.
Over 55 Anomalies: Discover anomalies to progress and uncover the story. Anomalies can be subtle, surreal, scary or deadly.
Unfolding Narrative: Discover objects that contain story elements, helping you piece together the spooky tale of the pub’s ghostly inhabitants.
Play Time: Perfect for a captivating stream or a chilling solo session, with gameplay ranging from 20 minutes to an hour. Full game from 1 hour 20 minutes to 3 hours.
Will you escape the pub and uncover the dark secrets of Ten Bells? Scour the pub, find the anomalies, and experience the horror for yourself.
