Side Effects is a minimalist survival strategy game set in a cold, clinical room where two subjects take turns swallowing mysterious pills. The rules are simple: survive longer than your opponent. Each capsule could heal, harm, or kill. There are no lifelines, no elaborate puzzles—only your instincts and a few experimental tools to bend the odds in your favor. The tension builds with every round, as uncertainty grows and the line between strategy and luck begins to blur.

Decision Making Under Pressure

Every turn in Side Effects is a gamble. You and your opponent alternate choosing pills from a shared tray, each unmarked and unpredictable. Resistance, the game’s core stat, decreases based on the pill’s side effects. Some may boost it temporarily. Others might instantly end your run. In between rounds, players receive optional items like clamps, syringes, or filters that slightly increase the chance of survival—or fake security. There’s no guarantee anything will help.

During the match, you’ll often need to:

•         Monitor your resistance and act before it runs out
•         Choose pills blindly or with the help of an item
•         Observe your opponent’s reactions and adapt
•         Decide when to risk, when to delay, and when to bluff
•         Rely on limited knowledge to outlast the other

Each round becomes a psychological standoff as much as a survival challenge.

The Opponent Isn’t the Only Threat

Although the format appears simple, the deeper challenge lies in your own nerves. Every decision carries permanent consequences, and the absence of music or heavy UI makes each silence deafening. The sterile design of the environment only enhances the unease—white walls, metal trays, faint buzzing, and the quiet sound of swallowing or breathing. The AI opponent mimics uncertainty, hesitating, bluffing, or acting bold, forcing you to question your strategy at every step.

Style And Atmosphere

The game’s design leans on subtlety rather than spectacle. Animations are minimal but precise. Lighting is sharp, shadows deep, and the sound design relies on the tension between silence and small, amplified moments. The lack of narrative leaves room for interpretation: are the players prisoners? Volunteers? Is the experiment even real? By stripping away explanation, Side Effects makes room for raw gameplay and emotional reaction.

Side Effects is a game of choices under stress, designed to test risk tolerance and focus. It’s short, intense, and highly replayable, with each run bringing new outcomes depending on how you read your opponent and how much luck you’re willing to trust. There’s no progress bar, no upgrades—just two people, one tray of pills, and a slowly ticking clock.