Sportaldislexicartaphobia is an experimental horror puzzle made by Juicy Beast for Scream Jam 2025. The game takes place inside a dark art gallery where the player must locate specific objects hidden within paintings. Each object is part of a list written on the wall at the start of the session. As the player explores, the atmosphere becomes unstable and a silent observer begins to appear through flickering eyes inside the artwork. The experience blends slow exploration with timed observation, turning each glance into a potential risk.

Core Gameplay

The gameplay in Sportaldislexicartaphobia centers on searching, timing, and awareness. You must inspect paintings across the gallery, identify the required objects, and select them to mark progress. At the same time, a mysterious entity watches through the environment. The player’s task is to continue searching without maintaining direct visual contact with it, as looking too long causes an immediate loss. Each run forces careful pacing between observation and avoidance.

Main gameplay systems include:

• A list of target objects visible only at the start of the round.
• Paintings that hide the listed items in varying positions and lighting.
• A threat that reacts to the player’s line of sight and proximity.
• Limited light or energy that restricts how long you can safely search.
• Randomised item placement to keep each attempt different.

Environment And Design

The art gallery is both the setting and the puzzle. Paintings are not decorative; they form the main structure of gameplay. Some act as clues, others as distractions. The minimal lighting creates pressure and forces the player to memorise routes between walls and corridors. The sound design supports this structure through footsteps, soft breathing, and visual distortions that mark danger. The simplicity of the setting allows focus on player behavior and observation rather than action or combat.

Strategy And Progression

To advance in Sportaldislexicartaphobia, the player must learn patterns of where objects appear and how to manage the light source effectively. Looking away at the right moment becomes more important than speed. Staying still for too long invites danger, but rushing leads to mistakes. Over time, the player begins to recognise the safest distances for scanning and develops a rhythm of moving, observing, and retreating before the entity becomes active.

Sportaldislexicartaphobia transforms a hidden-object formula into a tense visual puzzle. It challenges the player to observe carefully while maintaining control over attention and movement. Each mistake teaches caution, and each success depends on adapting to small changes in lighting and placement. The game builds its tension through rules of sight rather than direct confrontation, making recognition and timing the only reliable methods of survival.