Game Review: The Flayed Man (2025)
The Flayed Man functions as an archetypal figure of incarnate vulnerability, representing the loss of protective identity and the exposure of one's innermost self. This image conveys a state of being wholly at the mercy of external forces, often implying that further suffering is imminent. From the myth of Marsyas to the paintings of Michelangelo, the motif recurs throughout literature and art as a potent symbol of sacrifice, revelation, and the possibility of redemption through suffering.
Here, the player takes the role of a literal flayed man: skinless, tongue-less, without thought or perspective until a demon in the garden of this strange pocket realm returns their thoughts to them. There’s a blood moon overhead, and various fixtures of Classical antiquity around the environs. It’s a Pandemonic point-and-click title, where the player character solves puzzles and ultimately stands as judge to three lost souls who appear throughout the game.
From a gameplay perspective, you roam the house, searching the environs, combining items or using them to alter each other. There’s an optional hint system you can enable at the start that should keep you moving, although I didn’t find the puzzles especially difficult. Once certain tasks are complete, a lost soul arrives to tell their story, answer questions, and ultimately receive condemnation or forgiveness from the player.
It’s an interesting premise, and as short as the game is (perhaps thirty minutes on your first playthrough), the writing here is adequately effective, and the atmosphere created serves the aim of the game. There are multiple endings and various achievements for making different choices, so there’s good reason to play through the game a few times. It’s the kind of small indie game project that serves as a proof-of-concept, showing that the person behind it perhaps deserves a crack at making something bigger.
Beyond the puzzles, there are no real choices or paths apart from electing to ultimately condemn or forgive the lost souls, but the game is patient and does a solid job of creating three scenarios where players might reasonably end up on different sides of a moral argument. Some of the stories deal with some heavy subject matter, and players who are sensitive to certain topics should educate themselves accordingly before picking up the title.
I really enjoyed The Flayed Man. I think its thematic resonance and storytelling elements are exceptional and effective given its short duration, and I’d love to see a larger offering from Snoring Dog Games. I’m not sure how much this will resonate with modern gamers, as it plays out like a theatrical interpretation of a classic allegory, but I think it's a great option for people who appreciate horror, Classics, or point-and-clicks.
Score: 7.0
Strengths
Solid writing, theme, and music
Interesting ethical questions for a short game
Cohesive art style
Weaknesses
Very short
Potentially disturbing subject matter
May not have a wide audience
You can purchase The Flayed Man on Steam.
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