Pepper the Giant Purple Dog - DEMO: Review

« A game that’s more than meets the eye... the full version is very promising! »

We played the 20-minute demo for Pepper the Giant Purple Dog, a simulation horror game developed and published by Silvercity Sharks, slated for release in Q3 2026.

The demo opens with a VHS tape, introducing Pepper as a game that was never released / a piece of lost media. We then find ourselves in a room where we must start the game: Pepper the Giant Purple Dog.

Once it begins, we are in a bedroom inside our house and must go speak to a neighbor standing at our door; shortly after, we are introduced to Pepper, the giant dog. We won’t spoil the demo in this blog, so don’t hesitate to go play it for yourself for free on Steam!

Review

There are many positives to take away from this demo. The lore and the mystery surrounding the lost media concept are very well established right from the start, featuring a highly successful retro aesthetic. In some ways, it might recall the feeling of Amanda the Adventurer, with its mix of tapes and real life, except this time, the game itself plays a much more significant and interesting role.

In terms of gameplay, the demo doesn't offer much variety yet (which is to be expected), but it doesn't seem to promise a game filled with long, difficult puzzles... rather, it leans toward a series of stages and quests with various tasks to complete.

Finally, in terms of horror, the game has a truly heavy, oppressive atmosphere from the beginning, with a very unsettling vibe. Some of the tasks you have to perform in the demo are creepy and successfully instill a sense of unease. The end of the demo, is particularly intense, especially when you head into the woods behind the houses... We'll let you discover it for yourself!

What we hope for the final game when it releases in Q3 2026 is that it maintains this well-executed atmosphere and establishes lore that differentiates itself from the "abandoned horror game" tropes we are already familiar with.

If you want to test the demo right now for free, head over to Steam! Also, check out our Pepper the Giant Purple Dog page in the Games catalog for more information.

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- Fantime Horror

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