Anxiety Arcade is a short, surreal narrative game about living with anxiety — and how it feels when your own thoughts turn into puzzles.

Each room is a song in an album — each puzzle another step deeper into your own head.
Bleak, funny, and bizarre, Anxiety Arcade looks at anxiety through the lens of those that experience it, rather than trying yo fix it.

Originally built as a full-sized arcade cabinet installation, Anxiety Arcade has been reimagined as a compact digital story about looping thoughts, isolation, and the moments of clarity in the chaos.

A 20–30 minute single-session narrative designed to be played in one sitting.
Retro-inspired mini-games and hidden secrets.
Surreal narrative world that blends humour and melancholy.
Secrets to discover on replay.
Original soundtrack by Jack The Robot.

Developed by Closed Forum, made possible thanks to public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

A love letter to retro video games and the chaos of the human mind, Anxiety Arcade invites you to stop, breathe, and press X to start.

Anxiety Arcade (4114990)

Progress