Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2026
The Skin Stapler
Developer Tainted Pact
The Skin Stapler is a retro-styled PSX grindhouse horror adventure set in the rotting, crime-soaked sprawl of Carrion City. Players follow jaded detective Dick Slater and his eager rookie partner Robbie Knox as they hunt a mysterious serial killer known only as The Skin Stapler. From the Steam store page
325 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Oct 8, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
85
LovedLoved
201 positive · 36 negative
95% range 80–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 201 | 36 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
88 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
544 of 604 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 325 · most liked firstOnce again we see a game created to just be played on stream and farm reactions from a guy streaming him play it. As a surge of those games continues, we are trying to remember the times where we had games that could catch your attention because they were scary, good or funny. now we see publishers create those points of "guy sucking on a hotdog like it is a ♥♥♥♥" kind of moments where streamer who sees it just goes "WTF CHAT DID YOU SEE THAT? OMG CHAT WHAT DID HE JUST DO TO THAT HOTDOG, DID…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game doesn't really succeed at anything. It never cultivates a genuinely spooky atmosphere and the dialogue is purely delivery mechanism for coworker-tier puns about weiners and poop. The voice acting is full of flubbed lines. The aesthetic is like what someone might imagine 80s slasher flicks are like without ever watching one. As other reviews have pointed out, this isn't really a horror game so much as a product purely to be played by streamers.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →(some mild spoilers in this review) i do want to preface that this isnt a hard 'no' to this game, it was just that the cons ended up outweighing the pros for me, personally. i definitely think there are people who would get enjoyment out of this game (especially streamers), but not everyone, and i was in that latter group. a shame, as i was really looking forward to this game, but ended up finding it to be rather disappointing, and by the last hour i just wanted it to be over. i'll start with…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly pains me to write a negative review. The game has a pretty good start and really captures the B horror movie aesthetic. However after the first few chapters this quickly fades. I am not kidding when I say 50% of this game is streamer bait designed to get reactions out of everyone's favorite content creators. Additionally I don't think the developers fully understand what makes a good "B movie". The humor is supposed to be derived from the ludicrous actions of the characters, narrative,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🚨GAME RELEASE!🚨 Today is the day! The Skin Stapler is out on Steam and GOG! Check out this release trailer! ⬇️ ➡️Please share it and help get the word out! #indiegame #indiegamedev #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →Not a game. This is a walkthrough with quick time events and two puzzles. The story isn't compelling. The characters aren't interesting. Each 'chapter' is just hot goth girl that the creator fetishizes getting killed. Repetitive to nauseum. This game is indicitive of a larger problem in video games. Creators will solicit famous streamers or youtubers to do voice acting in their game so the communities of these content creators will mindlessly advertise the game for them. The creator…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Okay... so where to begin? I guess it's best to keep this brief. I'm in agreement with the other reviews in several respects. 1. There is a good concept here. 2. Execution in some areas is quite good. 3. I have no idea why it's been received as positively as it has. Here's the issue: This game has good bones. There's a legitimate need for good quality horror that doesn't rely on jumpscares, and humor in horror games is sorely lacking. In addition, the parody of certain aspects of PSX games,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Skin Stapler is a horror walking simulator with several mild puzzles and minigames. Gameplay mostly involves talking to other characters and searching for clues around crime scenes. Playing minigames involves making hotdogs, making and selling donuts, cleaning bowling balls, and selling VHS tapes. The whole game plays out like an interactive grimy 1980's slasher movie. The game took 2.5 hours to complete 100%. + The art style is gorgeous. The hand crafted dirty neon environments look…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game looked like it was gonna be my sorta thing, and I gave it an hour or so, but I cant. Walking sim heavy with "potty humor" with some added streamer nonsense used for farming clips of "funny moments" would be how I'd describe it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely phenomenal game! Great humor, intriguing plot, well written characters all done in PSX style. Support developer if you can, he deserves it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game Tip: The Witch Can be Stapled I'm so grateful to be included in the upcoming game, The Skin Stapler! If you like ridiculous honour and gratuitous slashers, give the demo a whirl 🩸
unlabelledView post →Thank you for making this game 🖤 I had such a stupid amount of fun with it, but what stuck with me the most was just how much personality it has!! D. Slater is an absolute ICON, the puns were painfully good (i hate that they made me laugh soo much 😭🤣) Carrion City is a dump (affectionate) and i absolutely loved the character designs! Coming back to the office and reading your note also genuinely made me smile. This is exactly why i adore the indie scene. Weird, passionate, memorable and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →…I should call him (Game: The Skin Stapler) #gaming #gay #Twitch
unlabelledView post →I was a big fan of Tainted Pact Games' previous release, Flesh Made Fear, but even as a lifelong horror fan, I can't shake the feeling that The Skin Stapler is simply "not for me". By that I don't mean I simply disliked the game due to a divergence of personal taste in some of its shakier writing & voice acting (which is true of some early segments that feel ultimately disposable), or that certain crude jokes involving hot dogs, cream-filled doughnuts, and other phallic objects get run into…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Was actually looking forward to playing this game, unfortunately I have been horribly let down by it. Majority of the game is dialog that is horribly voice acted and the comedy is repeatedly hitting the same tone over and over again. The gameplay is dull, even for a "walking sim" standard. Your money and your time is best spent elsewhere.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Steam page is officially up for my new game, The Skin Stapper. The demo will be dropping very shortly, so keep an eye out for it! Until then, here is a little teaser! Please help spread the word and Wishlist The Skin Stapler! Link ➡️ shorturl.at/k2omL #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX
unlabelledView post →The acting in Twilight is more convincing than the voice overs in this game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm torn on this one. I kind of liked it but I also cant help but feel like it was a waste of time. This is really meant to be played by streamers for content. I'm going to have to suggest you just watch a streamer play it and save yourself ten bucks.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game got some funny parts, very few parts, as you can see on some highlight videos that you find only, its only a few scenes that get popular on TikTok, and that's for a reason. Everything else is pretty much empty, boring, cringe or forced old jokes. The voice acting is awful. It seems like it's just a game to promote theses streamers stuff. It's a lazy take to these funny short games that have become popular lately, Please try harder next time.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →2-3 hours of gameplay is alot longer than most 10/15 (full price of the game) bucks but as much as i like the music, villain, detective work and the multiple different character POVs and the game graphics. The writing itself was TOO corny at times, maybe it was some of the voice actors performances being worse than others but at some points it got old like it was trying too hard to lean on the humor side. This game is mainly just sexual humor more than anything but personally it got old after…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I giggle at a ♥♥♥♥ joke in general, but god did it get tiring hearing one every 5 mins + the "quirky" way the NPCs ate food. It just felt very idk immature? Like stuff a teen would find funny. Also some of the voice acting is a bit off. It's unfortunate because I really like the art style / aesthetic.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally, a game with some personality. A serial killer. A filthy city. Bodies stapled to walls. Neon lights. VHS horror. Gore everywhere. And somehow... It's funny. That's what I like about The Skin Stapler. Most horror games are terrified of being ridiculous. They spend hours whispering at you in dark hallways, desperately hoping you'll jump. This game looks at a horrifying murder scene and basically says: "Well... that's one way to decorate." I laughed. A lot. You play Detective…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This shrimp and it's voice is unreasonably cute! Game: The Skin Stapler (free demo on steam). @taintedpactgames.bsky.social #Indiegames #Horrorgames #UpcomingGames #Liminalhorror #Creepypasta
unlabelledView post →"It puts the staple in its skin or else it gets the innuendo again" It's no secret that I dig PSX style horror. The genre is a staple in my gaming diet. I had hoped The Skin Stapler would be a solid meal, but it's more of a brown sugar pop-tart from the vending machine, not bad, but not my favorite. On the surface this reminded me of a Puppet Combo game, but I didn't hold onto that throughout my playthrough. The Skin Stapler is uniquely itself for better or worse and that should be considered…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Skin Stapler is the latest from Tainted Pact, known for games like Massacre at the Mirage and Flesh Made Fear. Probably one of the best indie horror devs working today, releasing quality games at least once a year. I'me loving this jank universe where all the games are beginning to tie together. Full disclosure I may be a little bias because I got to do some voice work in the game. But if you've played the dev's previous games you know exactly what to expect.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today, The Skin Stapler hit two big milestones! The game just surpassed 10k wishlist in 26 days, and the demo hit 50+ reviews with a 96% Very Positive rating. Thank you to everyone who has supported the game so far. It really means so much! #indiegame #indiegamedev #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →My final, revamped design for "The Skin Stapler." I really like how it came out and have some cool ideas for a short game, straight slasher-fueled comedy horror. A little mini project before I start my next major one. #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX
unlabelledView post →A look at a new location for the full release of The Skin Stapler! Underworld VHS! Owned and operated by @Scarolinetv_ Got some really fun stuff planned for this location in the game! #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →LIVE - IT'S THE LAST DAY OF THE SUBTEMBER SAMHAIN SUBTACULAR SUBATHON We're nearly at our pizza goal + a game key giveaway for THE SKIN STAPLER, and if we hit all of our goals a $100 Steam gift card giveaway is on the line! twitch.tv/skinnedteen youtube.com/@skinnedteen tiktok.com/@skinnedteen
unlabelledView post →Seemed interesting at the start. Liked the aesthetics and the whole back-and-forth mechanics where you get to play different people going about their life and then playing the detective investigating the crime scenes of the same people you previously played - really gave me that Happyhills Homicide Detroit Become Human vibe, especially with the whole trope of an old, grumpy Detective who hates everything, and he gets this new partner, and he hates him because he works solo, now he's big…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was drawn in by the stylish aesthetic but this game is I think meant for teens or something? The writing is just potty humor. There is nothing to it. If you were expecting humor or writing based on actual genre observations or character work you will be greatly disappointed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm mixed on it. On one hand, it is very polished, has a great visual aesthetic and it's pretty entertaining for the first hour or so. On the other hand, it repeats same jokes over and over again, the gameplay is very simple/repetitive and it feels cynically designed to become viral via Streamers/Tik-Tok more than something that has actual passion put into it. Outside of the kills and gross out moments, it's mainly just performing basic tasks and walking around the grungy environments. ♥♥♥♥ and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →More progress on the soundtrack for the full release of The Skin Stapler. Just finished this atmospheric track for a new section of the game I am working on. I really enjoy making music for my games. Hopefully it nails the vibe! #indiegame #indiegamedev
unlabelledView post →In case you missed it, the Demo for The Skin Stapler is now live on both Steam and Itch! It's my ode to @puppetcombo.bsky.social and @leggomygiallo.bsky.social. They have made some of my absolute favorite games. #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX Link for the game in the comments below ⬇️
unlabelledView post →I'm really excited to share this. My friend Daniel and I worked really hard on the menu music for "The Skin Stapler," my next game. I really wanted to mix my horrorsynth style with his shredding guitar, and together we made that absolute banger of a track. Hope you enjoy 🤘 #indiegamedev #synthwave
unlabelledView post →I'm a HUGE fan of retro aesthetics and you would think an exaggerated, cheesy, 80s-adult horror mystery would be fun. And it did have quite a strong introduction! But at some point, the sexual humor and innuendos felt SOOOO forced and unnatural. The diminishing returns from laughing to chuckling to sighing to eye-rolling is so real for this game. Great concept that I wish understood the idea of pacing. Props to the voice acting though and the villain design, some genuinely creepy moments…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →really fun game! i really liked that the game swaps you between different characters so that tasks never feel redundant. i wish there was more gameplay of ♥♥♥♥ and Robbie together so that the ending part could have more meaning. it'd be awesome if there were multiple endings. for example, after completing the game and having all the knowledge of the story, you can go back and save all the characters. it would really take the game to another level. i think in the future, it'd be better to not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →incredible demo had me made full purchase controls on steem easy enough to figure out no issues steemdeck ready use proton 10.4 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Skin Stapler postcards I'll be handing out at the Mix Summer Game showcase! #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →A little preview of the inspection system I am making for the full version of The Skin Stapler. When playing as Dick and Robbie, you'll have to comb through the crime scenes and search for hidden clues left by The Stapler to progress through the game. #indiedev #indiegamedev #PSX #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →Imagine a game with 14 chapters, and in every chapter, the jokes look like: c==3 ----> C=====3 Yeah, and it would be 'the skin stapler' if u can handle it for 3+ hours, then u obviously have superpowers or just negative IQ. Idk, it`s ur call Alternatively, if u want to save time and money, just look at the first line of this review and congrats, u`ve already played the demo .
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Full OST tracklist of all the tunes I wrote for The Skin Stapler, which will be released alongside the game! I put a lot of work into the soundtrack, many late nights. I hope ya'll enjoy it 🤘 #indiegame #indiegamedev #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →The Skin Stapler has been nominated for the Best Horror Game Award at the @tmgexpo.bsky.social Indie Game Showcase! 🤘😈🤘 Event Details Date: Friday, June 26, 2026 Time: 9:30 PM ET Watch: Live on Steam & YouTube Where: Neko Stage, Hall D #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →THE SKIN STAPLER Demo | Disturbing Indie Horror Game www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQEL... #CJUGames #TheSkinStapler #TaintedPact #HorrorGame #HorrorGames #HorrorGaming
unlabelledView post →Streamer slop, atrocious humor, cringe dialogue. That's what this game is about. I genuinely lost brain cells and my will to live while playing this game because it was so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ awful. The game actually had a pretty decent start, but after like 20 minutes it turned into an entire streamer bait ♥♥♥♥ show. NO, it is not entertaining to watch 5 different characters deepthroat a hotdog. NO, it is not entertaining when 5 different characters spray white liquid all over their faces. NO, it is not…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not particularly funny or scary, the 'comedy' is just endless penis/sex jokes that just get cringier and cringier. You've seen the entire game play in the first 15 and it just gets more dull from there, the same people making the same jokes and the same conversations while you perform the same tasks. There also appears to be some AI generated content with no mention of its usage, though Im not an expert. A disappointing excess of jokes and not enough horror.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's an "okay" game for $12, starts off pretty strong but gets very dull after the first couple victims, turning into a very boring walking sim. The weird sexualized way everyone interacts with food was a pretty big negative, it just took away from the atmosphere and wasn't even funny.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Somebody's Watching... 👁️_👁️ This moment is from a new game on the stream: The Skin Stapler! It's super creepy, hilarious, and really fun!😂 Looking forward to playing the rest with you. #indiegames #gamingshorts #indiehorrorgame #theskinstapler #scarymoments
unlabelledView post →violently mediocre game made for streamers/streaming where people only play it for the fanservice characters. passed the last half of the game in barely over an hour and people praise this game but ♥♥♥♥ on death stranding when i paid the same price for both. when 7 games have been pumped out in the past 4 years and most of them play the exact same, please at least try something different
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Skin Stapler is such a fun game! It really reminds you of old classic horror movies with a bunch of cheesy, sexual humor added into the mix. I was able to finish it in one sitting and can easily say I was immersed in it the entire time, at no point did it ever get boring or repetitive! Highly rec this game if you're into gruesome killers and lots of investigation!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Skin Stapler will be part of the Summer Game Showcase hosted by IndieExchange. The event starts on June 1st, and I'll be in Los Angeles on June 5th on the roof of The Grammy Museum to showcase the game in person. #indiegame #indiegamedev #TheSkinStapler
unlabelledView post →Check out this demake version of Manny from my game Massacre At The Mirage. Would you all be interested in a Massacre At The Mirage 2 done in this PSX style? Perhaps a crossover between characters from The Skin Stapler? Modeled by the talented @fehobelisk.bsky.social #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX
unlabelledView post →Did some character modelling and came up with this creepy weirdo whom I dubbed "The Skin Stapler." Not sure what I'll use him for, maybe a tiny little slasher-fueled PSX game for fun? Idk, don't know what you guys think?🤔 #indiegame #indiegamedev #PSX
unlabelledView post →the worst game i have played this year
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Had an absolute BLAST with this game. Tainted Pact has done it again. 10/10 humour and goofiness, INCREDIBLE voice acting and an art style that will always have my heart. Can't wait for more!!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Scared Skinless | THE SKIN STAPLER | Indie Horror Game www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd1H... #CJUGames #TheSkinStapler #TaintedPact #HorrorGame #HorrorGames #HorrorGaming
unlabelledView post →Just finished The Skin Stapler by @taintedpactgames.bsky.social, a wonderfully atmospheric, crass and funny, gorgeous ps1-styled giallo horror slasher. The unmistakeable art by @ruedefaux.bsky.social was a great addition too, fun spotting them in different chapters. Their best game yet!
unlabelledView post →Congratulations @taintedpactgames.bsky.social on the launch of The Skin Stapler! Super cool seeing @ruedefaux.bsky.social 's art front and centre plus @covfefechan.bsky.social 's cameo right at the start of the game. Can't wait to get stuck into more staplin'
unlabelledView post →The Skin Stapler. It's an awesome game, and I was absolutely GOBSMACKED when I saw my name in the Special Thanks. I know it may not seem like much, but it is such an honor. I am so over the moon right now. GO BUY IT store.steampowered.com/app/4310610/... @taintedpactgames.bsky.social
unlabelledView post →The dark batman we deserved but never got. RJ Green is also top quality ♥♥♥♥, 10/10, no notes. I happened upon this game RIGHT as it released with zero prior knowledge so I went in completely blind. Boy, am I glad I found it. I ended up playing the entire game in one sitting and had one of the funniest nights in a long time. Each chapter keeps you on your toes, the innuendos are hysterical without making you cringe, and the DLC is DEF worth getting. The pacing, interaction, balance between…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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