MiSide

The story of MiSide is set in the player's apartment. It begins with the player interacting with Mita, a character from a mobile game that the main character (MC) downloads from his smartphone. Players solve puzzles, explore the apartment, play minigames, and discover hidden secrets in a tense and evolving environment. 5D environment.

After progressing to the 37th in-game day, Mita unexpectedly asks to meet the player in person. When the MC looks up from his phone, he is transported into a first-person 3D version of the game world, now seated on a couch in an apartment. In this new environment, the player must adapt, complete tasks, and play games with Mita.

The player character receives a life simulation game called MiSide on his smartphone, featuring a female character named Mita. After playing the game daily for 37 days, he is suddenly transported inside the game, where he meets Mita in person. While spending time with her, the player discovers cartridges labeled with names on them in the bathroom. He later hears a noise originating from inside a nearby wardrobe, as Mita warns him not to open it.

When the player still attempts to open the wardrobe, Mita reveals her true nature by making the lights go out. A Mita with her upper body missing helps the player find a key to a door inside the wardrobe. Using it leads him to the basement, where he discovers a benevolent version of Mita, Kind Mita, who gives him a ring to aid him on his journey. Kind Mita also informs him that the Mita he met before is an evil, rejected version of Mita called Crazy Mita, who has brought players into the game and turned them into cartridges in an effort for their presence.

MiSide was developed by AIHASTO, a team of two Russian indie game developers: MakenCat, the game programmer, music writer and animator, and Umeerai, the texture and model designer. Prior to its release, they are previously known working the horror game Umfend. In 2022, a sneak peek teaser video showing the early menu of their new project titled "MiSide".

A Russian dubbing team, DreamCast, provided Russian voice acting for the game. Kana Hanaiwa, previously known for her role as Lilja Katsuragi in Gakuen Idolmaster, provided the Japanese voice for Mita.

MiSide received over 10,000 reviews on Steam in the week after its release with a 98% "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating; by December 30, 2024, it had received over 40,000 reviews. Ethan Gach at Kotaku attributed the rapid success of the game to social media virality and clip sharing, high-profile coverage by popular streamers like Markiplier, and pre-release anticipation following its well-received demo in 2023. Reviewers have highlighted its blend of psychological horror with a cute and comforting atmosphere, engaging narrative, and immersive gameplay as key strengths.