A mysterious arcade game of unknown origin appears in a small 1980s seaside town, triggering a wave of violence, paranoia, and hallucinations among residents as its addictive effects spread like a virus. As the town descends into chaos and isolation, two teens race to uncover the truth behind the game’s sinister origins and try to save their community from total collapse.

Reader Review Summary

Set in the gentrifying seaside town of Tasker Bay during the 1980s, the novel follows high schooler Andi, who works at a local arcade called Home Video World. When her boss acquires a mysterious arcade cabinet named Polybius, the game quickly becomes the center of attention, drawing crowds and inciting obsession among the townspeople. As more residents play, a wave of violence, paranoia, hallucinations, and catatonia sweeps through the community, coinciding with a major coastal storm that isolates the town. Andi and Ro, the sheriff’s son, find themselves at the heart of the chaos, racing to uncover the origins and effects of the game as the epidemic intensifies and the town descends into disorder. The story blends elements of horror, science fiction, and thriller, drawing on the real-life urban legend of Polybius, an alleged government experiment involving a mind-altering arcade game.

Readers praised the book’s atmospheric 80s setting, the integration of video game culture, and the escalating sense of dread and paranoia. Many found the premise engaging, especially the use of the Polybius urban legend as a springboard for a mass hysteria narrative. The depiction of the town’s unraveling, the psychological and physical horror, and the rapid escalation of violence were frequently highlighted as effective. Several reviewers enjoyed the character of Andi and the dynamic between her and Ro, as well as the inclusion of multiple points of view to illustrate the epidemic’s spread. The book’s pacing in the latter half, the action-packed climax, and the vivid, sometimes gruesome imagery were also noted as strengths. Some readers appreciated the blend of nostalgia, conspiracy theories, and the investigation into the game’s origins, and a number mentioned that the book was difficult to put down once the action ramped up.

Criticisms centered on the book’s pacing, with several readers finding the middle section slow, repetitive, or bogged down by excessive telling rather than showing. The frequent shifts in point of view, sometimes within chapters or paragraphs, led to confusion and made it difficult for some to connect with the characters or keep track of the narrative. Some reviewers felt the characters lacked depth or chemistry, particularly between Andi and Ro, and that the large cast of townspeople was hard to follow. The writing style was described by some as unpolished, with grammatical errors and awkward sentence structure. The resolution of the central mystery was seen as predictable or underwhelming, with some wishing for more exploration of the game’s origins or the government conspiracy angle. The use of violence and gore, including scenes of animal harm, was off-putting to some, and a few readers felt the ending was abrupt or anticlimactic.

The book is scheduled for publication on April 29, 2025, and is classified as horror, science fiction, mystery, and thriller, with an adult audience in mind. It has drawn comparisons to Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, and 80s horror cinema, though some readers questioned the accuracy of these comparisons. The average reader rating is 3.78 out of 5, based on 249 ratings and 139 full reviews. Content warnings include violence and animal harm. The novel has generated discussion about the Polybius urban legend, with some readers inspired to research the myth further after reading. Several reviewers noted the book’s potential for adaptation to film or television, and the cover art was mentioned positively.