Squirrel Stapler (2023)

Originally a standout from *The Dread X Collection II*, *Squirrel Stapler* is a surprisingly compact horror experience, clocking in at under an hour. This title masterfully parodies the low-budget educational games of yesteryear, injecting them with a potent dose of pitch-black humor and moments of sheer, panic-inducing absurdity. Players embody a solitary man in a remote cabin, whose grim reality involves a macabre desire to restore his dismembered beloved to perceived beauty by hunting and stapling squirrels to her. However, the woods harbor a sinister guardian with a singular, unyielding commandment: "Thou shalt not staple squirrels!" David Szymanski's unique brand of unsettling creativity shines through in *Squirrel Stapler*. The game encourages stealthy hunting, offers a squirrel call for luring, and warns of larger, spectral threats, emphasizing that the player is not the apex predator. Its expansive, non-linear map is rich with peculiar educational facts about squirrels, culminating in a surreal encounter with a divine entity. The 2023 update significantly enhances this unsettling journey with a more dynamic forest, the thrilling addition of unlockable GIANT SQUIRRELS mode, a comprehensive quality-of-life overhaul for balance and UI, expanded options, full controller support, numerous bug fixes, and new unlockable content, solidifying its place as a must-play title from Szymanski.