Inside the Nuclear Shelter Was a Pink “Otaku Room”!? CRITICAL REFLEX’s Booth, Known for “Mouthwashing,” Was Amazing [TGS2026]

At the “Tokyo Game Show 2026,” held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 20, 2026, “CRITICAL REFLEX”—a publisher known for releasing memorable games, particularly horror titles such as *Mouthwashing* and *No, I’m not a Human*—also had a booth.

The tanuki from *TANUKI: Pon’s Summer* also made an appearance at the booth. Players who tried the demo could spin a capsule toy machine to receive freebies such as stickers, pins, and T-shirts.In addition, the new character “shiaru-chan” was unveiled. Surprisingly, she even has voice acting, provided by voice actress Yumiri Hanamori.

The menu screen, packed with CRITICAL REFLEX games, is full of playful touches—for example, when you select a game, Shiaru-chan speaks directly to you. The highlight, however, is the “escape game” set in the nuclear shelter installed at the booth.

I got to experience the escape game prepared by CRITICAL REFLEX, so in this article, I’ll introduce what the shelter looks like inside and the details of the game.

The Shelter Is Filled with CR-chan’s Favorite Things

Before entering the shelter, you’ll first have a conversation with CR-chan on the panel on the left. The dialogue options are illustrated, and the design is meticulously detailed. There are even some tricky questions, like “What’s your favorite CRITICAL REFLEX game?”

She’ll then tell you the code to enter into the panel next to her. Enter the code as instructed, and you’ll finally step inside the shelter.

Once inside, you’ll find a room packed to the brim with “otaku” goods bathed in pink lighting. Not only are there items themed after CRITICAL REFLEX games, but figures, tapestries, and plush toys from various anime and games are crammed in every available space. You can tell exactly what CR-chan’s tastes are just at a glance.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume and attention to detail, but this escape game has a time limit of just five minutes. I force myself to resist the urge to stare in awe and start taking action to escape. First, using the message displayed on the decorated mini-computer on the desk and the audio hints from CR-chan as clues, I search for the item marked with a star.

While searching the room, I discover an “Energeka” marked with a star. This is an item that appears in *No, I’m not a Human*. I align the star symbols on the authentication panel connected to the mini-computer and move on to find the next item.

I found one item, then another… but ran out of time before I could find them all. With a heavy heart, I left the shelter. However, this space—a blend of fairy-tale charm and dark, edgy vibes—is simply astonishing, both in the sheer volume of goods and furniture crammed inside and the meticulous attention to detail. Just being able to step inside here is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

It was an escape game set in such a meticulously crafted room that it almost felt like a shame it could only be experienced at the “Tokyo Game Show.” This booth really had me looking forward not just to the game itself, but also to the creative concepts they’ll use to entertain visitors next year.