Playtest

I was thoroughly engaged from start to finish. Wyatt Russell delivered a powerhouse performance portraying the extremely likable protagonist. I found the concept to be quite relatable and really well-executed, although it's by no means new. The twists and turns are so effective. The way this episode ends sent shivers down my spine. The setup is a bit longer than it should be, though.

I know this may be an unpopular opinion to have but this is my highest rated, and probably my favourite, Black Mirror episode I've seen so far.

(9/10)

Would you kindly watch this episode?

Such an amazingly inside video game reference! I'm surprised that no one else has pointed it out yet.

I'm sure that there are many other insider references that I may not have picked up on, but having the protagonist perform an action by requesting that he kindly open the door is so very satisfying.

Acting from all players is great, no issues here. And the Japanese that is used is actually pronounced very well, even from the non- Japanese actors (something that is still EXTREMELY rare in TV/Movies).

Every episode of Black Mirror is excellent, in my opinion. This one is no exception. Playtest leaves the viewer with a few questions and much food for thought; which is standard procedure for Black Mirror all around. Highly recommend all episodes, and this one simply for the Bioshock reference above. Brilliant!

Imagine a VR (virtual reality) horror game that reads your subconsciousness and personalizes itself by adapting to your deepest fears, so real (because everything takes place in your head) that your mind is not capable of distinguishing it from reality.

"Playtest" is a psychological horror mindfak, set in the environment of a retro "haunted house". The futuristic but potentially realistic premise, charismatic characters, great acting and directing, and an atmosphere similar to Poe or Lovecraft, make it my favorite episode so far. And the plot twists, although unoriginal, are only seemingly predictable and managed to surprise me and leave me under a strong impression.

8,5/10.

I watched this episode with my 19year old son. At the end I asked, what's the moral of this story? Always answer when your mom calls!!

I won't repeat what other top-rated reviewers wrote.

As a gamer, I took a pause at the shot when Cooper went through Sonja's video game collection. I was impressed that most games there are classic horror games like Dead Space, ranging from last-gen to current-gen consoles. I've seen many films where games were just meaningless items in the living room. But clearly the crew here did their homework or are gamers themselves. The scene was around the initial buildup and is a clue to whomever pays attention, and therefore convinced me to watch on.

The other convincing aspect: In many other horror films, the characters are plain stupid and don't know when to quit. They touch things that look obviously dangerous, stay in danger when it's time to bail, and finally die with zero sympathy from the audience because they are just way too stupid to be real. The protagonist here knows the technology, has basic logic, and reacts to events the way that an average person would do. The most impressive part is that the reactions develop from event to event; the acting in lots of other horror films fails to deliver this and so easily falls flat by cloning the same level of excitement throughout.

Compared to the X-Files Season 7 episode "First Person Shooter" almost 20 years ago, this episode shows what the similar concept could be delivered if a more serious angle is taken, the research done right, and the production details attended to.

The only reason why I didn't give it a 10 star is Sonja. I feel that this character didn't receive a full closure.