Slender: The Eight Pages, formerly known as Slender is a free experimental game developed by Parsec Productions. It was released as a beta in June 2012 for Windows and Mac OS X.
First of all, let's make something clear: this is not a full-fledged game. It's an experiment. A ground-testing for the sequel, 'The Arrival'. I know you've read all those "it isn't scary" reviews, but, believe me, experience it yourself first.
So why all the fuss? Because it reminded players from all around the world how survival horror changed the videogame world. When I think of this game, Silent Hill comes to my mind. Neverminding the fact that SH is a far more complex game, it has something in common with Slender: it gets under your skin. Slender: The Eight Pages made me feel like the first time I played Silent Hill. This kind of psychologic terror is incredibly effective. Even though the games uses cheap scares, the sense of being alone, defenseless is amazing.
It's a once-in-a-life-time-experience, and I say that because, after you collect that goddamn 8th page, you probably won't play the game again. There's no real incentive. You'll recommend it to your friends or whatsoever, but that's it.
If you want a story, or more variety, more 'enemies', locations, gameplay mechanics, go play it's sequel, 'The Arrival', which really manages to keep the same feel, even adding more elements to the formula.
Don't look at this game for what it could have been, for what it doesn't have. Play it for what it is.
The Eight Pages is pure concept and terror. And that's where lies it's beauty (?) lies: in its simplicity.