Info about THE LONGING: Official game description: Buzz ==== * _"Players can expect one of the most unusual video games of the year with The Longing from Studio Seufz"_ \- heise.de, Germany * _"A very original and atmospheric gaming experience and a fascinating experiment."_ **82/100** - PC Gamer, Sweden * _"\[...\] we wish to accompany the Shade throughout his life, and he will accompany us even in our absences."_ **90/100** - , Spain * _"The Longing shows beautiful art and unhurried gameplay."_ **4.2/5** - , Brazil * _"The only flaw I can find in this little pearl is that we will hardly replay it, but it was created as a unique experience and so it will be for all those who buy it. You will not regret."_ **95/100** - pcguru.hu * _"The Longing is a fascinating adventure as long as you remember that it is not intended to be played in one, or even ten, sessions. "_ **80/100** - , Finland About the Game ============== Unusual mix of an adventure and an idle-game. --------------------------------------------- Play as a lonely Shade, the last servant of a king who once ruled an underground kingdom. The king's powers have faded and he falls asleep for 400 days to regain his might. It is your duty to stay in the earthen palace until he awakens. As soon as you start, the game inevitably counts down the 400 days - even when you stop playing and exit the game. It is now up to you to decide what to do with your solitary existence beneath the soil. Don't stress yourself, you have plenty of time. Choose your playing style ------------------------- Start the game and simply come back after 400 days to see how it ends. You actually don't have to play the game at all. But the Shade will be even more lonely without you. Or explore the caves and collect items for your comfortable underground living room. Just send the Shade to take a stroll - the walking speed is slow, but luckily there is no need to hurry. Read tons of classic literature from Nietzsche to Moby Dick right in the game - or at least have the shade read them. After all, time goes by faster if you learn to keep your mind occupied. (The little Shade in the game finds ONLY English books for now.) Ignore the king's commands and advance to the outer regions the cave. It will be a long and dangerous journey into darkness... Features -------- * _Slow exploration of a vast, hand-drawn cave._ * _Atmospheric Dungeon Synth soundtrack._ * _Various endings._ * _Lots of well hidden secrets._ * _Time-based puzzles._ * _A lonely but cute protagonist._ **NOTE: The game time keeps counting down even if you quit the game or shut down your computer.** Release date: Mar 5, 2020 Categories: Time-based Mechanics, Exploration, Environmental Storytelling, Meditative Gameplay, Single-player, Puzzle Solving, Choice-based Narrative, Atmospheric Horror - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: No data - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: No data Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Strong emotional connection to Shade (weight 0.97): The Shade character is deeply endearing, fostering emotional attachment and companionship over time. Players appreciate the subtle interactions, dialogue, and the character's growth as they decorate their home. - Thought-provoking themes of time and solitude (weight 0.94): The game encourages reflection on existential themes like patience, loneliness, and the passage of time. Its narrative structure and slow pacing create a meditative experience that resonates deeply with players seeking meaning in stillness. - Rewarding exploration and secrets (weight 0.89): Exploring caves, uncovering secrets, and discovering hidden details are central to the experience. Players enjoy the sense of achievement from mapping the world, solving puzzles, and finding collectibles that enhance gameplay. - Immersive and cozy atmosphere (weight 0.88): Players consistently praise the game's unique, meditative atmosphere, describing it as cozy, immersive, and reminiscent of 90s fantasy films. The art style, ambient sound, and slow-paced design create a calming and emotionally engaging experience. - Home decoration and customization (weight 0.82): Decorating the Shade's home is a joyful and rewarding mechanic. Players enjoy collecting items, painting walls, and arranging furniture, which not only speeds up time but also deepens their connection to the game world. - High-quality art and sound design (weight 0.79): The hand-drawn visuals, melancholic soundtrack, and ambient sound effects (e.g., crackling firewood) are frequently highlighted as masterful. The art style and music enhance immersion and emotional impact. - Activities to pass time meaningfully (weight 0.09): In-game activities like reading books, drawing, or exploring provide engaging ways to accelerate time. These mechanics align with the game's themes of mindfulness and self-care, making waiting feel purposeful. Common complaints: - Slow pacing frustrates players (weight 0.38): The game's deliberately slow movement, long travel times, and lack of immediate feedback frustrate players who prefer faster-paced or more dynamic experiences. Many describe the pace as tedious, requiring excessive patience. - Lack of clear objectives reduces engagement (weight 0.26): Players report feeling directionless due to unclear goals, repetitive activities, and a lack of meaningful progression. This leads to boredom, especially in later stages or underground areas. - Underdeveloped world and mechanics (weight 0.08): The game lacks sufficient world-building, relevant in-game books, and feedback for actions. Some areas feel empty, repetitive, or mechanically simple, reducing immersion. - Time mechanics feel punishing (weight 0.08): The 400-day wait premise and time acceleration mechanics are seen as misleading or cruel, especially if players miss events or cannot engage frequently. Some report bugs with the timer. - Depressing or unfair tone (weight 0.06): The narrative's brutal reality, unforgiving decisions, and lack of humor cohesion create a depressing or unsettling experience for some players. Mechanics like the pickaxe breaking are seen as unfair. - Technical and accessibility issues (weight 0.05): Players report problems with resolution, brightness, screen size, and save management. The game also lacks adjustable audio settings and may require technical tweaks to run properly. - Puzzles require external guides (weight 0.05): Several puzzles (e.g., 'Neverending Notebook' and 'Secret Tower') are criticized as overly difficult or unclear, forcing players to rely on walkthroughs to progress without frustration. - Artistic but not a traditional game (weight 0.03): The game is praised for its reflection and symbolism but criticized as more of an art project than a video game. Its minimalist gameplay loop may feel empty or mocking to those seeking stimulation. Gameplay feedback: - Real-time 400-day waiting mechanic (weight 0.96): The game features a core mechanic where players must wait 400 real-time days for key events, such as awakening the king or unlocking endings. This design emphasizes patience and long-term engagement, even when the game is closed. - Slow-paced exploration and discovery (weight 0.9): Gameplay revolves around deliberate, slow-paced exploration of underground caves, with no fast travel or sprinting. Players uncover secrets, hidden treasures, and environmental details through observation and patience. - Multiple narrative-driven endings (weight 0.75): The game offers multiple endings (e.g., 'Bad Well,' 'Wake the King') based on player choices, actions, and patience. Some endings require specific conditions, such as waiting 400 days or discovering hidden paths. - Time manipulation and acceleration (weight 0.65): Players can manipulate time by decorating their cave, reading books, or engaging in activities like drawing. These actions speed up the in-game clock, reducing the 400-day wait or triggering events faster. - Puzzle-solving through waiting (weight 0.6): Many puzzles require players to wait for environmental changes, such as moss growth, water filling a hole, or spider webs forming. This design reinforces the game's focus on patience and observation. - No traditional gameplay pressure (weight 0.53): The game lacks combat, health bars, or time-sensitive challenges. Instead, it encourages players to engage at their own pace, with no forced objectives or stress-inducing mechanics. - Navigation and memory system (weight 0.45): Players mark significant locations ('memories') for quick travel, as the game features a large, labyrinthine cave system. This system aids exploration without breaking the slow-paced design. - Real-time progression offline (weight 0.44): The game continues progressing even when closed, with the 400-day timer running in real time. This design ensures that patience is rewarded, even without active play. - Home customization and Shade care (weight 0.35): Players decorate and expand their underground home, which affects the Shade's emotions and speeds up time. Activities include collecting items, painting, and furnishing the cave to create a comfortable space. - In-game book reading mechanics (weight 0.29): Players can collect and read public domain books, which serve as both a time-passing activity and a narrative device. Reading accelerates time and deepens the game's atmospheric experience. - Minimalist art and dark setting (weight 0.03): The game features a dark, gloomy, and minimalist art style that complements its themes of solitude and introspection. The underground world is dense with hidden details and secrets. Performance notes: - Multi-monitor display issues (weight 0.03): Players report brightness inconsistencies and full-screen mode locking on secondary monitors, along with difficulties adjusting screen size. These issues disrupt immersion and usability in multi-monitor setups. - Progress loss on restart (weight 0.02): Players experience failed restarts (e.g., on new machines) and unexpected progress loss, undermining long-term engagement and trust in save system reliability. - Gameplay bugs after extended play (weight 0.02): Prolonged sessions reveal programming flaws, such as unintended resource consumption (e.g., painting) and incorrect location tracking. These bugs degrade core gameplay mechanics over time. - Limited windowed mode customization (weight 0.02): The windowed mode is criticized for being too small and unresizable, with no in-game settings to adjust resolution or window dimensions. This restricts accessibility for players with non-standard displays. Recommendations: - Niche but rewarding experience (weight 0.41): The game is highly recommended for patient players who enjoy slow-paced, meditative, or existential experiences, but it is explicitly not recommended for those seeking action, instant gratification, or traditional narratives. Its appeal is limited to a specific audience. - Requires patience and tolerance for slowness (weight 0.39): The game is frequently recommended for players with strong patience, as it features slow progress, idle mechanics, and long waiting times. It is not suitable for those who dislike unhurried gameplay or lack patience. - Best for exploration and relaxation (weight 0.39): The game is ideal for players who enjoy exploration, decorating, and cozy atmospheres, often compared to *Stardew Valley* or *Fran Bow*. It is recommended for casual, background play or as a calming experience. - Not for action or fast-paced fans (weight 0.32): The game is explicitly not recommended for players who prefer fast-paced, high-adrenaline, or dynamic gameplay. It is designed for those who appreciate mindfulness and deliberate engagement. - Artistic and emotional depth (weight 0.28): Players describe the game as a 'complete work of art' with deep emotional storytelling, philosophical themes, and introspective value. It is praised for its unique artistic direction and ability to evoke reflection. - Bugs may detract from experience (weight 0.21): A small subset of players do not recommend the game due to technical issues or bugs, which can disrupt the otherwise immersive experience. - Avoid spoilers for full enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players strongly advise going in blind and avoiding walkthroughs or spoilers to preserve the game’s unique, experiential nature. Experimenting with different endings is encouraged on subsequent playthroughs. - Accessible for neurodivergent players (weight 0.09): The game is recommended for players with ADHD or autism due to its non-overwhelming, slow-paced, and contemplative nature. It provides a calming experience without time pressure. - Unique offline progression (weight 0.01): The game’s clock advances even when offline, which is a notable feature for players who may not have continuous playtime. This mechanic aligns with its slow-paced design. - Author’s story enhances experience (weight 0.01): Some players suggest reading the author’s story to deepen their appreciation of the game’s themes and narrative, though this is a niche recommendation. Other player notes: - Accessibility for wheelchair users (weight 0.04): The game’s design and themes resonate with wheelchair users, highlighting its inclusive and thoughtful accessibility features. This aspect is noted as a meaningful and unique strength. - COVID-19 and societal themes (weight 0.03): The game’s exploration of COVID-19 and societal impact is noted, though this feedback may reflect external influences rather than core gameplay. This could be seen as a niche or context-specific observation. - Achievements and replay value (weight 0.02): Players mention completing multiple endings and engaging with Steam achievements, indicating the game offers some level of replayability or goal-oriented progression. - Price concerns and discounts (weight 0.01): Many players feel the game is overpriced at full cost and recommend waiting for a discount. This suggests a perception of limited value for the initial asking price. - Comparisons to other narrative games (weight 0.01): The game is frequently compared to titles like 'Undertale' and 'Life is Strange,' suggesting it shares similarities in storytelling, emotional depth, or gameplay mechanics with these well-known games. Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.12): Players frequently cite slow character movement, pacing issues, and long travel times as major sources of frustration. Technical flaws, such as bugs, performance issues, and unfair achievement requirements, further exacerbate the experience, making progression feel tedious or impossible without external help. - Curiosity (weight 0.07): The game's cryptic puzzles, hidden secrets, and multiple endings drive curiosity, as players explore the subterranean world and uncover its mysteries. The unique 400-day countdown and thematic depth also invite players to engage with its slow-burn narrative and unravel its story over time. - Appreciation (weight 0.06): Players appreciate the game's thematic depth, meditative qualities, and unique approach to time and patience. The art style, soundtrack, and attention to detail in design are frequently praised for creating an unconventional and emotionally resonant experience. - Disappointment (weight 0.05): Disappointment stems from unmet expectations, particularly regarding the game's ending, which many find anticlimactic or underdeveloped. The time acceleration mechanics and perceived lack of engaging content or narrative depth also contribute to a sense of the game sabotaging its own premise. - Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Players derive satisfaction from the game's unique indie experience, particularly its calm and meditative pacing. Discovering new areas, manipulating time mechanics, and achieving specific endings or achievements provide small but meaningful rewards, especially for those who embrace the game's slow-burn design. - Nostalgia (weight 0.04): The game evokes nostalgia through its reminiscent art style and themes, drawing comparisons to 90s point-and-click adventures and childhood experiences. Players reflect on their personal journey with the game, often revisiting it after long periods and forming emotional attachments to its characters and story. - Affection (weight 0.03): Players develop strong emotional bonds with the Shade character, often treating it like a pet or companion. The game's daily check-ins, cute artwork, and dialogue foster a sense of attachment, making the experience feel personal and heartwarming. - Reflection (weight 0.03): The game prompts deep reflection on themes of time, solitude, and existential purpose. Its slow pacing and philosophical undertones encourage players to reconsider their own life choices and the passage of time, creating a thought-provoking experience. - Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement is driven by the game's exploration, customization, and long-duration gameplay. Players are hooked by its unique mechanics, such as speedrunning potential and daily discoveries, as well as its atmospheric music and art style. - Awe (weight 0.02): The game's narrative depth, artistic innovation, and attention to detail inspire awe. Players are captivated by its surreal atmosphere, silent yet expressive creatures, and the emotional weight of its themes, which set it apart as a uniquely immersive experience. - Melancholy (weight 0.02): The game's themes of loneliness, existential waiting, and the passage of time evoke melancholy, particularly upon completion. Players often reflect on the emotional weight of the Shade's journey and their own personal struggles, creating a bittersweet experience. - Joy (weight 0.02): Joy arises from the game's cozy atmosphere, exploration, and imaginative gameplay. Players enjoy its casual, stress-free moments, such as decorating spaces and uncovering secrets, which align with personal preferences for non-violent, puzzle-driven experiences. - Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the game's faultless execution of its vision, praising its originality, narrative depth, and immersive experience. The soundtrack, art style, and philosophical themes are frequently highlighted as standout elements that elevate the game above conventional designs. - Loneliness (weight 0.02): The game's oppressive solitude and themes of isolation resonate deeply with players, particularly through the Shade's quiet existence and yearning for purpose. The slow progression and somber atmosphere amplify the sense of companionship players feel with the character, despite its solitary nature. - Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Players enjoy the game's charm, exploration, and cozy moments, particularly its slow-paced and atmospheric gameplay. Engaging with the Shade's dialogue, uncovering secrets, and immersing themselves in the world provide a fresh and relaxing experience. - Contentment (weight 0.02): The game's slow pace, relaxing atmosphere, and stress-free gameplay create a sense of contentment. Players who enjoy detail-oriented and meditative experiences find it particularly satisfying, as it aligns with their preferred playstyle. - Attachment (weight 0.02): Players form strong emotional bonds with the Shade character, often describing it as a companion or pet. The investment in the Shade's story and well-being fosters a deep sense of attachment, making the game feel like a personal journey. - Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation builds as players wait for daily events, multiple endings, and the results of their choices. The game's time-based mechanics and hidden secrets encourage players to look forward to future discoveries and the unfolding of the Shade's story. - Relaxation (weight 0.02): The game's slow pace, soothing music, and atmospheric design make it ideal for unwinding. Players use it as a stress-free escape, often engaging in auto-walking or listening to music while enjoying its calming ambiance. - Amusement (weight 0.02): The game's unique design, such as its 400-day completion requirement and the Shade's humorous or tragicomic comments, amuses players. Embracing its slowness and quirky mechanics adds a layer of enjoyment, particularly for those who appreciate its unconventional approach.}