The Sandman

Note: This review was written during Spring Thing 2025, and originally posted in the intfiction forum on 24 April 2025.

"The world is ending. Will you be awake to see it?"

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play this. Things are bleak enough in the real world in many respects right now! But it’s called me in, so here goes.

First up I turned the sound off. it’s very atmospheric and brooding, but distracted me too much from reading the text. which is my core focus.

In the game you’re one of the last survivors of a virus, seeking sanctuary with your two children. And above all to survive you have to stay awake, and keep your children awake too. And then you meet the mysterious man.

It’s an episodic day by day adventure, where if you can keep going you can play for longer. I got to (Spoiler - click to show)day 11, and then had no viable option but to (Spoiler - click to show)go to sleep. But at least it felt like a satisfying ending.

However it’s a difficult game emotionally. And a lot of the more interesting discussions are uncovered by talking to the old man, which increases the risk of your children dying. Which left me really not knowing what to feel for much of the time.

Helplessness I suppose. It did not leave me in a happy place emotionally! Though that’s thanks to the quality and emotiveness of the writing. I did hang on at one point to the core idea and importance of (Spoiler - click to show)love though.

It’s definitely a game that deserves replaying, though like me you may get to the point where you can’t get further. I liked how it invited you to name your character and your children. And also how this was remembered when you replayed, if you wanted, so you didn’t need to reenter the details every time.

But it is extremely bleak, and will be too much for some players.

You face an unusual apocalypse. One which will put you to sleep forever as soon as you fall asleep. You can either give in to this mysterious condition, or fight it by staying awake for as long as you can.

It took me a bit of time to figure out how to 'survive' to the next day and after without falling asleep forever on the first day. Still, even once you figure out the steps, you get the dark sense that you are only keeping the inevitable at bay for a short time. The writing and conversations with the other characters also help to convey the hopelessness of the situation, and perhaps a certain sense of acceptance and tranquility they might find within. If you find yourself in the position where you are the sole survivor, the situation also takes its toll on you. If you can survive well over ten days, the choices all around you work to show that the inevitable is right around the corner.

I don't think there is a way to win this, and I think that's the point. That said, there is apparently a secret ending for the game, but I don't have the energy to try unlocking it at this point.