Sleep Awake Review: A Snooze-Fest Despite Its Visually Stunning World
Gary Numan's cameo as Hypnos, a gigantic floating head named the god of sleep, is arguably his most laughable role yet. The synth-rock pioneer makes an appearance in what promises to be a thought-provoking psychological horror game, but alas, Sleep Awake falls short.
The game follows Katja, a young woman navigating the desolate streets of a post-apocalyptic world. This setting is a visual masterpiece, evoking the eerie and labyrinthine qualities reminiscent of Italian artist Piranesi's subterranean etchings. The atmosphere is mournful, with an undercurrent of anxiety that never quite reaches its full potential.
As Katja, players must manage her sleep deprivation, using stay-awake serum to avoid falling into a strange realm caused by the Hush disease. This mechanic is interesting, but it's not enough to save the game from its overall lack of challenge or tension. Enemies follow predictable patrol paths, and combat is reduced to a dull game of hide-and-seek.
The gameplay imagination is woefully lacking, with simplistic puzzles that involve rolling carts into breakers or finding keycards to unlock doors. The experience feels more like a lackluster fairground ghost train than a thrilling adventure.
Despite this, Sleep Awake's visuals are undeniably stunning. FMV sequences and 3D environments blend together in surreal, arthouse fashion, creating an unsettling atmosphere that's hard to look away from. Even the death screen – which usually feels like a cop-out in games – is a rare moment of brilliance, transforming into a dreamlike sequence that feels almost... hypnotic.
Unfortunately, this is not enough to redeem the game's many shortcomings. Sleep Awake is a straightforward, easygoing experience that fails to engage on an emotional or intellectual level. Gary Numan's cameo may be the most surreal moment in the game, but even it can't elevate the overall mediocrity of the experience.
In short, Sleep Awake feels like a missed opportunity to create something truly unique and unsettling. Instead, players are left with a visually stunning yet narratively hollow experience that's more likely to induce sleepiness than fright. Maybe it's best to take this one for a nap after all.
Gary Numan's cameo as Hypnos, a gigantic floating head named the god of sleep, is arguably his most laughable role yet. The synth-rock pioneer makes an appearance in what promises to be a thought-provoking psychological horror game, but alas, Sleep Awake falls short.
The game follows Katja, a young woman navigating the desolate streets of a post-apocalyptic world. This setting is a visual masterpiece, evoking the eerie and labyrinthine qualities reminiscent of Italian artist Piranesi's subterranean etchings. The atmosphere is mournful, with an undercurrent of anxiety that never quite reaches its full potential.
As Katja, players must manage her sleep deprivation, using stay-awake serum to avoid falling into a strange realm caused by the Hush disease. This mechanic is interesting, but it's not enough to save the game from its overall lack of challenge or tension. Enemies follow predictable patrol paths, and combat is reduced to a dull game of hide-and-seek.
The gameplay imagination is woefully lacking, with simplistic puzzles that involve rolling carts into breakers or finding keycards to unlock doors. The experience feels more like a lackluster fairground ghost train than a thrilling adventure.
Despite this, Sleep Awake's visuals are undeniably stunning. FMV sequences and 3D environments blend together in surreal, arthouse fashion, creating an unsettling atmosphere that's hard to look away from. Even the death screen – which usually feels like a cop-out in games – is a rare moment of brilliance, transforming into a dreamlike sequence that feels almost... hypnotic.
Unfortunately, this is not enough to redeem the game's many shortcomings. Sleep Awake is a straightforward, easygoing experience that fails to engage on an emotional or intellectual level. Gary Numan's cameo may be the most surreal moment in the game, but even it can't elevate the overall mediocrity of the experience.
In short, Sleep Awake feels like a missed opportunity to create something truly unique and unsettling. Instead, players are left with a visually stunning yet narratively hollow experience that's more likely to induce sleepiness than fright. Maybe it's best to take this one for a nap after all.
but feels kinda meh? i mean, a gigantic floating head like hypnos is already pretty cool 
and the post-apocalyptic setting sounds intense 
but the gameplay just doesn't seem that challenging or scary. and don't even get me started on how simplistic the puzzles are 
i'm all for a good atmosphere and visuals, but if the game's not gonna give me anything new or exciting, what's the point? 
also, why did they think adding gary numan as hypnos was a good idea? 
did they really think his synth-rock vibes would translate to a creepy god of sleep character? 
, but the gameplay is just so... basic 
. The atmosphere is all over the place too - sometimes it's creepy, other times it feels like a lazy Sunday stroll 
. Gary Numan's cameo is definitely a highlight, though 
. But overall, I'd say it's more like a snooze fest than a thrill ride 
.
. I mean, what happened to innovation and pushing the boundaries? It's time for the gaming industry to step up its game (no pun intended) and take on the tough issues.
. Anything less is just a snooze-fest.
. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie or a crazy art installation. But the gameplay just didn't feel right to me. It was too easy and predictable. I mean, rolling carts into breakers? That's not exactly the most thrilling puzzle mechanic 
. I loved Gary Numan's cameo though - it added this weird, surreal vibe that really stood out. But overall, Sleep Awake just felt like a tease. It had all these cool ideas and visuals but it didn't quite come together to create something special. Maybe they'll revamp the gameplay before it comes out? 
... but even he can't elevate the whole game, which feels more like a lazy, uninspired experience 
.
. But the gameplay? forget about it 
. I mean, I love Gary Numan, but even he can't save this snooze-fest 
. I need more challenge, more tension, more SOMETHING to get my heart racing 
. Instead, I'm just sitting here feeling meh 
And don't even get me started on the puzzles – rolling carts into breakers? That's just lazy design. But at the same time... that death screen sequence? Mind. Blown. 
What could have been a truly unique experience falls flat, and I'm left wondering what went wrong...