Developers often have difficulty when creating psychological horror games, as they sometimes stumble while making a game that feels too gimmicky to be as genuinely frightening. Sleep Awake, Eyes Out’s latest project, appears to be one of those rare instances where this problem doesn’t exist. Players have enjoyed this horror game, as it offers an experience that’s not only terrifying but also profoundly memorable.
Sleep Awake and Screaming Mad
So then, how does Eyes Out manage to create such a compelling story with frightening visuals? In the preview session for Sleep Awake, the player is dropped directly into the ever-shifting nightmare of The Crush around the midway point. The protagonist, Katja, navigates this deteriorating world, bypassing hordes of violent cultists to locate the one person she still cares about.
Additionally, she must stay clear of the cultists, who don’t possess an especially harsh line of sight, possibly due to their ill-fitting gas masks. As a result, players can navigate this sinister group by carefully staying in the shadows. Despite this simplicity, Sleep Awake remains a truly terrifying experience. Who exactly would have an exciting time creeping around corners or getting trapped between two groups of bloodthirsty enemies? Nobody.
Unfortunately, these cultists aren’t the only monsters that players will have to deal with. Some strange power had been released on the whole world, driving people to chaos and fear, as anyone who fell asleep would vanish. For survivors to find answers to their predicament, they’d have to conduct reckless experiments and follow painful paths to avoid sleeping.
Stealth and Psychedelia Collide Perfectly
Image of Sleep Awake, Courtesy of Blumhouse GamesThankfully, Sleep Awake has perfected its stealth missions, but they alone aren’t enough to create a stellar psychological horror experience. Surprisingly, the horror sequences aren’t the scariest parts, but the beautiful pauses thoughtfully sprinkled between them. Amid the crawling through dark tunnels and hiding from cultists, the game offers moments of peace. Whether in alleyways bathed in iridescent light or with bright sunshine creeping through the cracks of old apartment buildings, players can find various places to catch their breath.
Moreover, the otherworldly and strangely beautiful land of the Fathom is another place to experience. In these locations, players discover small chunks of visual beauty right in the middle of the terror, rather than constantly being smothered in darkness. Sleep Awake strikes a fantastic balance, making the horror feel even more impactful with its beautiful locations and unsettlingly pretty psychedelic scenes.
Your Mind is the Scariest Weapon
Given these factors, players are kept emotionally engaged despite Sleep Awake‘s disturbing horror. It seems that the developers at Eyes Out truly get what true psychological horror is; that it’s not just about relentless scares but the haunting quiet between them. What makes a horror game terrifying is how well it captures those rare moments where the mind has just enough time to wonder what fresh nightmare awaits. Ultimately, Eyes Out proves that horror games can be terrifying when they whisper, not just when they scream.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
