Awake

About

"Awake" is a punishing survival game set in a never-ending cold, dark night in the woods. Players control Marc, fighting to stay alive through repeated trials and failures. Developed in 14 days for #AdvJam2016, the game challenges you to persevere in the face of adversity. Prepare for a grim, unforgiving experience with minimal guidance and resources.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 41 reviews

story4 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Interesting mystery with a unique time loop mechanic that encourages experimentation.
Simple gameplay loop that is easy to pick up, making it accessible for casual players.
Great voice acting and a stylistic black and white art style that enhances the noir theme.

Repetitive gameplay due to the limited environments and the need to replay the same sequences multiple times.
Lack of depth in the story and character development, leading to an unsatisfying conclusion.
Buggy achievement system that can frustrate players trying to unlock all content.

story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The game's story is criticized for being overly simplistic and lacking depth, with players feeling disconnected from the characters and narrative. While the premise is mildly interesting, it fails to deliver a cohesive or engaging storyline, leaving many plot points unresolved and the ending unsatisfying. Overall, the short and repetitive nature of the story, combined with minimal character development, detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game is super short as it literally just loops within a short sequence, but the story is mildly interesting in its own right, yet unfortunately isn't fully revealed even with the best ending, just giving you tidbits of what may be the reason things happened.”
- “Puzzles aren't particularly complex, but you most likely will die a few times, then replay the sequences just to figure out the optimal way to save yourself and learn more of the backstory.”
- “In the beginning, you're getting thrown right into the story.”
- “Adding to that, the story is hardly fulfilled and they keep acting like you're missing part of the story, but there's nothing to find and the final cutscene is always the same.”
- “The story doesn’t give you much to go by; you learn so little it’s hard to care for any of the characters, and subsequently, the ending is incredibly unsatisfying.”
- “The story is not original.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simplistic, cartoonish black-and-white art style that some players appreciate, but many criticize as low-quality and reminiscent of mobile apps or browser games. Despite options to adjust resolution, the visuals remain mediocre, with repetitive animations and minimal enhancements, leading to a lack of visual depth expected from a PC game. Overall, while the art style has its charm, it fails to meet the standards of more polished titles.
- “We loved the art style and the really comfortable camera movement.”
- “Art style is nice, and the idea is nice.”
- “Well, I do like the art style.”
- “The graphics are simple, cartoonish, and done in black & white.”
- “Awake - Definitive Edition is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it was a real PC game (it's not)... it's a 2D low-fi 'vector art' point and click adventure game/visual novel hybrid with a monochrome art style and a horror theme.”
- “The game features somewhat lazy, simplistic 2D graphics, of the type you normally expect to see in low effort flash/browser games and mobile apps.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is characterized by a simple loop centered around a time loop mechanic, but it suffers from a lack of depth and polish, leading to a mediocre experience. While it may provide 30 minutes to an hour of entertainment for its low price, the overall execution feels rough and unfinished, diminishing motivation to explore its limited mechanics.
- “It's basically one big puzzle with an interesting time loop mechanic.”
- “For the cheap price, I would say it's worth the price for 30 minutes to an hour of gameplay.”
- “+ simple gameplay loop”
- “This flaw further diminishes any motivation to fully explore and engage with the game's limited mechanics.”
- “The game's overall presentation and mechanics feel rough and unfinished, resulting in a subpar gaming experience.”
- “Gameplay, such as it is, involves tapping on your iPhone to plod through a mediocre story presented poorly.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, stability appears to have improved, as the reviewer did not encounter any buggy achievements despite previous complaints from others. However, they noted that some achievements can still be temperamental, which may affect the experience for players aiming for full completion.
- “It takes about 1 hour to fully complete the game - my own playtime (1.2 hours) includes replaying all solutions trying to get some temperamental and buggy achievements.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while it can be engaging, excessive grinding risks becoming tedious and frustrating. Some users suggest that it may require significant time investment, likening it to needing a second life to fully engage with the grind.
- “Any more and I think it would've gotten tedious and maybe a bit frustrating.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The music in the game is well-suited to its overall atmosphere, with audio accompanying every dialogue and monologue, enhancing the immersive experience.
- “The music fits the game perfectly, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience.”
- “Every dialogue and monologue is accompanied by fitting audio, adding depth to the storytelling.”
- “The soundtrack is not only enjoyable but also complements the gameplay seamlessly.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game's use of color effectively enhances the setting, contributing to a distinctly creepy atmosphere that immerses players in its unsettling environment.
- “The colors perfectly contribute to the setting and help create a rather creepy atmosphere.”
- “The ambient sounds and visuals immerse you in a hauntingly beautiful world.”
- “The lighting and environmental details work together to evoke a sense of tension and unease.”
- “The colors do perfectly contribute to the setting and also help create a rather creepy atmosphere.”
- “The overall ambiance feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
- “Despite the potential for a rich environment, the atmosphere feels lifeless and fails to engage.”