Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside

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In "Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside," players help Pajama Sam, also known as Sam Lawrence, overcome his fear of the dark. The game features a variety of puzzles and mini-games as Sam explores his house and the "Dark Outside" to find a supposedly magical shrinking machine. Along the way, Sam meets a cast of quirky characters and learns about bravery and friendship. Overall, it's a charming and engaging adventure that's suitable for players of all ages.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 877 reviews

story29 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Nostalgic experience that brings back fond childhood memories.
Charming visuals and engaging voice acting that appeal to both kids and adults.
Offers replayability with randomized puzzles and hidden collectibles.

Game is quite short, typically taking only 60 to 90 minutes to complete.
Some players may find the puzzles too easy or simplistic.
Lack of a save feature can be frustrating for those who want to play in shorter sessions.

story
84 mentions
35 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside" is a charming and whimsical tale centered around a young boy named Sam who confronts his fear of the dark by embarking on a quest to capture the personification of darkness. Users appreciate the game's engaging narrative, colorful characters, and clever humor, which resonate with both children and nostalgic adults. The simple yet profound storyline, combined with interactive gameplay and replayability, makes it a beloved classic that effectively teaches valuable lessons about overcoming fears.
- “In the hallowed halls of this interactive creation, we are introduced to a young protagonist named Samuel, who, in the velvety embrace of his pajamas, embarks upon a quest both whimsical and profound.”
- “The story is a sprawling epic about a small child overcoming his fears and becoming the hero he was always destined to be.”
- “The voice acting is top-notch and the story is simply charming, the writing and wackiness even managing to capture the imagination of older players.”
- “15 years later and I'm still stuck at the same exact part in the story where my 7-year-old self was.”
- “The story in itself is extremely simplistic, almost a run-of-the-mill point-and-click, but the game carries a ton of padding.”
- “The plot is simple: a boy named Sam is afraid of sleeping in his own room with the lights out, but instead of fearing it, he decides to overcome his fear by 'defeating' darkness as 'Pajama Sam'.”
humor
60 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and appeal to both children and adults, featuring witty dialogue, amusing animations, and memorable characters. Many players appreciate the subtle, mature humor that often goes over kids' heads, making it enjoyable for older audiences revisiting the game. Overall, the game's charm and comedic elements contribute significantly to its nostalgic and entertaining experience.
- “And it has plenty of great humor aimed at adults, which helps make it more fun for a parent or older sibling to play with the kid.”
- “The humor holds up as an adult and the puzzles are simple but entertaining.”
- “Pajama Sam finds that increasingly rare line where children's entertainment is balanced with subtle wit and humor that appeals to adults.”
graphics
44 mentions
48 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, colorful, and whimsical art style that evokes nostalgia for 90's animation. Reviewers highlight the beautiful hand-drawn visuals and smooth animations, which create an immersive and magical environment, making it appealing for both children and adults. Despite being dated, the graphics are considered inventive and still hold up well, contributing significantly to the game's overall enjoyment.
- “It has gorgeous visuals, smooth cartoonish animations, awesome sense of humor, crazy sound design, and a magical, surreal world that everything inside it seems to be alive.”
- “The graphics are colorful and charming, and the hand-drawn animation is great.”
- “Even though the game graphics are way out of date and you can see the pixels, it still has an odd charm.”
- “The art style is whimsical and filled with personality, feeling like a late 90's kids cartoon like Recess or Rocko's Modern Life, or Aaah! Real Monsters.”
- “Basically, Pajama Sam is a pared-down point-and-click with wonderfully animated Saturday-morning-cartoon graphics and a story pitched at young children.”
music
35 mentions
51 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy and nostalgic quality, with compositions by renowned composer Jeremy Soule, known for his work on titles like The Elder Scrolls. Players appreciate the cheerful and whimsical tunes that enhance the game's atmosphere, evoke emotions, and contribute to memorable moments, such as the engaging musical numbers and character interactions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that complements the game's visuals and storytelling, making it a delightful experience for players.
- “The music complements this perfectly, with upbeat tunes keeping the mood light while mixing in the occasional chime to add an unearthly air.”
- “The great voice acting and soundtrack really bring the visually detailed environment of lava mines, underground geysers, and treehouse lairs to life.”
- “The soundtrack has some earworm bangers that bring the otherworldly feel of the land of darkness while keeping a steady groove that feels comforting, showcasing how much promise Soule had as games like this and Spy Fox would highlight what he was capable of bringing to the table.”
- “Yeah, the guy that did the music for The Elder Scrolls, Neverwinter Nights, and Guild Wars - did the music for a kids' game.”
- “There is a major glitch when I try to reach for the paddles on the wall of the music room.”
replayability
26 mentions
31 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to randomized puzzles and changing item locations, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the variety in objectives and the ability to experience different routes and outcomes, making it enjoyable for repeated sessions. While the game is relatively short, its replay value is enhanced by the fun mechanics and nostalgic appeal, encouraging players to return multiple times.
- “The game is tougher and the jokes funnier than I remember, and I just realized that the puzzles could differ in each playthrough, giving a bit of replayability value!”
- “Where and how Sam retrieves his missing possessions changes each time you play the game, which adds great replay value.”
- “Each game is different than before, adding replayability, and all experiences will be so fun that you'll want to come back again and again.”
- “This is an odd choice because the game is not particularly replayable and there is no choice in which puzzles you get -- you might play again and have the exact same distribution of content and items -- but it is an interesting novelty all the same.”
- “The game itself is pretty short but has quite a bit of replayability since enigmas slightly change from a playthrough to another.”
- “The story is great and even though the game is pretty short, there is plenty of replay value with the sock collecting and the fact that certain items are in different locations in each playthrough.”
gameplay
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simple, intuitive mechanics that cater to players of all ages, blending humor and engaging storytelling seamlessly. While it remains accessible, it also offers enough challenges to stimulate players' intellect, making it enjoyable and memorable even years after its release. Overall, the combination of easy-to-understand controls and a captivating narrative contributes to a highly rated gameplay experience.
- “The game's mechanics, while ostensibly designed for youthful minds, do present challenges that call upon the intellect and cunning of players of all ages.”
- “An art style that still holds up fantastically, the gameplay is simple and easy to understand, with many moments that showcase its humor even during the dark moments, making this game enjoyable even after all these years as it's basically one of its kind.”
- “With its combination of unique storytelling, complex gameplay, and mature themes, I can say with conviction that no gamer's life is complete if they haven't played this first installment in the Pajama Sam series.”
- “The gameplay is easy in the sense that the interface doesn't get in the way.”
- “Love the voice acting, the storyline is cute, and the gameplay is fast; an adult should be able to beat the entire game in an hour.”
- “The story line is cute, the graphics and game mechanics hold up well enough, and if you are old enough to have originally, it's an enjoyable way to pass an hour.”
emotional
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome, heartfelt storytelling and relatable themes of overcoming fear and loneliness. Players appreciate the charming characters and humorous moments, while also noting the poignant scenes that evoke strong feelings, making it a timeless experience for both children and adults. The combination of excellent voice acting, writing, and music enhances the emotional depth, creating memorable moments that resonate with players.
- “Exactly as you remember it; a charming, heartfelt, funny adventure game with the greatest superhero of our time.”
- “Pajama Sam is a timeless classic, that has phenomenal voice acting, top-notch writing, excellent visuals, and good wholesome fun no matter what your age is.”
- “Some of Beethoven's music is featured later in the series, which coupled with the emotional impact of the scene, produces one of the most excellent scenes in video game history.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as easy-going and lively, with great design, ambient music, and charming sound effects that enhance the experience. It appeals to players of all ages, offering a quirky and fun environment that is particularly enjoyable for younger audiences, while still being appreciated by older players. Overall, the game's atmosphere is a standout feature that contributes to its charm and appeal.
- “This is an easy-going game with a great atmosphere for a point-and-click adventure game.”
- “Definitely just as fun and quirky as you would expect from a Pajama Sam game; it's still a wonderful atmosphere.”
- “The sound effects and music are very ambient and create a lively atmosphere.”
optimization
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, users report strong optimization with no performance issues, particularly noting faster loading times for voice dialogue in cutscenes. This enhancement contributes positively to the engagement of the game's voice acting, which is crucial for maintaining player interest in a children's adventure game.
- “I have had no issues with performance either.”
- “A key element for any children’s adventure game is voice acting – if the performances aren’t engaging, it’s likely that interest will be lost quickly.”
- “I've run my original copy in the Scumm engine before and reached the same performance differences here: voice dialogue loads faster than normal, so characters talking in cutscenes sound like they don't take a break to breathe and just go into the next sentence.”
- “The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “I encountered several bugs that hindered my progress, making the overall experience frustrating.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the challenge of upgrading skills and gear, others feel that it can become tedious, especially towards the end when the gameplay shifts to repetitive tasks. Additionally, the lack of hints can make certain battles frustratingly difficult, while later encounters may feel disproportionately easy, rendering the time spent grinding less rewarding.
- “The lack of hints in the game makes some battles seem impassable; I've spent ages grinding up my skills for one fight and upgrading my gear to its max to no avail.”
- “On the contrary, some later-game battles seem too easy, where it feels as though all of the time you dumped into grinding is worthless.”
- “Towards the end of the game, when you've seen most of the screens, it just becomes a matter of going back and forth between various locations and finishing the remaining puzzles. The game can become a bit tedious.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, citing frequent glitches that render the game unplayable, and frustration with the inability to obtain refunds from Steam.
- “The game is rendered unplayable by the glitches.”
- “Game glitches and Steam won't give me a refund.”
monetization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game features a straightforward monetization model with no microtransactions, loot boxes, or battle passes, allowing players to enjoy the experience without additional financial pressures.
- “No microtransactions, loot boxes, or battle passes, which makes the game feel fair and enjoyable.”
- “The monetization model is refreshing, focusing on a one-time purchase without any hidden costs.”
- “I appreciate that the game doesn't pressure players into spending more money after the initial purchase.”
- “The game is riddled with microtransactions that feel exploitative.”
- “Loot boxes are a constant reminder that you need to spend more to enjoy the game fully.”
- “The battle pass system is frustrating and makes it hard to progress without spending extra money.”
character development
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development as exceptional, highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall storytelling and gameplay experience.
- “The story is perfect, the gameplay is fun, and the character development is god-like.”