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Sunset

Sunset isn’t just a housekeeping simulator. The game takes place in Latin America in the 1970s during a time of civil unrest.
Sunset Game Cover
67%Game Brain Score
story, music
gameplay, optimization
66% User Score Based on 203 reviews
Critic Score 69%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

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Sunset Game Cover

About

Sunset is a single player casual shooter game with romance, drama, warfare and comedy themes. It was developed by Tale of Tales and was released on May 21, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Sunset" is a narrative-driven first-person exploration game set in 1972 San Bavón, a city in turmoil after a military coup. As housekeeper Angela Burns, you explore the swanky pad of your mysterious employer, Gabriel Ortega, unearthing clues to a rebellious plot against the notorious dictator. The game provides a unique perspective on war, offering insight into the lives of NPCs typically relegated to the sidelines in combat-focused games.

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66%
Audience ScoreBased on 203 reviews
story64 positive mentions
gameplay14 negative mentions

  • The minimalist storytelling effectively engages players through environmental details, inner monologues, and diary entries, creating a compelling narrative about revolution and personal relationships.
  • The game features a unique setting and atmosphere, with a vibrant art style that captures the essence of the 1970s, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Sunset encourages exploration and player choice, allowing for different interactions and outcomes that can influence the relationship between the main character and her employer.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including poor optimization and frame rate drops, which can detract from the immersive experience.
  • Gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, with mundane tasks that may not engage all players, leading to a lack of excitement and urgency.
  • The pacing of the story can drag at times, making it difficult for players to stay invested in the narrative as it unfolds slowly.
  • story
    236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is characterized by its minimalist and environmental storytelling, focusing on the protagonist's inner thoughts and diary entries as she navigates a politically charged setting during a revolution in a fictional Latin American country. While some players appreciate the unique narrative approach and emotional depth, others criticize the pacing, disjointed plot elements, and lack of engaging gameplay, leading to mixed feelings about the overall execution of the story. Despite its flaws, many find the themes of love and political upheaval compelling, making it a noteworthy experience for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “I really liked how the story is told only through the environment, the main character’s inner monologues, and short diary entries.”
    • “Despite this simplicity, the game manages to deliver a surprisingly engaging story about a revolution in a Latin American country.”
    • “The real strength lies in its atmosphere, writing, and the quiet power of its storytelling.”
    • “There's some potential in the concept but ultimately, this is a poorly written story, told poorly.”
    • “The characters are weird and the story is complicated and disjointed.”
    • “The story is transmitted in tiny bits every day and can be hard to follow; near the end, I still wasn't exactly sure what's even going on.”
  • gameplay
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, often describing it as a series of mundane tasks that detract from the narrative experience. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and the way they intertwine with the story, others criticize the lack of depth and engagement, labeling it as overly simplistic and unfulfilling. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, with many recommending caution before purchasing.

    • “A very solid and unique game, with lots of options to adjust your gameplay experience.”
    • “The gameplay can be described as a first-person clean-em-up; each in-game day you have a list of tasks and a short period of time to do them in.”
    • “Beautiful, mellow gameplay.”
    • “This is not the best game ever made; there is jank, questionable graphics, and tedious gameplay.”
    • “Despite a unique setting and structure, the execution of the mechanics is unable to maintain a cohesive feel to match the narrative beats.”
    • “The gameplay itself, which scraps the bottom of what could be considered a video game to begin with, is an example of what Tale of Tales considers to be 'experimental game design': that is, to remove those essential elements from which video games are constructed, rather than reconsider or expand on them, leaving a game that seems built as the equivalent of removing the wheels and motor of a car and pretending this is 'an advancement in automobile technology.'”
  • music
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with a diverse soundtrack that includes jazz, folk, and operatic pieces composed by Austin Wintory. Players appreciate the attention to detail in sound design, including the immersive experience of using record players scattered throughout the environment. However, some reviewers noted a lack of consistent background music, which could detract from the experience during certain gameplay segments.

    • “The soundtrack, composed by Austin Wintory with numerous collaborations from fans that helped raise funds in the Kickstarter, is diverse and ranges from jazz to traditional folk songs, and even includes an entire requiem by an imaginary Anchurian composer that is inspired by Bach's work.”
    • “The wonderful soundtrack also helps in setting the mood.”
    • “Without question, the most sublime video game soundtrack I've ever heard.”
    • “The game's soundtrack is really touted, but as far as I've played so far, there isn't any music at all, other than if you go find the stereo and start it playing every time.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's not often that a record player will be available to use, which is a bummer - because there is no background music to listen to.”
    • “Feels perfect, but also makes you wish there was more music lying around the apartment to play.”
  • graphics
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style and aesthetic that evokes a 1970s vibe, while others criticize the simplistic, low-polygon visuals and performance issues such as frame rate drops. Despite the appealing art direction, some players feel that the technical execution is lacking, leading to a disjointed experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while the visuals can be charming and atmospheric, they are marred by inconsistent performance and a lack of polish.

    • “The art style of the game is very beautiful, following design art of the previous century, and the changes in lighting throughout time progression are pretty impressive too.”
    • “An excellent game for escapism, beautiful graphics and music and story.”
    • “The graphics, although technically modest, are very pleasing thanks to the wonderful art style that truly brings out that 70’s vibe despite the fact that the whole game takes place in a single apartment.”
    • “The lack of textures is a method that lazy developers often use to disguise their lack of talent or interest in doing the graphics properly, trying to disguise it under the name of 'art' or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
    • “It's also important to note that the game runs inexcusable badly even though it has very simplistic (albeit pretty) graphics.”
    • “I had severe frame rate issues and graphical hiccups that I had to contend with.”
  • optimization
    37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting major frame rate issues and poor performance even on high-end machines. While the visuals and audio are generally praised, the technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration and immersion-breaking moments. Overall, it is clear that the game was released without adequate optimization, leaving room for improvement in future updates.

    • “Thankfully the pace is slow enough it really didn't detract from the experience, but clearly the developer could do a lot more optimization for future updates/games.”
    • “On the technical side, there are some performance issues, but the devs have provided lots of options to tweak with.”
    • “The more you play, the more it becomes evident that the hit to performance was a worthy compromise given the quality of the art.”
    • “Optimization wasn't probably high on the list; getting it out the door before the Kickstarter funds ran out was maybe the higher priority.”
    • “It's just a poorly optimized game that simply should not have shipped in this state.”
    • “I do need to point out that even on a fairly powerful machine, the performance of this game was pretty bad at times.”
  • atmosphere
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive storytelling, artful visuals, and evocative soundtrack, which together create a captivating experience. While some players note gameplay issues and a lack of action, the rich environment and emotional depth effectively draw players into the narrative. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect, enhancing both exploration and engagement with the story.

    • “The real strength lies in its atmosphere, writing, and the quiet power of its storytelling.”
    • “A really immersive, touching and atmospheric little game.”
    • “The game really shines in its atmosphere.”
    • “Even if it gets repetitive and far too long for its own good (and it definitely does), it just feels so great wandering around the house, taking in the atmosphere, the art, and the music.”
    • “The political intrigue also adds a layer of oppression in the atmosphere of the game and plays an important part in understanding Angela's story.”
    • “And even though by its nature the game doesn’t require any quick reflexes or anything like that, the performance issues directly impact the immersion and atmosphere, which are both as crucial for this type of game as fast response time is crucial in a competitive shooter.”
  • emotional
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted as a powerful and immersive experience, prompting players to engage deeply with the narrative and characters, despite some gameplay shortcomings. Many reviewers noted the game's ability to evoke strong feelings and provoke introspection about the protagonist's journey, making it a memorable emotional adventure. However, some players found it challenging to connect with the main character, leaving a sense of unresolved depth in the story.

    • “The power of this game is to get you to ask emotional questions about your character and her actions.”
    • “It's rare that I'm moved by a narrative anymore, but this game is one that has really made me feel a lot of things, and will stick with me for a long time.”
    • “Sunset is bold as it turns a seemingly boring 'game concept' into an emotionally engrossing journey that consumes you with its story.”
  • stability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with many users reporting severe bugs, frequent crashes, and performance issues across various hardware setups. Common problems include freezing, glitches, and unresponsive controls, leading to a frustrating experience for players. While some users encountered fewer issues, the overall consensus highlights significant stability concerns that detract from gameplay.

    • “It runs horribly on most computers and seems completely buggy: the first time I ran it, the 'activities' didn't load into the game's engine, leaving a barren level with nothing to do, making me think that I was actually playing the game wrong.”
    • “I have also experienced multiple freezes and crashes.”
    • “The game freezes, shuts itself down, and runs very poorly even on low settings.”
  • grinding
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unpolished, with repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience. While the concept of player actions influencing the storyline is intriguing, the execution often feels like a boring grind, leading to frustration rather than engagement. Despite its thematic strengths, the gameplay mechanics are criticized for being laborious and lacking refinement.

    • “The idea is sort of interesting, and I was kind of curious to see how it all played out, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it because the actual interaction with it gets kind of tedious, and it's kind of unpolished too.”
    • “The idea of your actions affecting the storyline is interesting, and that concept does present some interesting persistent elements in the game, but overall it ends up feeling like an unfinished or poorly-executed mechanic (e.g. turning lights on to make the apartment feel more inviting ends up being a very boring farming-type process).”
    • “All in all, I absolutely loved it because of its explorations of art, philosophy, and human relationships (also a POC, female protagonist!!) but was not impressed with its tedious gameplay.”
  • replayability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the changing levels and potential for exploration, many feel hindered by locked rooms and exhaustion after a single playthrough. The atmosphere and character interactions are praised, suggesting that there is some value in revisiting the game, but the limited time for exploration and the need for patience may deter players from multiple runs.

    • “The story is great, the character interaction is beautiful, there's replay value; you can just sit around, do nothing, and listen to the music for half an hour and it wouldn't be wasted.”
    • “I don't know much about this point in time, but the atmosphere is good, the voice actor did a good job, and I could see some possible replayability later on.”
    • “It's changing each level, but you'll find many rooms locked off each time, which hurts replay value for the exploration and experimentation on limited time.”
    • “I see that there's some replayability in the story, but I was so exhausted by the end that I simply didn't have the time or the patience.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is perceived as inconsistent, with some days feeling like mere breadcrumbs that offer minimal progression in the story or character arcs. This suggests a lack of depth and engagement in the development process.

    • “The character development is so rich that it makes each day feel like a breadcrumb leading to a deeper understanding of the story.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
    • “The depth of character development truly enhances the emotional impact of the narrative.”
    • “Some days feel like mere breadcrumbs of character development or story progression.”
    • “The character development is painfully slow and lacks depth.”
    • “I found the characters to be one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with their journeys.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is highlighted as a significant enhancement to the gameplay, with players enjoying its comedic elements, such as inadvertently sending rude messages to characters, which adds a layer of hilarity to the experience.

    • “The music and sense of humor in the game really added to the gameplay for me.”
    • “Hilariously, I sent my boss rude messages without even noticing I could change them, wondering why my character was so mean-spirited.”
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6h Median play time
5h Average play time
3-7h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Sunset is a casual shooter game with romance, drama, warfare and comedy themes.

Sunset is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Sunset.

Sunset was released on May 21, 2015.

Sunset was developed by Tale of Tales.

Sunset has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Sunset is a single player game.

Similar games include Tacoma, Cloudpunk, Adios, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, Gone Home and others.