Sunset

Sunset isn’t just a housekeeping simulator. The game takes place in Latin America in the 1970s during a time of civil unrest.

Starting at $5.96Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on itch.io Store

It's 1972 and a military coup has rocked Anchuria. You, Angela Burnes, are trapped in the metropolitan capital of San Bavón. Your paradise has turned into a warzone. You take up a job as a housekeeper. Every week, an hour before sunset, you clean the swanky bachelor pad of the wealthy Gabriel Ortega.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 106 reviews

story29 positive mentions

gameplay8 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and immersive atmosphere, allowing players to explore a richly detailed apartment while experiencing a compelling narrative.
The art style and soundtrack are beautifully crafted, enhancing the emotional depth of the story and creating a captivating ambiance.
The character development and choices made throughout the game provide a thought-provoking exploration of relationships and the impact of war on everyday life.

Gameplay can feel repetitive and mundane, with limited interactions and a lack of engaging mechanics, leading to a sense of boredom over time.
Technical issues, such as poor optimization and frame rate drops, detract from the overall experience and can make the game frustrating to play.
The pacing of the story is slow, which may not appeal to players looking for more action or dynamic gameplay, resulting in a drawn-out experience.

story
107 mentions
27 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a complex and often disjointed narrative that explores themes of political upheaval and personal relationships through the eyes of a housekeeper in a penthouse during a military coup. While the unique storytelling mechanics and character development are praised, many players find the pacing slow and the plot occasionally confusing, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution. Despite its flaws, the game offers a compelling and emotional journey that stands out for its artistic presentation and depth, making it worth experiencing for those interested in narrative-driven games.
- “The story is compelling, and the way it's told and the sound design both do a good job of making you feel like it's happening around you.”
- “An excellent story-driven game that weaves a huge story of revolution and rebellion from the viewpoint of one woman in one apartment through her communication with its owner.”
- “Sunset is bold as it turns a seemingly boring game concept into an emotionally engrossing journey that consumes you with its story.”
- “The characters are weird and the story is complicated and disjointed.”
- “The story wasn't deep enough to warrant such a slow pace, and I kept waiting for a big reveal somewhere.”
- “The game itself is repetitive and dull and the presentation of the plot falls flat.”
gameplay
41 mentions
10 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and mundane, often likening it to a mechanical daily routine that lacks excitement. While some appreciate the unique premise and narrative integration, others criticize the simplistic mechanics and lack of meaningful choices, leading to a feeling of frustration and disappointment. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a serviceable but tedious experience that detracts from the otherwise intriguing story.
- “A very solid and unique game, with lots of options to adjust your gameplay experience.”
- “Beautiful story, original mechanics (being a housekeeper/bystander during a revolution) and interesting message.”
- “The strength of the narrative is not the journal excerpts, as interesting as they might be; it is the fact that every detail of the gameplay and the surroundings has been designed to help carry it forward.”
- “Gameplay is highly repetitive.”
- “A touching story about the impact of war on the lives of ordinary people, marred by incredibly humdrum gameplay.”
- “The most boring and repetitive gameplay I have ever seen.”
music
20 mentions
55 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its breathtaking quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with a diverse soundtrack composed by Austin Wintory that ranges from jazz to traditional folk. While some players noted that the music can become repetitive and that access to record players is limited, the overall ambiance created by the soundtrack and voice acting is considered one of the game's standout features. Collectibles related to music and literature further enrich the experience, fostering a deeper connection between the player and the game's themes.
- “Throughout the apartment are various record players, and the soundtrack to this game is breathtaking, adding a beautiful ambiance to the already gorgeous environment.”
- “The wonderful soundtrack also helps in setting the mood.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
graphics
19 mentions
58 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful and stylized art that captures a 70's aesthetic, while others criticize the performance issues, including frame rate drops and inconsistent visual quality. Despite the interesting art style, many users report that the graphics feel outdated and clunky, reminiscent of older systems, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the visuals have potential, significant performance tuning is needed to enhance gameplay.
- “The graphics are beautiful, and I truly enjoyed listening to the main character's voice.”
- “Sunset has a beautiful aesthetic which makes you feel like you really are in the 70's.”
- “But on my newer system, the graphics are flawlessly smooth, delectably stylized, and I can't imagine wanting to change a thing.”
- “I didn't even mind lowering the graphical settings, except that didn't help!”
- “Even on the lowest graphic settings, it has the same frame rate drops as the highest setting.”
- “It's clear that this game needs graphical performance tuning.”
optimization
16 mentions
19 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
44 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting major frame rate issues and poor performance even on powerful machines. While the visuals and audio are generally praised, the optimization problems detract from the overall experience, though some players found the engaging story and character performances to mitigate these issues. Developers are encouraged to improve graphical performance 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.”
- “I will agree with other comments about performance issues, but it's not enough to keep me from enjoying the game, or from being totally swept up in the beautiful story of Angela and Gabriel.”
- “But I'm incredulous that more people didn't say, 'Oh, by the way, the optimization sucks!'”
- “I do need to point out that even on a fairly powerful machine, the performance of this game was pretty bad at times.”
- “It's clear that this game needs graphical performance tuning.”
atmosphere
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, effectively capturing the essence of 70's Latin America through detailed aesthetics, art, and music. While some players note gameplay issues and repetitiveness, the overall ambiance, combined with political intrigue and subtle characterization, creates a thought-provoking and engaging experience that encourages exploration and emotional connection.
- “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.”
- “Sunset has a few gameplay issues (yes, sometimes Angela doesn't always go exactly where you want her to, yes, there's very little indication of what you're supposed to do at the beginning...there's probably a lot of nitpicking to do) but it makes perfect use of the music, the thoroughly researched aesthetic, and the general atmosphere of 70's Latin America to create a lasting experience.”
- “The game really shines in its atmosphere.”
- “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.”
- “From my point of view, it really did play a key role in creating this peculiar, enthralling atmosphere.”
- “There's no surges of adrenaline, or pats on the head, just thought-provoking atmosphere that gives me the feels.”
emotional
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its deep and engaging narrative, which resonates strongly with players, evoking a range of feelings related to themes of war and personal connection. While some find it challenging to connect with the protagonist, many reviewers appreciate the bold storytelling that transforms a simple premise into a profound emotional journey. Overall, the game leaves a lasting impact, making players reflect on their experiences long after completion.
- “The game starts off simple, but don't let that fool you; the game's story is deep and emotional.”
- “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
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players report a mixed experience with stability, noting occasional glitches and bugs, particularly related to controller functionality, lighting, and clipping issues. While some users encountered minimal technical problems, others experienced more significant stability concerns, including crashes and potential issues with Steam achievements.
- “But again, I experienced many glitches in my copy, like the controller wouldn't work properly with the right thumbstick, and then would for no reason.”
- “Buggy (lighting, clipping, and crashing are the big ones).”
- “Really the only negative thing I have to say is that I have a suspicion that a few of the Steam achievements might be buggy.”
replayability
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the changing levels and potential for story exploration, many feel that locked rooms limit exploration and experimentation, leading to a lack of motivation to replay. The atmosphere and voice acting are praised, but exhaustion from the gameplay may deter players from revisiting the experience.
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
While the game offers intriguing narrative elements and explores deep themes, players find the grinding mechanics—such as the repetitive tasks to enhance the environment—tedious and poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience.
- “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 person of color, female protagonist!), but was not impressed with its tedious gameplay.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by unexpected and amusing interactions, such as sending rude messages to a boss without realizing the character's mean-spirited nature, leading to comical misunderstandings.
- “Hilariously, I sent my boss rude messages without even noticing I could change them, wondering why my character was so mean-spirited.”
- “The game's humor is spot-on, with witty dialogue that had me laughing out loud.”
- “I love how the game pokes fun at classic tropes, making even the most serious moments feel light-hearted.”