SLEEP AWAKE Review | Elm Street Blues
If it meant caring for the one you love, the last person who remains on this planet, to what extent would you push yourself to never sleep again? At its essence, that’s the core question driving SLEEP AWAKE, the debut title from Cory Davis and Robin Finck’s studio EYES OUT. The psychedelic horror experience excels at fleshing out a world teetering on the border of sleep and death, offering an alluring first impression of what art-house experimental horror could become in the years ahead. Unfortunately, as time went on, the haunting world of the Crush wasn’t enough to carry a convoluted narrative and mostly disjointed direction.
The Summer Games Fest rollout of Blumhouse Games back in 2024 still stands as one of my favorite surprises in recent years of summer showcases. I’ll never forget signing up for an embargoed appointment expecting to play a likely subpar M3GAN video game, only to be floored by my first hands-on with Fear The Spotlight (still an outstanding take on the classic Resident Evil formula - play it). From the Blumhouse Games reveal came the first glimpse of SLEEP AWAKE, an experimental horror title blending FMV elements with hyper-realistic visuals. The promising step into the future of horror was backed by the gnarly pedigree behind this new studio: Cory Davis, known for his work on Spec Ops: The Line, and Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails. It hit all the right notes leading up to launch, and my first hands-on impressed. But now that I’ve experienced the full package, I can’t help but feel a bit conflicted.
Gameplay is serviceable and simple. It’s a classic puzzle/walking sim similar to some of the work from The Chinese Room (Still Wakes The Deep, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture) with some passable (yet unnecessary) stealth sections. But where SLEEP AWAKE truly excels is in its world-building. The world has been inflicted by a seemingly supernatural entity known as the Hush. Those who fall asleep are taken from this realm of reality. Whether the consequence of the Hush is death or something else is unknown to both the inhabitants of the world and the player. As a result, humanity has splintered into different factions and cults, each with its own method of staying awake and avoiding demise.
You play as Katja, daughter of a scientist who fell victim to the Hush along with her brother. Katja has one relative left, Amma, and it’s her responsibility to ensure her well-being. Katja’s method of staying awake is through an experimental eye drop crafted from one of her father’s recipes. Dropping a cocktail of various plants is a walk in the park compared to the other cults and factions, all of which are vastly different and equally fascinating. The DTM are the new governing force around town, keeping citizens in line and forcing them to use their questionably flawed means of staying awake. They represent a sense of false hope for the hopeless; the true horror of the game. Opposing them are the Machinists, who believe a constant flow of electricity surging throughout your body is the best way to avoid sleep. If a little shock therapy doesn’t sound extreme enough, perhaps the Pain Eaters would be the right fit for you. I don’t think I need to delve into why they’re called the Pain Eaters.
The opening chapters blossom the captivating world of SLEEP AWAKE. Through collectibles and environmental storytelling, we learn about each faction and their ideologies, the world now known as the Crush (among other locations I’m purposefully leaving out), the Hush and the complete turmoil it has caused, and of course, Katja’s connection to all of this. Throughout these early chapters, we’re also introduced to the fascinating psychological elements paired with striking FMV visuals. Think Remedy’s recent work on Alan Wake II and Control, but a whole lot more gritty and psychedelic. As someone who suffers from frequent sleep paralysis, the best way I can describe them is as an interpretation of an awful lucid dream. And it’s at its best when it pairs seamlessly with the gameplay. Those are the moments where SLEEP AWAKE feels unique and special.
I was completely captivated and hard-pressed to put down the controller, but unfortunately that feeling began to fade the more I played.
The further we delve into the lore, backstory, and ultimately the “thing” driving SLEEP AWAKE, the more I found myself confused and lost. I appreciate a layered narrative that attempts to subvert expectations, but over time, everything became increasingly convoluted. The exceptional world-building during that opening quarter wasn’t used to its full potential, new elements seemed to come out of nowhere and muddy the waters, and by the time we reached the climax, I was left unsatisfied simply due to confusion. Even if I wanted to spoil the game for you, I don’t think I’d be able to do so properly.
The same could be said for the FMV elements. While the visuals were consistently striking, they eventually felt included just to be included. The opening hours felt as if the game and FMV worked in harmony, whereas toward the latter 75% it felt disjointed. Don’t get me wrong: the use of FMV as transitions and the way the game makes the player uncomfortable with uninterrupted hidden-loading tricks was impressive throughout the entire five-hour runtime. But it’s a bummer that I eventually felt more impressed by the tech than by how the game and FMV blended together in service of the narrative. Because of how much it felt like narrative elements and tricks were being thrown at the wall, SLEEP AWAKE started as something I thought could become one of my favorite experiences of the year, but I ended up feeling just okay about it.
Breakdown
Game name: SLEEP AWAKE
Developer: EYES OUT
Publisher: Blumhouse Games
Availability: PC, PS5, Xbox
Game Length: 5 hours
Reviewed on PS5
Final Thoughts
I love how big of a swing EYES OUT took for its debut project, and I can’t wait to see what they cook up next. It’s bold, ambitious, and there aren’t many studios taking risks like this outside of Remedy. Heck, I didn’t even mention Robin Finck’s stellar compositions and soundscapes. There’s a lot of great pieces within the experience, but it felt like it needed a few more rounds of fine-tuning before it took a few drops to the eyes. While it didn’t fully stick the landing for me personally, the world of SLEEP AWAKE and its usually unseen inhabitants will, without a doubt, leave a lasting impression.