Among The Sleep is a first person horror game that takes the concept of the helpless protagonist to a new level. You play as a two year old child who can't walk too well, comprehend written language, or move anything larger than a basketball. Your world crumbles into a surreal nightmare that you must navigate only with the help of a talking stuffed bear. Despite some definite issues regarding tension and polish the game is worth a play for both fans of horror games and those looking for another entry in the growing list of short, non-combat first-person games.
It is immediately apparent that playing as a toddler is horrifying. I felt my heart race not at the first sight of a shadowy monster, but rather during the opening scene. Your mother picks you up and slowly carries you on her shoulder up a flight of stairs. Like a claustrophobic I felt myself beginning to panic. If anything happens I'm helpless. I'm facing the wrong way and can't see where my mother is taking me. I can't escape. What if there are monsters? We're so used to having guns, magic, swords and just plain control. Your mother finally puts you down in your room and you take control. Rarely did I feel encumbered by my inabilities as a toddler but rather I felt them playing into the thrill. If you see something mind-numbingly terrifying you can't just sprint away, dive prone behind cover and wait for it to blow over. You have to stand up from crawling, waddle over to a cupboard, swing open the door, get in, and close the door. You actually have to close the door, too. It's not a simple button click but a click, hold, and move a la Amnesia: The Dark Descent. There are some light puzzles here but nothing that should really stump you.
In large part my enjoyment (and terror) came from the ambiguous nature of the danger in the game. Through most of the game I wasn't actually sure if there were enemies to watch out for. This was a double edged sword. Problems begin to arise when you realize that a majority of the scary scenes are not parts where you can easily die. Often the fear of death is a driving force for horror games, as loud noises can only do so much. The game lets you know that things are going awry when your screen begins to distort and a loud blaring dominates your speakers. The problem lies in that the game has a nice selection of these sections but not enough of them followed through with any danger. Sometimes I was met by the familiar screen distortion and scary noises but nothing else. Nothing came to investigate. Often I simply progressed to the end and, while my heart was pounding from the anticipation of an enemy coming to get me, nothing did. This took away some tension for the next section. Still, though, the game has enough creepy settings to keep you uneasy. If the game was longer the lack of consistent overt danger would have been a bigger issue.
Among The Sleep is visually interesting because of its creativity rather than its graphical quality. Everything is twisted upward in such a way that it's almost believable that a toddler would see it in a nightmare. Most of us have fuzzy, vague memories from early childhood involving things that could never have actually happened (I'm reminded of a memory where Teddy Ruxpin came to visit me in the bath and the bath was about a mile long). Krillbite did a fantastic job of bringing that very specific experience to life. The voice acting of the two audible characters is solid and your character will be making the short, nasally sounds of struggle that are common amongst toddlers. It was a nice touch and it reminds you that you're still not potty trained and could in no way possibly take on shadow demons. The audio trips up a bit when it comes to triggers. Effects and ambiance will cut out hard when certain triggers are met that further the story or puzzles. This is obviously jarring and reminds you that you're playing a game.
Clocking in at less than four hours, Among The Sleep is a game that knows what it is and doesn't overstay its welcome. The length may rub some folks the wrong way, seeing it as a money/cost ratio issue, but like the other first-person non-combat games that have come out recently (The Stanley Parable, Jazzpunk, Gone Home) Among The Sleep does what it does well enough that I didn't feel ripped off. I'd like to see the concept explored further in a more polished way but for now it's the only toddler horror experience we're going to get.
