I had wondered, at the beginning, if this was all just an elaborate joke to waste my time. Turns out it isn’t, and The Longing is one of the most inventive experimental games I’ve played. It captures the depths of crushing loneliness and isolation, but also a surprisingly soothing companion to equally lonely souls. I’ve spent three hours on it already.

Every so often a game comes along that is so audacious it reminds me how conventional and pedestrian many of the games that I’ve reviewed — and liked — are by comparison. This level of creativity reinvigorates my expectation of what games can be.

The Longing uses isolation, open space and freedom of choice to send players on a year-long exploration of loneliness, identity and meaning in real time. It won’t be to everybody’s taste, but those who commit to seeing it through will find a surprising, poignant and rewarding experience unlike anything else out there.

The Longing’s gripping storyline and multiple endings clash with the lack of puzzles and too many pauses. Worth to try if you are looking for an original story, but if you love to have your brain continuously tested and challenged, this is not your cup of tea.

No, THE LONGING isn't perfect. It could definitely be so much more than what it is. More specifically, for something that's supposed to last for more than an actual year, you won't exactly swim in content while playing it. On the other hand, of course, this was never about "content," but about getting engrossed into it all, and letting the dark, empty caves become part of you. It's hard to verbally explain how something so… non-gamey achieves that, and, yeah, it won't satisfy just about anyone, but lovers of indie titles with unique concepts are advised to try this out.

Quotation forthcoming.

An intriguing idea of a game but unfortunately lacks soul. [05/2020, p.77]