You’re sitting in a dark room. The glow of the monitor is the only thing keeping the shadows at bay. You click "Play" on a free-to-play title you found on Steam, thinking it’s just another "walking simulator" or a psychological horror trope. Then, the narrator starts talking. Not to your character. To you. Honestly, When the Darkness Comes isn't really a game in the traditional sense. It’s more of an interactive existential crisis.
Released in early 2019 by developer Sirhaian, this experience quickly garnered a "Very Positive" reputation because it does something most AAA horror titles are too scared to try: it attacks your comfort zone through your operating system. It’s meta-narrative at its most aggressive. Some people call it a "walking sim," but that’s a bit reductive. It’s a digital poem about depression, anxiety, and the terrifying realization that your own mind can be an unreliable narrator.
The Mechanics of a Mental Breakdown
Most games give you a sword, a gun, or at least a flashlight. Here? You get a clock. Or rather, a sense of time slipping away. The gameplay loop is intentionally disjointed. You might be walking through a serene forest one minute and then find yourself trapped in a claustrophobic hallway the next. It uses "glitch aesthetics" not just for style, but as a mechanical representation of a flickering psyche.
Sirhaian, who is actually a Senior VFX Artist at Riot Games, used his technical prowess to make the environment feel alive in a predatory way. The game utilizes your own computer's files and windows to break the fourth wall. It’s a trick we’ve seen in Doki Doki Literature Club or OneShot, but in When the Darkness Comes, it feels less like a gimmick and more like a symptom. It asks you to look at your desktop. It creates files. It closes itself.
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It’s frustrating. It’s meant to be.
When the game crashes, you might think it’s a bug. It isn’t. That’s the "Darkness" asserting control. It’s a representation of how depression doesn't just make you sad; it disrupts your ability to function, to finish tasks, to even "play" the game of life. The erratic nature of the levels mirrors the unpredictability of a low mood. One day you're fine; the next, the world is grayscale and the doors are all locked.
Why the Narrator is Your Best Friend and Worst Enemy
Let's talk about the voice. The narrator in When the Darkness Comes is a polarizing figure. For some, he’s a supportive guide. For others, he’s the embodiment of that "inner critic" that won't shut up at 3:00 AM. He talks about worthlessness. He talks about the futility of trying.
But he also talks about hope.
This duality is what makes the experience so resonant. It’s not a "spooky" game with jump scares—though there are a couple of moments that will make you jump out of your skin. The real horror is the accuracy. When the narrator describes the feeling of being a burden to everyone you know, it hits a chord that a zombie or a ghost never could. It’s personal.
The game actually includes a very serious content warning at the start. This isn't marketing fluff. It deals heavily with themes of suicide and self-harm. If you're in a bad headspace, this game can either be a cathartic "I'm not alone" moment or a dangerous trigger. It’s a fine line. Sirhaian has been open about the fact that the game was a way to process his own struggles, and that raw honesty bleeds through every pixel.
The Beauty in the Static
Visually, the game is a trip. It uses low-poly assets and heavy post-processing to create a dreamlike—or nightmare-like—atmosphere. There are moments of genuine beauty. A field of glowing flowers. A vast, starry sky. These moments are brief, acting as the "highs" before the inevitable "lows."
The contrast is the point.
Without the beauty, the darkness wouldn't be scary. It would just be boring. By showing you what you have to lose, the game raises the stakes. You aren't playing to save a princess; you're playing to save your own sense of self.
What Most People Miss About the "True" Ending
There is a lot of debate online about whether there is a "good" way to finish When the Darkness Comes. Without spoiling the specific triggers, the game tracks your choices—not just the dialogue you pick, but how you behave. Do you follow instructions? Do you rebel? Do you give up?
The "Hourglass" mechanic is central to this. Time is the only currency that matters.
A common misconception is that you can "win" by just reaching the end credits. But the credits are just the beginning of the reflection. The game is designed to be replayed, or at least revisited in your mind. Every time you open it, something might be slightly different. A file on your desktop might have changed. A message might be waiting for you.
It’s a persistent world. It remembers you.
The E-E-A-T Factor: Why This Game Matters in 2026
Looking back at the landscape of indie gaming, When the Darkness Comes occupies a specific niche alongside titles like The Beginner's Guide or Presentable Liberty. These are games that use the medium to explore the human condition rather than just providing entertainment.
Psychologically speaking, the game utilizes a concept known as "Reflective Functioning." By forcing the player to step outside the game world and interact with their own computer, it breaks the "flow" state. This break forces you to think about why you are playing. It’s a meta-cognitive exercise. Experts in game design often point to this title as a masterclass in using "ludo-narrative dissonance" (when gameplay and story clash) as an intentional tool rather than a mistake.
Surviving the Darkness: Actionable Insights for Players
If you’re planning to dive into this, don't go in blind. Here is how to actually get the most out of the experience without losing your mind.
- Check the Warnings: Seriously. If you have a history of severe depression or PTSD, play this with a friend or skip it. It’s intense.
- Don't Alt-Tab: The game reacts to your focus. If you try to multitask, you'll miss the subtle ways it tries to mess with your head.
- Look at Your Files: After a session, check the game folder. The developer hides messages there. It’s part of the story.
- Listen to the Silence: The sound design is arguably more important than the visuals. Use headphones. The directional audio is used to simulate intrusive thoughts.
- It’s Okay to Quit: The game literally tells you this. If it becomes too much, closing the program is a valid way to interact with the narrative.
When the Darkness Comes is a reminder that video games don't always have to be "fun." Sometimes, they just need to be real. It’s a short, messy, brilliant, and devastating piece of software that stays with you long after you’ve deleted the files. It isn't about defeating a monster in the dark; it’s about learning to live with the fact that the darkness is always going to be there, and that’s okay.
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To truly understand the narrative depth, your next step should be to explore the game’s "Museum" area after your first "completion." It provides a deeper look into the developer's intent and the community's response to the themes presented. Take your time with it. There is no leaderboard here, only the quiet reflection of what it means to keep going when things get heavy.