The liminal space walking simulator genre has expanded a lot in the past few years. I’m usually turned off from them because they lean more into horror than actual just peaceful roaming, however. Hypnos does something very different, offering a unique sort of meditative, narrative-focused, esoteric experience that feels like a walk through the realm of dreams.

In Hypnos, you play as a mysterious being named Choron who seeks a child that keeps appearing in his dreams. He walks the path of the Nameless City, under the shadow of a Holy Mountain called Kaddath. As you can expect with a description like this, Hypnos is a game steeped in lore and style.

While there are Lovecraftian influences and even outright references, the game doesn’t lean too heavily on horror beyond the occasional creepy vibe or the concept of cosmic dread. Choron’s past is clearly weighing on him, and as he traverses The Nameless City, it is clear that things are not entirely as they seem.

However, what really struck me about Hypnos was that it was very much a meditative, calm, and intriguing experience. The movement felt good, with a slide, a run, and a sprint as various traversal options in addition to your standard jump. The NPCs you run into are represented by portraits that are beautifully drawn, while their in-game models are also beautifully and meticulously animated.

The dev team at Redlock Studio makes a point at various moments during the beginning of the game to point out that no AI touched the game’s development. With that in mind, you can see as you play how much love and care go into every location and every branching path.

Did I mention there are branching paths? I’m not 100 percent sure what these branches lead to and how much impact they will have, but the developers have said that Hypnos will not only have multiple storylines for its NPCs, but also will have multiple endings. The choices you make will influence the ending and the narrative tapestry you weave.

Currently, Hypnos has about 70 percent of its in-game world. After the Early Access period, they will have completed the major storylines, four endings, and likely fixed whatever issues are suggested by the community. My only main issue is that at times I wasn’t sure where to go, and Hypnos isn’t always good at telegraphing where you can go.

Beyond that, I am very eager to see how Hypnos concludes. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, it feels like traveling through The Dreaming. I want to play more, and I likely will soon, but this feels like an experience I should soak in more when it is complete.

A PC Preview copy of Hypnos was provided by Redlock Studio for the purposes of this review.

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