The Longing Now Available On Nintendo Switch

Indie game fans can now take a somber, dark, and innovatively idle adventure with them, wherever they go!

During today’s Indie World Showcase, Nintendo revealed that The Longing was now available via the Switch eShop, for $14.99 USD. The real-time game sees players spending 400 days with the lonely Shade – who must wait for the awakening of his king…or find some other purpose in the meantime.

Here’s the latest trailer for the game below, along with more details:

AN UNUSUAL MIX OF ADVENTURE AND IDLE GAME

Play as a lonely Shade, the last servant of a king who once ruled an underground kingdom. The king’s powers have faded and he falls asleep for 400 days to regain his might. It is your duty to stay in the earthen palace until he awakens.

As soon as you start, the game inevitably counts down the 400 days – even when you stop playing and exit the game.

It is now up to you to decide what to do with your solitary existence beneath the soil. Don’t stress yourself, you have plenty of time.

CHOOSE YOUR PLAYING STYLE

Start the game and simply come back after 400 days to see how it ends. You actually don’t have to play the game at all. But the Shade will be even more lonely without you.

Or explore the caves and collect items for your comfortable underground living room. Just send the Shade to take a stroll – the walking speed is slow, but luckily there is no need to hurry.

Read tons of classic literature from Nietzsche to Moby Dick right in the game – or at least have the shade read them. After all, time goes by faster if you learn to keep your mind occupied. (The little Shade in the game finds ONLY English books for now.)

Ignore the king’s commands and advance to the outer regions the cave. It will be a long and dangerous journey into darkness…

FEATURES

• Slow exploration of a vast, hand-drawn cave.
• Atmospheric Dungeon Synth soundtrack.
• Lots of well hidden secrets.
• Time-based puzzles.
• A lonely but cute protagonist.

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Winner: Long Feature Award (A MAZE Berlin 2019)

Nominee: IGF Nuovo Award (IGF, San Francisco 2020)

Special Mention: Animated Games Award (Germany 2019)

Ars Technica Best PC games of 2020

adventuregamers.com Silver Aggie, category “So 2020”

Winner: German Computer Games Award 2020