The Longing

Application Systems Heidelberg Software GmbH

About this game

The Longing 400 day game
In utter loneliness deep below the surface, it's your task to wait for the awakening of your king... for 400 days.
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.
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.
• Various endings.
• Lots of well hidden secrets.
• Time-based puzzles.
• A lonely but cute protagonist.

Ratings and reviews

it says *in the description* that the game is (surprise) slow-paced. people read that, download it, and leave a one-star review when the game delivers exactly what it said it would? crazy behavior. anyways this is amazing for the type of players who dislike games that require you to hover over your phone constantly. i can send the creature off on a walk, step away for 15 min, come back, and it'll be in a new area i can explore. love how there's so many areas and surprises to discover.

A masterpiece of an idle game. The atmosphere, exploration, and loneliness is amazing. The secrets it contains, entire books that can be read, go far beyond what any idle game I've ever experienced. I played to the end twice. Make it 400 days, 100 days, or reverse time to day one, you can go about it however you want. Yes you walk at a very slow pace, but speed differs depending on you. It's all very intentional and adds to the Longing to arrive at any given location. Incredible experience!

I've barley even made a dent and I still found it so amazing. it's beautiful, artistic, and completely consistent with it's story. the shade is sad alone and doesn't run because it has 400 days, and everything is an interesting puzzle. I'm still learning it myself, and I've seen hints that there is a way to leave, and it's so real how much the shade yearns for change, and the idea of leaving, but I want so desperately to convince it to stay. I love making the underground more comfortable for it

What’s new

Bugfixes and fix for CVE-2025-59489