Parents' Guide to

Among the Sleep

By Christy Matte, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Eerie toddler adventure has mature themes, charged emotions.

Game Linux , Mac , Windows 2014
Among the Sleep Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Among the Sleep Game: Screenshot #1
  • Among the Sleep Game: Screenshot #2
  • Among the Sleep Game: Screenshot #3
  • Among the Sleep Game: Screenshot #4

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 6 parent reviews

nb6684
nb6684 Adult
September 25, 2020
age 12+

It’s all right depending on your child

It’s all right depending on your child, My children are only six and seven so I don’t feel comfortable done playing this game right now because of the references to alcohol

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
JJJJohnson
JJJJohnson Adult
April 15, 2020
age 10+

Among The Sleep- A game for your Child

Your child should play this- absolutely. Not only is it a great horror game, but a game that should teach your child a good lesson. Any kid should be allowed to play this except the ones that take this to literally or don't have knowledge about certain things. The only warning I have is that there is a 1 minute scene at the very end of alcoholic beverage. But besides that this game is great, even has a teddy bear who accompanies you and makes you feel safe.

This title has:

Great role models
See all 6 parent reviews

What’s It About?

AMONG THE SLEEP gives players the perspective of a child who's celebrating his second birthday with his mother. After escaping a playpen, you meet Teddy, a talking, walking, glowing stuffed bear. Later in the night while you sleep, Teddy is removed from your crib. Awakened and upset, you set out in search of Teddy and your mother, only to find that the house looks very different at night than it did during the day. With Teddy as your glowing guide and your 2-year-old motor skills, you must explore a dark, dreamlike version of your home to seek out memories to help you find your mother, avoid the monster that seems to be lurking around every turn, and figure out just what's going on. There are some puzzles -- which mostly involve looking for keys or other missing objects -- but a lot of the challenge comes from just being able to figure out how to get from point A to point B when you're not tall enough to see over the furniture. You're also being tracked by a monster who seems keenly aware of where you are at any given moment. If that isn't enough to scare you, the sound effects are bound to give you a chill. Much as in Peter and the Wolf, you'll want to hide when that orchestra starts playing ...

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (15 ):

Among the Sleep is visually stunning and emotionally challenging. It's not a particularly long game, and the puzzles aren't terribly difficult; it's more about the experience, which is both deliciously creepy and disturbing. The toddler perspective skews everything, so you'll spend a lot of time wondering what's real and what's in this child's imagination. Just considering what might be menacing for a young child is fascinating. Trench coat? Looks like it's alive! Deserted playground? Yikes!

The keyboard controls can be a pain to work with, but it's worth it to figure out what's going on, especially since it seems clear from the beginning that this story can't possibly end well. Be forewarned that you'll be asked to adjust the in-game brightness (or lack thereof) early on -- and if you get it wrong, it's nearly impossible to see anything. Accidentally crawling into a pond is deadly for a toddler, so you'll definitely want to be able to see to avoid that scenario. Even with those drawbacks, this is a compelling story that draws you in, excited but possibly afraid to reach the conclusion. Those who like figuring things out and don't mind (or even prefer) some emotionally charged horror will definitely want to give this a try.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the perspective of Among the Sleep. How does it impact the game to play through the eyes of a 2-year-old? How would the experience differ if the lead character were a teenager?

  • Talk about alcohol. What role does it play in the game? What effect does it have? Are there realistic consequences?

Game Details

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