DaRmaZat Imagine a game where you can’t run, can’t fight, and often can’t even jump. A game where all you do is survive the moment by waiting. And in that waiting, you begin to realize something profound. While Waiting is less of a traditional game and more of an artistic experiment, one that asks you to examine what we do in the dead spaces of life, those moments between moments. But within its bulleted list, lies an expansive range of human interactions and social behavior, from childhood to elder age.
You step into the shoes of Adam, an ordinary person navigating the seemingly mundane waiting periods of life. The controls are simple—navigation, and only two buttons to press, with a list of possibilities to unlock, seemingly representing the achievements of life. You can test the limits of people, poke at life’s social boundaries. What happens if you keep grabbing the same leaflet from a stranger on the street, or when you sneak around in classes? Or what happens, when you keep turning on the light, when your dad has already told you a thousand times to close your eyes and go to sleep?
Do you resist the temptation to turn life into a mini-game? Every waiting moment can become its own challenge—can you wait for your bread to be toasted without playing with the cornflakes in the milk or with your spoon? Can you wait for your mum to prepare dinner without turning the food she’s plating into a basketball? When playing a mobile game, do you keep tapping the phone buttons until the game works? And when it does not, do you give up or do you switch to microtransactions, where money doesn’t matter much, as long as you reach your goals as fast as possible? Do you stand still, or do you start looking around, exploring, to discover the hidden details in the world? Are you able to stay focused, or do you easily get lost in your own thoughts?
Doing nothing is exactly the whole point.
Most of the time, the game doesn’t force you to interact. Almost always, doing nothing is exactly the whole point. But it is very difficult to resist doing something, as that gives at least the impression time flies faster, as if any action can kill time. Not only during the day but also in his dreams and fantasies, Adam can flee from the pain of patience, dodging the endless attacks of an evil witch until the real heroine arrives.
Each scene—a hundred in total—is a fleeting glimpse of life’s many in-between moments, paired with soothing piano remasters of classical themes. The humor is sharp, satirical, and often absurd—turning the frustration of waiting into a source of entertainment. For example, a traffic jam might become a chance to start a duck rescue mission, and the teacher handing out exam scores in class could evolve into stealth in a labyrinth. From waiting at the doctor’s office to lying awake at night, from standing in line to be born to watching a pot refuse to boil, While Waiting transforms idleness into an interactive canvas. Visually, the game presents itself like a living, breathing comic book. The animations are playful, expressive, and filled with tiny details that make each waiting scenario feel unique.
An uncomfortable yet profound truth.
What While Waiting does best is make you reflect on a simple yet deep question: How do we spend our time? Are we making the most of these idle moments, or are we just filling them with distractions? Does waiting have intrinsic value, or is it just a means to an end? What does patience even mean in an era where we’re used to instant gratification? By forcing players to slow down, the game highlights an uncomfortable yet profound truth—so much of life is waiting. And what we choose to do in those moments, might say more about us, than the moments themselves.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for action-packed thrills, this isn’t your game. But if you love quirky, thought-provoking experiences that make you laugh while secretly challenging the way you see life, While Waiting is a must-play. It’s the kind of game that lingers in your mind after completing it, and it also has great replay value, especially since there are multiple outcomes for each scenario, and you can’t unlock them all at once.
So, to conclude, next time you’re stuck in a waiting room, standing in a slow-moving line, or just sitting alone with your thoughts—ask yourself one thing. What would Adam do, am I not a bit like Adam too? Maybe we’re not as different as I thought.
Additional Information
Release Date: February 5, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Optillusion
Publisher: Optillusion
Official Website: https://www.optillusion.games
Relevant links: While Waiting on STEAM
