Time To Wake Up Review (PS5) – Don’t Forget to Blink!

In Time To Wake Up blinking is the only way to escape an unpleasant nightmare. Developed by Eye Blink Twice, this short psychological thriller combines environmental puzzles, platforming and disturbing childhood memories. If you enjoy unusual games that play with your perception of reality, this one might catch your eye.

A School Reunion We’d Rather Avoid

We follow Alan Malone, a troubled man whose life hasn’t exactly turned out as planned. After falling asleep one night, he finds himself trapped inside a strange dream filled with memories of his childhood. A mysterious, rather talkative voice offers to guide him through this unpleasant journey, although its fascination with his eyes doesn’t make it particularly trustworthy.

Much of the adventure takes place in surreal versions of Alan’s old school. We explore classrooms, libraries, bathrooms and playgrounds, gradually learning about his past and the events that continue to trouble him. Bullying, loneliness and unhealthy obsessions are among the themes explored, with journal entries providing additional information about Alan’s experiences. The story also allows us to decide how much we share with the mysterious voice, eventually leading to different endings.

Blink and You’ll Miss It

The main attraction is the blinking mechanic, which allows us to switch between two versions of the same environment with a button press. A corridor might be blocked in one version but accessible in another, while furniture, platforms and other objects can change their positions or disappear completely.

The mechanic sounds straightforward, but the developers have found several interesting uses for it. For example, we might need to blink while jumping to make a platform appear beneath our feet. Another puzzle involves flooding a room with water, allowing us to swim towards previously inaccessible areas. There are also sections where blinking changes the direction of the wind, resets moving objects or alters the layout of an entire room.

Most of our time is spent exploring, examining our surroundings, interacting with objects and figuring out how the two versions of each location affect one another. Some puzzles require carrying items between these versions, while others combine blinking with platforming. We also have to search for a mysterious book in a maze of lockers, navigate enormous school environments and participate in unusual activities, including a rather strange gym class.

Not everything is about solving puzzles, either. Alan occasionally encounters creepy classmates whose enormous eyes follow his movements. These encounters introduce some danger, requiring us to avoid their attention and find a safe route forward. There’s no traditional combat system to worry about, so observation, exploration and puzzle-solving remain our primary activities.

The blinking mechanic has plenty of potential, although some longer sections rely on switching between the same two environments repeatedly. The flooded bathroom sequence, in particular, can become tedious once the solution becomes clear. A few puzzles could also communicate their objectives better.

Sweet Dreams? Not Quite!

Visually, Time To Wake Up has a peculiar charm. Oversized objects, impossible architecture, distorted classrooms and unsettling character designs make familiar locations feel completely wrong. The school setting allows for some memorable imagery, particularly when ordinary hallways stretch into enormous spaces filled with staring eyes.

The sound design contributes to the atmosphere, with disturbing environmental noises and music that can change when we blink. The mysterious voice provides both commentary and occasional guidance, although its frequent remarks won’t appeal to everyone. The game also deals with some uncomfortable subjects, so don’t expect a cheerful trip down memory lane.

With a typical playthrough lasting around three hours, Time To Wake Up is a fairly compact adventure. Some puzzles could use more variety, and the narrative doesn’t develop every idea equally well, but the unusual environments and blinking mechanic give the game plenty of personality.

Time to Wake Up!

Our score: 8/10

• Title: Time To Wake Up
• Developer: Eye Blink Twice
• Publisher (PS5): Serafini Productions
• Release Date: October 12, 2026
• Platform: PS5
• Genre: Psychological Thriller / Puzzle Adventure
• Game Modes: Single-player
• Estimated Playtime: 2–3 hours
• Price: $14.99 (US PlayStation Store)