Many people who have struggled with their mental health use video games as a form of escapism, a dose of fantasy that takes them away from their worries and outside of their own heads for a while. But what about the games that choose to focus on the dark reality of a downward mental health spiral?

Without a Dawn is a game by Jesse Makkonen that does just that. Rather than offering something light and unrealistic, this game is introspective and dark, so much so that it comes with a hefty warning for triggering details and plot. 

Inside your head

Without a Dawn is a psychological horror visual novel that’s entirely depicted in a ‘pseudo-ASCII’ art style. It’s a relatively short game, taking under an hour to complete, but it is the type of game that will become a memory you never forget. It forces you to confront fears you may not even know you had, and if you’ve ever experienced depression or other mental health struggles, you’ll probably find some hidden, deeper meaning. 

The main focus of Without a Dawn is a woman who has taken up residence in a cabin in the woods to get her head together, but she’s crippled by fear and darkness, with an ominous voice inside her head that forces her to question what’s real and what’s not. It’s a story of psychosis, doubt, and in a strange way, inspiration. 

The story takes place over the course of a single night, with events split between reality and dreams, although sometimes it’s difficult to tell which is which. The psychosis slowly starts to blur the lines between the two, and events occur that make no sense in either realm. 

Throughout the story, you’re given the illusion of choice. There may be two options on the screen at any given time, but one of them will only stall what’s to come with repeated dialogue given back. Only one option will actually further the story, and that’s a really clever reflection of those times in life when you feel like you have no choice but to do something even though there appear to be different options available. 

Things begin to happen that you have absolutely no control over, and all you can do is allow yourself to be swept along for the journey as the woman you play sinks deeper and deeper into the psychosis that threatens to swallow her up. It’s dark, undeniably, but there are moments of lightness spread throughout the tale. 

A beacon in the darkness

Before I go into detail about those moments of lightness, I feel the need for a disclaimer: I’ve suffered relentlessly through most of my adult life with mental health issues, mainly depression and anxiety. I’m better now, although I still have bad days, as we all do. For that reason, I may be projecting or looking too deeply with the following thoughts. But, with that being said, I also think there’s some validity to what I’m about to say. 

At random intervals through the story of Without a Dawn, there are snippets of dialogue that are almost hauntingly inspirational for someone who has been down in that darkest of places inside their own head. 

At other moments, thoughts that you may have had yourself are reflected back at you through the pixels of your screen. They’re hard to read, but also carry the message that you’re never alone with those thoughts. 

Those moments stand out in the darkness, much like the lighthouse that features as part of the story. The lighthouse is not a main feature of the tale, appearing as part of a dream, but it’s a stark metaphor of the beacon of hope that all people need in their moments of darkness. 

Trigger warnings

It should go without saying by now that Without a Dawn is undeniably dark, and I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone who is currently or has recently been in a dark place mentally, however incredible it is. There are themes of depression, psychosis, OCD, self-harm, and suicide woven into this tale in a way that they’re impossible to avoid, and if any of those things are a trigger for you, this one’s probably best avoided. 

If you think you’re able to deal with those themes and want to give Without a Dawn a shot, then I highly recommend giving this visual novel a try. While heavy and at times difficult to stomach, there’s a message of hope that’s hidden just below the surface, and something truly special about this indie gem. 

Without a Dawn was released on May 19, 2025, so you can go and play the full game right now by downloading it through Steam.