The Longing is one of the most unique and profoundly moving experiences on mobile. It is a game designed to be played over 400 real-world days. You play as a Shade, the last servant of a sleeping king, and your only task is to wait for him to wake up. It’s a slow, contemplative journey about loneliness, time, and find joy in the mundane.
What makes it brilliant as a mobile title is how it respects the player's life. The timer continues to count down even when the app is closed. You can decorate your cave, read real-world classic literature (like Moby Dick or Thus Spoke Zarathustra), and explore the vast underground kingdom at your own pace. It’s less of a game and more of a digital companion. It forces you to slow down and think, providing a rare sense of peace in a market filled with high-intensity titles. It is a masterpiece of atmospheric storytelling.
Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod
Version 1.3.5Thu Jan 08 2026
This version contains mainly minor bugfixes.
An unusual mix of adventure and idle 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.
Requires iOS 13.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.An unusual mix of adventure and idle 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.



















THE LONGING is a one-of-a-kind idle adventure that challenges your perception of time. You play as a lonely Shade, tasked by the King to wait 400 real-time days within a vast, hand-drawn underground kingdom. The timer counts down even when you are not playing. How you spend your time is up to you: explore the dark and silent caves, gather items to make your room cozy, or read entire books from a provided library of classics. With multiple endings and a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere, THE LONGING is a slow-burn journey of patience and self-discovery.
Unique 400-day real-time gameplay mechanic
Vast, beautiful hand-drawn underground world
Full library of classic literature to read in-game
Multiple endings based on your actions
A peaceful and contemplative atmospheric experience
The Shade's movements are very slow. To make time pass faster, you must make the Shade's room 'cozy.' Finding charcoal to draw pictures or collecting enough books to fill the shelf will cause the 400-day timer to accelerate, potentially cutting months off your wait.
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-longing-mobile/id1664728844. The Longing Mobile. Application Systems Heidelberg Software GmbH.
TouchArcade - Wed Apr 02 2025
Studio Seufz sold the concept of The Longing as a game that takes 400 real-life days to finish. This isn't really true, though.
Nintendo World Report - Tue Aug 02 2022
The environment changes over time. Some paths are blocked by stalactites that take days to fall, and some areas are only accessible after moss has grown for weeks. Patience is a literal game mechanic—sometimes the only way to solve a puzzle is to wait.
No, the 400-day countdown continues automatically in the background even when the app is closed.