Insomnis | Grandfather's Secrets | New Horror Game 

If horror games have taught me anything, if you inherit an old grand home just list it immediately and leave it to a house flipper and no doubt the reality show filming the house flipper. Take that non haunted cash and buy yourself a sensible place with no murderous intentions.

Just noticed the grandfather's name - Roman Castevet was the name of the head of the Satanic coven in Rosemary's Baby :)

It's a very good horror-themed puzzle game! Those kids were adorable, and I got invested in their stories. RIP Nick, you have not been forgotten.

Really appreciate the regularity that you release videos. I basically watch your channel like a TV series. 🙂

The irony of Joe's grandfather researching for a formula that would minimize the 23-years' worth of sleeping hours in a human's life, in order to use that time for other important things....... while he himself had neglected what precious time he could've spent for his own grandson's growing years, willing to risk another child's life for the sake of science. Overall, it was an interesting game. The huge takeaway here were the puzzles. Unfortunately, the scare factor was missing and the plot was semi-predictable. With the latter, we already have an inkling of what secrets his grandfather was keeping (and it really didn't help that you're able to spy those empty inventory slots that were marked as "Laboratory Notebooks" at the very start of the game, lol).

I laughed out loud every time you did a little twirl to follow Beth's path

I'm glad you popped up in my recommended section. Your accent is charming and the game play is enthralling. Ah screw it I'll subscribe.

I came here to announce that George Trevor was the architect that designed the Spencer Mansion in Resident Evil but I see that a couple of people have already beat me to it 😅

Well I really liked it : the puzzles, the story, the visuals, the length... And for a game made by 2 people, it's quite impressive.The only downside was Joe's voice acting (my pet peeve) : it's a detail, but if they could get that great voice actress at the very beginning (she pops up in a lot of games, I think she was in Chasing Static recently, I could be wrong), why not have a decent voice actor for the dozen or so lines of Joe's dialogue? But all in all, this one's a winner in my book!

I'm still not quite sure how you are able to release these play-throughs so frequently....but sure glad you do. If I can't watch them at work, late night is best, since I seem to suffer from insom.....um......the, uh....no-sleep word.

the number of times that phone buzzed at the beginning gave me both road rage and anxiety XD

I wonder if they could have a third ending with you saving his research but then deleting it. The kids might think that you are going to carry on his research and attack you as well.

Man he wanted 23 years of sleep to be used more efficiently but ironically he robbed 5 children of their lives. Good game though.

Really thanks for playing! Hope you like it!

No jump scares required. The whole atmosphere is very disturbing. Jesus, the kids are dead .. tortured and what not .. that's more than horrifying. One of the higher quality games lately. Thanks, Chris.

The part where you say "The crank, where do I used the crank....OH!" Biggest jumpscare of the whole game. In all seriousness though, this is a decent game and although it wasn't particularly scary I was engaged the entire time.

Chris asking Beth if she was coming with him was the most wholesome thing I've seen in a horror game playthrough 😍😂

Just when I was thinking I was missing the long uploads. Chris never fails us😁👌🏼

After a long day of driving truck, I get to stretch out in my sleeper and watch an hour long CJ video! You made my night Chris! Hell yeah!

As someone that has actually been diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, which my dad died of when I was 6, this is kind of crazy to see. Maybe it helps spread some sort of awareness of this super rare heart disease!

I love when games have multiple endings, for this one I liked the good ending more because it made more sense. Obviously Joe felt betrayed by his grandfather abandoning him for this project, and when he learned he abandoned him, his grandmother and everything else for this evil experiment, the good ending not only put an end to it but in a way Joe got some revenge for being abandoned and it's also a good karma slap to grandpa's face for doing that to Joe. The bad ending was ok but I feel the good one just made more sense.

Seeing the children made me feel sort of motherly/maternal (I don’t have any irl children so real parents will have to tell me what you thought!) Rather than scared, I just wanted to do good by them & their memory so they could move on. That is not a bad thing at all and I fully enjoyed the experience I had watching. It’s just a matter of maybe going in with no expectations for it to be scary. And finally, I think a good way to make it scary, if the dev wanted that, would be enhancing the children’s anger in death towards Joe since he probably resembles his grandfather. That would make the choice feel a bit different at the end if the children wanted to scare and hurt you the entire time. Would you still protect their memory and let them move on? Most people probably would but it is interesting to think about. The end scene of them being sweet saying Joe’s name before moving on would have a more distinct effect on the player as well.

CJU could read the Cambridge Dictionary for an hour and I'd give it a thumbs up. Tbh, reading definitions would have been scarier than Insomnis.😄 The scariest thing about the game was that Joe's grandfather would kill children in an attempt to help humanity have more time to misuse. The puzzles, exploration, collectables, and so forth, were fine, but it was Chris' enjoyment and commentary that made the game enjoyable for me.

I'm always happy to see an 1+ hour playthrough from you Chris. This made my night. It wasn't scary but it was an interesting story at least, with decent puzzles. Big thumbs up from me! ...YO 👍

Not trying to talk sh!t about this specific video but all horror games are similar in their names, assets and themes that you think you've seen all of them before. I wish somebody starts a horror revolution in a sense. Same things, different developers. Btw, thanks for another great content. Your commentary makes me feel these games are worth watching ❤️

I really like this game! I think for many children are scary let alone ghost children. The ease in which you accepted them I think says a lot about the person you are and I appreciate that. :D

If you had any merch, I would want it to be a small notebook for note keeping. I feel that it's very signature CJU to take real notes while playing. There's a serious lack of available smaller notebooks! I don't mean notepads either; I mean the spiral bound notebooks. I had to buy some off of Amazon, which I don't like to do.

I remember demo being pretty dull. This one made me really interested into every kid's story. Very good job! And the most scarry thing was actually Joe (or rather Yo) reacting to all those kids appearing here and there.

I liked this game! It wasn't what I expected, but I enjoyed what I saw! I loved the ghostly children. Maybe if they had started out more scary, I would have been more nervous about them, but when we met Anna, I wasn't bothered by them. I thought they were sweet! I liked that it was a dark mystery game and not just straight horror. All in all, I liked it!

The demo was scarier, and implied grandpa was nt a nice person (I rewatched it before watching this). Honestly, I'd have saved the data, and turned a copy of it in to the authorities (always have more than one copy, just in case). That should have been an option, as there are other labs out there doing the same thing, and they should be stopped. Still, your first choice was the right one. I enjoyed it, even though I was waiting for the jumpscares and threats, because of the puzzles. I love puzzle games. Thanks, Chris!

Wow, that was like, drastically different from the demo but I think they did a good job with the puzzles and background story. The polish on this was also a massive step up from the demo.

I've been marathon watching CJU gaming videos This is so fun to watch him play bc I love horror games but not by playing them, walking around in dimly lit places in horror games makes me nervous 😥. I like CJU voice and the accent is just perfect . Always supporting you, keep up the good content #IndieGames #Insomnis

i figured out what the experiments were about before even getting into the secret elevator. poor forgotten nick, i wonder if even the developer forgot to give him more story.

I really hate that one sound effect that reminds me of an annoying fly. I kept looking around even though there are no flies right now.

The puzzles in this were so cool! I'm not very good at playing horror games, but this seems like one I could handle. Thanks for playing!

Overall I really liked it. Some of the jump scares were pretty cheap. I really liked that the puzzles were all children's games. Rely for in with the plot. I liked all the Easter eggs. They didn't feel too forced. I feel like quite a few games lately have ended with "You can choose to continue my work or delete it all"

7:49 They really said, "Thanks, yo!" like they were out on the street. Gangster kids.

I just don't understand how developers don't know how demos work. A demo of a game shouldn't come out until a month or two at most before the game is completely released. The whole point of a demo is to build up hype and get people excited for the full game release. But releasing a demo and waiting 6 months a year 2 years 3 years before releasing the full game is pointless. People have totally forgotten your demo you've totally wasted your opportunity to get free marketing and capitalize on the hype and get more people to play your game. Even people who absolutely loved the demo are going to totally f****** forget about the game after a month or two and just totally forget to even look and see if it's dropped yet. Even worse is when the developers are like oh yeah the full game is coming out in 2 months and then the release date gets pushed back over and over again until it doesn't come out for several years after the demo. I call it pulling a Inheritance of Crimson Manor. Or a Martha is dead.

CJUGames did you never though of doing some bedtime stories, you have such a nice voice.

The music in this game makes my teeth itch. That underwater warbling really gets under the skin.

you seemed to be having some trouble there at the end mate. then again props for not getting bored to death in this one and following the story. it was a long one.

And in this episode: Chis is feeling particularly paternal

I just love it when i go into RU-vid and see that you have a new gameplay to watch i just love it !!!!! Thank you cju 🥰 i really enjoy every single one of your videos x

George Trevor Architecture, huh? Best in the business at convoluted puzzle and secret filled mansions! Bit of a niche market though.

Always happy to see these longer videos, really helps to lose yourself in the game and your commentary -)

Great relaxing music, perfect for falling asleep, meditating or just coming down. 🎧 Thank you very much! 🙏🙏

The anger and irritation I feel about experiments like these (even hypothetical) feel like a type of menace to me in games like these, which oddly enough immerses me more than things that shock visually. (Also I'm a coward who has been unable to handle certain proper horror genres until around 2012. It's been a weird but interesting journey!) I love the psychological take with lots of backstory (when I say anger, it's me being invested in the experience, I swear 😁) so this game really worked for me. So did Martha is Dead, even more.

Thought it was familiar when I watched Dom play this days ago and realized it was bc I watched yours first a month ago. 15.26 on his run he used your playthrough as "reconnaissance" 😂

That fly sound.lol.. I though there was a fly flying around my ear.

Damn, this one is absolutely brutal. I disagree that there has to be something hunting you to make this scary, I think in this case it would have cheapened the game and just added busywork. The game was effective at what it was getting across and maybe it didn't inspire panic but I sure didn't feel great about going into my basement after watching it. The kids were great. The idea of helpful ghosts is something that isn't nearly explored enough and watching this my heart just broke for what they'd gone through as well as their lonely existence just waiting for someone to finally show up and just recognize what had happened to them. I work with kids and their need for their existence to be validated really came across in this one. It's a brilliantly constructed game and the story is absolutely heart wrenching.

The music was really creepy. I don't know what it is about this game but it gives me terrified vibes just listening and watching it. How the grandfather just went down the rabbit hole and never returned. The simple details like the windows opening with the rain falling.

You're an amazing RU-vidr and I love your content

19:28 that scared me more that it should...it was one of those scares where your body doesn't know what to do so it just shakes in place haha.

Yes for getting all the endings!!!

Most of the atmosphere is really good- definitely on the calm side. I feel like it was missing a bit of the oomph somehow though, like just a bit too methodical and relaxed? It made sense that there was no urgency, since the protag has all the time in the world to uncover the secrets, but maybe it could have been played out a bit more dramatically? Like, it could have been nice if the protag had more to say now and then about the ghosts, the clues, the random body found in the wall- he was just a bit absent. The puzzle seemed really good. I think it was a very good choice to not have the kids be very scary up until the Bad Ending- its always been a pet-peeve of mine when stories have innocent ghosts be dicks to random innocent people, so that was refreshing. And the kids "games" were spot on I think, very whimsical and really felt like it was done by kids. The endings made sense mostly. A little predictable but still pleasing. I will say tho, realistically, deleting the info isn't the best choice. It sounded like there was multiple stations of this experiment going on, so one labs worth of data isn't going to do much. Rather, it might have been a better option to try to expose it to the public and try to get some justice for the victims. Even if it's backed by government officials and other big wigs, it could still cause a mighty big riot over it and possibly halt future pseudo kidnappings of orphans. I could totally see like- if the protag chose to try and expose the data for justice (or even in the og good ending), that since the grandpa was clearly a prick, it could have some sike moment like- protag chooses the Moral Option, and a final message from grandpa pops up like "I'm dissapointed in you" and starts a self destruct of the property- trying to kill his ungrateful grandson, but the ghosts, pleased that you're trying to do the right thing, help you escape the crumbling mansion. If the data was left as-is or even sent forward to another location to preserve it, it could suggest a sequel adventure of trying to take down the corruption.

Honestly loving the constant content and horrors Chris you are the man 😁👏 and my number 1 gamer 😎

That was really really great! Thank you for playing, CJU!

I'm so enjoying this game, Chris. I sincerely hope all the 👍and ❤'s are landing you lots of sponsors, or however this works. When I first started haunting the archives several months ago, all that swift scanning of yours made me SO sick, but I hung in there and now it doesn't bother me in the slightest. Except for one itty-bitty thing: in this game, unlike so many of your subsequent ones, you're skipping the artwork! Scream! I want to see the weird paintings on the wall! WA-A-AH!

I wish you could pause (for just a heartbeat) to show us the pix on the walls.

Glad you remembered this one! Would you be interested in playing flesh port? Its an RPG maker style but i think you’d like it!

Great game. It made me kinda sad for the kids. Thanks for releasing them.

You can see a skull and bones in the bottom of a wall when you start following the chalk arrows on the floor. Opposite the bathroom door on the second floor.

Anyone else notice the name of the architect George Trevor is the same as the architect of the Arkley Mansion in Resident Evil?

Love this game. Poor children. A great pick Cju. Thanks 😊

I've only recently found your channel, but I am loving every bit of it! Especially learning about horror games more off the beaten path!

"The sole inheritor of an old family home" is a fairly common horror game trope, but I have difficulty connecting to it. It isn't that I haven't lost anyone in that way- 3 of my grandparents passed when I was a young child, and my grandpa passed when I was 18. But for me, this has always been incredibly interconnected with family. My mom has 6 siblings, and my dad has 4, and I have a gazillion cousins, so whenever a grandparent passed the home would be crowded with people. In the games, on the other hand, it's usually 1 person going through the home and its effects all on their own. I suppose that's one more way I don't connect to the premise- I would never want to do that by myself. By myself, I'd be melancholy and probably weep my way through everything, if I didn't just collapse on Grandpa's chair and sob it out. With other people, though, it's easier to find the good memories, to distract each other, and even if you do cry you have someone there with you. It would be difficult for me to do that without my family. My brother's wife has 8 siblings (in our family, when someone marries in we treat all of the in-laws as real family, as well), and the two of them together have quite a few children already, so God forbid that I ever have to do something like that alone because it would mean something disastrous. But if I was bereft of family, I'd find a friend, or neighbor, my therapist, or *somebody* to go with me. The grief would be overwhelming alone. But that's not so much commentary on the game itself. Taking the game and its trope as they are, it was interesting story, if a little slow moving :)

The visuals were fantastic, this felt like a genuinely impressive game. Other than the story and puzzles, I don't think there was enough immersion, at least from the middle part and it was somewhat blend. Although, Chris, you do enjoy these type of games, not my cup of tea.

The singing on the radio sounds like the Freddy's Coming For You song from Nightmare on Elm Street. 44:00. Same beat.

I'll enjoyed every minute from this game, it wasn't that scary but u really wanna now the truth what happened to this poor kids. Thanks to that awesome stream Chris. 😘👍

enjoyed this one thanx dude...always enjoy yr play throughs,keep em comin

The choice at the end wasn't exactly a moral dilemma, considering grandpa not only tortured 4 kids to death but also his research seems to be a complete failure.

1 hour long video? damn u chris im gonna enjoy watching this 😂

“It’s got to be Beth, right? Or Theb…” Me: short for Thebathtian?

Not what I would call a horror, more like a thriller, it wasn't threatening what so ever

This game was super cute, I liked it a lot. Not too scary, big spooky house, sweet ghost kids, interesting story line, happy ending. I would play for sure. The puzzles were really fun and easy. Enjoyed immensely ❤

Obviously one can say there's always room for improvment, but I thought this was done well. And what, no comment on the slightly adjusted "Umbrella" logo?

Keys and statues make me think about Pineview drive when you play that game.. ..:)

over an hour of content today? ah chris you spoil us 🥰

The song the children were singing reminded me of the song from nightmare on elm street about Freddy Krueger

I really liked this one. Maybe it's my soft side showing, but I really liked the kids. I don't mind that it wasn't scary. I always love a good puzzle!

The song on the radio gave me Nightmare on Elm Street vibes

You didn’t put the record on the record player. Maybe that had music or his grandfather sending him a Secret message.

1:12:00 Chris didn't have to flex on us so hard, but he did. 😍😍😍 #damnthoseguns

I really enjoyed this. Wasn't as intense as I hoped but it was very good. Bravo.😁👍

OoOoOoOOh! A nice long one!!!

Always a pleasure yo watch CJU

Seems like the game went from a lot of changes from the original demo. Like you walked around with a music box ballerina with a light-bulb for a head in the demo. Like I know from my experiences your game ideas changes as you develop the game, but feels like the changes kind of removed some of the aspects that might of made the game be a standout.

Yay full game! Excited to watch

This kind of reminds me of Layers of fear a little bit because of the way it's set up

Your videos are always so awesome

It's odd. Every children there died in their own birthday.

10:20 - Does that little tune give anyone else Little Nightmares 2 vibes??

This game had some interesting stuff, especially from what I remember from the demo but so much of what I liked is missing here (like the ballerina music box). Not to mention it's been way too long since the demo even came out which is not a good thing. I'm sure most people forgot about the game by now. The finished game feels bland by comparison and I think it was too much of a slow burn and not much scares at the end of it. Not even unsettling really, which was a shame. The voice acting wasn't helping either. One thing I wish they did was have Joe actually comment on what you come across, he should say something about the 'death awaits' door, 'Forgotten Nick's' bones (and journal), the kids running around, etc. but he says nothing (aside from minor scripted events). The puzzles were a bit simple, okay for what they were, but I don't think they were good enough to overlook the lack of horror. Though what is Joe's logic on doing them like the memory game or the word puzzles? It was really testing the limit of 'dumb horror game protag' because I can't see a reason he would do that stuff, he had no dialogue with the kids much either. Most of everything was told through notes. The mystery with Joe's grandpa didn't really catch me at the beginning. Learning about the horrible stuff he did and the project itself was just something to basically give humans more time in the day to work more or misuse said time was a bit bland. As for the endings, they were sort of one and done and I don't know why Joe (or even the player) would want to keep the Insomnis project. Joe pretty much hated his grandpa for never writing to him or getting to go back home so why would he want or care about continuing his work? Maybe it needed some more time to develop ideas. Overall the game was okay but as usual, CJU made it worth watching for me!

Homie was humming “Stronger than you” from Steven Universe. 40:35

there might be scarier ones and all but I really enjoyed watching it! little sad that there now was a flashlight cause I loved that ballerina like lamp from the demo :D Thanks again CGU for making my morning coffee more enjoyable

Damn! I rather hoped the password to delete the info would be "A-S-S" 😋

I can’t be the only one who loves when you immediately try and leave when you start most of these games 🤣

Maybe, just maybe, Forgotten Nick was someone who continued the project and banished by the ghosts? Like the bad ending one?

Hour long with puzzles, awesome!

When the game gave you what I thought was a change of underwear I thought...