Sunset

Sunset is a first-person exploration game set in 1972, in the capital of Anchuria, a small Latin American country shaken by a military coup. You play as Angela Burnes, a US citizen stranded in San Bavón and forced to work as a housekeeper to support herself. Each week, an hour before sunset, she cleans the penthouse of wealthy art curator Gabriel Ortega, while searching through his possessions and learning about the mysterious man who owns them.

Angela and Gabriel

Angela traveled to Anchuria to learn more about equality, inspired by the Black Power and civil rights movements. After a US-backed coup, the new regime refuses to recognize her university degree and prevents her from leaving the country. Her younger brother David, who followed her to Anchuria, joins an underground resistance movement, and Angela worries about him as the war intensifies.

Gabriel became a celebrated patron of the arts through his work as a curator and his connection to the wealthy Veleta family. After the coup closes theaters and museums, the government offers affluent citizens safety and positions of power. Gabriel’s wife and much of her family and social circle accept, but he refuses; rising tensions lead the couple to separate. The story begins when Gabriel moves into a new penthouse in San Bavón and Angela takes a job there. As you play, you discover Angela’s thoughts and influence the relationship between the two protagonists.

Work and discovery

Sunset is divided into 44 sessions, each covering a fictional hour until sunset. In each session, you receive a list of tasks to complete, but you can also explore Gabriel’s apartment, search his belongings for clues and interact with 1970s-era devices. The story unfolds through what you discover and do in the apartment, and the environment responds to interactions with objects such as light switches and record players.

There is no fail state: you cannot win or lose, but your actions can influence the story. Gameplay can last anywhere from 90 minutes to 22 hours, depending on how you approach it.

The apartment and its atmosphere

The game uses a retro early-1970s style, with reflections, sunset light, quiet moments and the tension of war. Its setting brings the backdrop of a military conflict into Angela’s daily routine, with explosions among the events of the story.