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Sanitarium

Moby ID: 572
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

Not much is known about Max Laughton at first, but it is clear that he is conducting a particularly important research and is close to reaching his goal. Eager to share the good news with his family, Max hurries home in his car. However, somebody has evidently tampered with the vehicle; failing to control it, Max gets in a serious accident and loses his conscience. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a strange tower resembling an asylum, surrounded by insane people, the shrill sound of alarm driving him mad. Max cannot remember anything from his past and is feverishly trying to escape this place. But just when he thinks he has succeeded, he is taken on delusional, horrifying trips through his subconsciousness, unable to distinguish between reality and hallucinations.

Sanitarium is a point-and-click adventure game, best described as a psychological thriller. The game is divided into nine chapters, each taking place in a different location and having its own distinct atmosphere. It is not always clear if something is happening on the grounds of the sanitarium or in the delusional mind of the protagonist. In most chapters the player controls Max himself, though in the more surreal areas drawn from his memories the role of the protagonist is given to other characters, real or fictional.

Both movement of Max and picking up items are done with the mouse. Puzzles are mostly inventory-related, with a few machine and lever puzzles. There are also a few action sequences, but even when the player dies, the game can be continued without any penalty. Talking to various NPCs will teach the player about their bizarre surroundings. The plot unfolds as Max's memories are gradually restored and the player finds out more about his past and the nature of the research he was dedicating his life to.

Spellings

  • Шизариум - Russian spelling
  • סניטריום - Hebrew spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Windows version)

111 People (99 developers, 12 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 80% (based on 30 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.1 out of 5 (based on 143 ratings with 12 reviews)

Insane... Adictively insane

The Good
I really enjoyes "Silent Hill" for playstation. This was like Silent Hill only longer, more difficult, less violent and not to mention better graphics. Me and one of my friends played this game shortly after I bought it. Now we sit in front of the screen for hours on end trying to advance to the next level. The storyline of this game will grip onto you like a rabid squirrel with a fish hook for a toungue.

The Bad
Some of the puzzles were just a bit elementary for my tastes. The few fighting scenes are also a bit difficult to control, also. Everything else is A-O-K.

The Bottom Line
This game is WIERD. This is a game full of demented and deformed characters, centering around a confused, amnesiac man who suddenly wakes up to find himself in the middle of a very bizarre and disturbing world.

Windows · by Sam Tinianow (113) · 2001

Sanitarium is much more than a game, it's an obsession

The Good
I had played this game the first time about 6 years ago, at a friend's house, but never finished it. The other day, I went into an EB Games store and to my delight I found a "previously played" Sanitarium original three CD set. I truly enjoy these types of games because they challenge the mind. Your hand-to-eye is not tested as much as your brain: a feature that a lot of today's newer games are lacking.

The Bad
Some of the clues are hard to figure out. Right now, I am still using CD #1. I have figured out who "Mother" is, what she wants to do and why the kids respect her so much. I just don't know what to do with the rubber house and with the car jumpers. Can someone help? Don't give me a walkthrough or the answers, just clues that can help figure out what to do with these items.

The Bottom Line
This game must be in your games collection. If you don't have it, you better get it !!!

Windows · by Ricardo Ramirez (2) · 2004

A spine-chilling adventure game...

The Good
Sanitarium's wonderful atmosphere and plot, with tons of screwed up characters and bizarre locations, sets it apart from most adventure games. And with those gorgeous graphics, good sounds and nice cinematic sequences, it really got me hooked.

The Bad
Some puzzles might be a bit too easy for fans of the genre.

The Bottom Line
A great game well worth playing, if you like entertaining the darker side of your soul.

Windows · by faceless (438) · 1999

[ View all 12 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
Spine/Sides cover scans RickTM Sep 28, 2022
problems installing sanitarium raconteurion Sep 14, 2010

Trivia

Bugs

Initial shipments of Sanitarium came with a game-wrecking bug that would cause the player to get locked out of buildings in level 2. A patch is available that corrects this, but there are still reports that it appears infrequently.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • April 1999 (Issue #177) – Best Adventure Game of the Year (together with Grim Fandango)

Analytics

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Related Sites +

  • Crapshoot
    A humorous review on PC Gamer
  • Postmortem: DreamForge's Sanitarium
    A postmortem of the isometric adventure game, Sanitarium, on Gamasutra. The article is written by the game's writer, Chris Pasetto, and deals with the origins of the game's concept, pinning down an engine, their relationship with their publisher, and several other elements that arose or had an effect in the creation of the game (Dec. 4th, 1998).
  • Sanitarium Hints
    These hints provide gentle nudges before the final solution is revealed, helping you solve the game without spoiling it for you.

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 572
  • [ Please login / register to view all identifiers ]

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by faceless.

iPad, Android, iPhone added by ZeTomes.

Additional contributors: Indra was here, Jeanne, Maw, Crawly, Zeppin, Klaster_1, Patrick Bregger.

Game added December 15, 1999. Last modified March 6, 2024.