Review by Jon Donnis
There is something strangely compelling about Bright Lights of Svetlov. On paper, a slow paced first person narrative game about an ordinary Soviet family living through the mid 1980s does not exactly sound thrilling. There are no grand action sequences, no complex puzzles, and no real sense of danger hanging over every moment. Yet somehow, this short PlayStation 5 experience manages to quietly pull you into its world and keep you there until the final credits roll.
Set in a fictional industrial town somewhere in the Soviet Union, the game focuses on the daily routines and struggles of a working class family trying to get by. The setting itself is one of the game’s biggest strengths. The drab apartment blocks, faded interiors, repetitive life, and constant sense of exhaustion all feel carefully observed. Bright Lights of Svetlov does not romanticise the era, but it also avoids turning everything into misery for the sake of drama. Instead, it presents a grounded snapshot of ordinary people carrying on with life as best they can.
The atmosphere is excellent throughout. From the muted visuals to the understated sound design, the game captures a very particular mood. There is a lingering sense of weariness hanging over almost every interaction, but it never feels exaggerated or cartoonishly bleak. The Russian voice acting helps enormously here. Even if you are relying on subtitles, the performances add authenticity and emotional weight to scenes that could otherwise have fallen flat.
Gameplay is extremely minimalistic, and whether that works for you will depend entirely on your tolerance for narrative focused walking simulators. Most of your time is spent completing everyday tasks. Cooking meals, tidying rooms, fixing household problems, and preparing for family gatherings become the core mechanics. There is no challenge to these activities in the traditional gaming sense, but that is clearly intentional. The slow pace forces you to exist within the family’s routine rather than simply observing it from a distance.
At times, the deliberate pacing can feel a little too slow. Some players will absolutely bounce off the experience after the first hour, especially those expecting deeper gameplay systems or meaningful interaction beyond simple chores. Bright Lights of Svetlov asks for patience, and occasionally it tests that patience more than necessary. Certain sequences drag slightly, and there are moments where the game risks becoming repetitive.
Still, what keeps the experience engaging is the narrative itself. The story unfolds quietly across a series of chapters, gradually revealing tensions within the household and the emotional burden carried by each family member. Dialogue is sparse, but that restraint works in the game’s favour. Characters rarely deliver dramatic speeches or emotional outbursts. Instead, much of the storytelling comes through silence and the atmosphere within the apartment itself.
What surprised me most was how emotionally effective the game becomes by the end. Small moments of warmth cut through the bleakness in believable ways. Awkward moments and little acts of kindness give the characters humanity beyond their hardships. It stops the experience from feeling relentlessly miserable and gives the story genuine emotional texture.
Then there is the ending twist, which genuinely caught me off guard. Without spoiling anything, it adds an entirely new perspective to events and left me thinking about the game long after it finished. It is not a massive shocking blockbuster reveal, but it is clever, thoughtful, and meaningful enough to elevate the entire experience.
Bright Lights of Svetlov is not a game for everyone. Players looking for action, challenge, or fast paced gameplay will probably find it dull. But if you enjoy slower narrative driven experiences that focus on atmosphere, character, and emotional realism, there is something quietly memorable here.
I went into the game expecting to dislike it. Mundane life in the Soviet Union hardly sounds like an exciting premise for a video game, yet I ended up sticking with it from beginning to end. Partly because I wanted the Platinum Trophy on PS5, admittedly, but mainly because I became invested in the story and the world the developers created.
Bright Lights of Svetlov is a short but thoughtful narrative experience that succeeds through emotional authenticity and atmosphere rather than gameplay innovation. It will not appeal to everyone, but for the right audience it offers something surprisingly absorbing.
I score Bright Lights of Svetlov a solid 7 out of 10.
Out Now on PlayStation
