Night in the Woods

this game changed me. well not really but i relate to it a a lot. all the characters are so well written and its just amazing. play. this. game.

I love this game so much honestly one of the best narratives I've played. LOOK AT MY HOURS. Everything about this game is great from the different characters to soundtrack. 10/10 Must play for sure.

What a beautiful game. From the art, to the music, to the writing and storytelling it's all just so compelling. Not every day a game is able to make me feel like a kid again. I laughed, I cried, and mostly I just had a lot of fun.

Amazing story with amazing characters. This game is probably one of, if not the best game I've ever played.

The art style, the music, the writing, and all of the above, are purely 10/10.

i don't know if i will ever replay it. it.. hurt to play. it really hit deep with me, and i think that if you have ever felt like a problem, play this game. i feel seen and related to. i can't really say that for a lot of games, but i will say it here.

I watched people play through this game when I was younger, and it stuck with me. Now university age myself, I came back to it, and man do I love this game. Its painfully relatable, and has gorgeous art with an incredible world to match.

I simply cannot recommend this game enough. Proximity counts, and Gregg Rulz ok!

Made me cry and had me super invested. I'm glad i stayed blind all these years to the plot because it's story holds up! It's a lovely story game and the art style is very cute as well.

at the end of everything, hold on to anything

first of all, i just want to state that night in the woods is, hands down, one of my top five favorite games of all time. the writing, the characters, the visuals, and the effing music, it's all incredibly well done. while this is definitely not a game for everyone, as the gameplay is definitely the weakest part of this game as it's mostly just walking around and talking to people, i feel like that was kind of the point? it's definitely a character-first game, with its narrative and writing being put first and its gameplay second.

if that isn't your kind of thing and you prefer a game that is more gameplay-focused, i'd still recommend this game solely for its amazing writing, but i definitely don't think you'd get as much out of it and might find it a bit boring. i, personally, also have some minor gripes behind some of the gameplay sections, namely the dream segments, which can be a bit boring and time-consuming. really the only thing they've got going for them are the beautiful visuals and incredible music, but other than that, i'm not a huge fan of them.

other than that, please play this game if very engaging and interesting characters and intriguing and really well-executed themes of mental health and letting go appeal to you, it's definitely worth the price. for the best experience, i definitely recommend exploring as much of the town as you can and talk to all the characters, you might find yourself falling into fun conversations with a horror movie fan, learning about the constellations with your old science teacher, or listening to genuinely excellent poems from your neighbor.

overall, this is a fantastic narrative and character-driven game with a lot of time and effort put into its visuals and soundtrack. i definitely recommend this to anyone who is more into excellent character writing rather than engaging or deep gameplay.

remember to talk to everyone every day!! especially selmers!!

I don't write a lot of reviews but this game hit at a really opportune time for me. Impeccably written, lots of good and bad feels which ultimately come together to make something that can absolutely gut you. 10/10.

Excellent game. Deep on story with a beautiful soundtrack. Interesting side-games and a gripping narrative once it gets going. Definitely worth getting into.

10/10.

Night in the woods is a story based game that will never get a sequel, never get a sister-game, a follow-up, or any other kind of media as a surplus of these characters, and oddly enough the way the community has still grown despite this hardship is a reflection of how strong the messaging in the game's story is.
"The world may rot around the people inside it, but they are good people. Regardless of the situation they are in, there are good people. We need to stick together, keep each-other healthy, happy, loved, because despite that rot, we can perservere"

Despite everything this game, and the people making it have gone through, I'm glad to have experienced it, even if there's nothing like the town of Possum Springs made again, I will cherish what little I have experienced.

I can't even start. I relate to so much of this game on such a personal level it hurts. I've cried a few times.

I definitely see why so many people adore this game. I think I might've passed the peak time to play this game in terms of life stages but I would definitely still recommend this game.

I love the combination of dilly dallying, character/relationship development, and, most surprisingly, the aspects of thriller. It would've been nice to keep these themes a bit more consistent throughout the game, especially the thriller, but that could just be a personal preference.

I didn't really liked how this game ended, but aside from that it was really good. The atmosphere hit me so hard, especially on those rainy days... aw man...

But going for 100% achievements is a pain in the ass, don't recommend to do this, let me rest in piece now...

It starts off extremely compelling, you're solving a mystery with good friends you've fallen out of touch with in the small town you grew up in. Unfortunately for these somewhat well-written characters, the developers had no idea what they were doing story-wise (character development was extremely lacking too). Save your money, don't even buy it on sale, your time is better spent elsewhere.

This game is...an experience, that's for sure.
Night in the Woods houses a captivating story filled with impeccably written characters, beautiful artwork and a strong OST.
If you can get past the unusual and outright bad pacing, abrupt ending, and the actual gameplay being very basic platforming most of the time (reminder this is a visual novel) then i would suggest picking this game up.






ok i have to mention again that the writing of the characters is insane. every character's personality, beliefs, etc are presented perfectly, it feels like they are actual human beings and not lines of text and code its TOO GOOD AAAAAAAAA

You don't exactly play Night in the Woods, you sit with the story of it, and be prepared to go to some dark and real places. There are minigames (including guitar hero, which I suck at so badly I got an achievement for sucking badly) to satisfy that competitive edge, and some minor acts of platform jumping.

The music is incredible, worth it for that alone - but the star is the writing and the narrative itself. It is a horror story, and a very knowing horror story, and if I say any more I will ruin the delicious surprise. A game for anyone who has felt confused and scared, struggled with mental health or grew up in a crap town.

I would recommend this game if you are looking for a narrative heavy game with a strong focus on individual characters relative to overarching plot elements (though the latter is still solid).
This game somehow got me invested in a part of US culture I have little to no experience with and only a kind of vague notion of. Specifically, I think it is the colors of the visuals and the music that are able to evoke so vividly that small-town atmosphere and the feelings of simplicity with a slight air of suffocation that characterize it. The vibe set by these aspects of the work alone make it a unique experience in the realm of video games specifically, where I've not seen much of this kind of atmosphere.
I don't necessarily feel that I connected with any of the characters on an incredibly deep level, even despite vaguely having similar experiences/ circumstances to some of them, though this did not hinder my enjoyment of the work in any way. Instead, I found each of the characters' distinctive personalities a joy to experience in their own right; the various dynamics found within character duos as well as when the entire group is together was always entertaining to experience.
I still struggle to verbalize exactly what about this game resonated with me specifically since I can't exactly point to one thing that gave me a really notable connection to it, but for some reason it stands out as special to me and so I would like to endorse it a testament to that feeling.

"the universe is uncaring, it is the people that do"- if you want to spend a night in the woods with your friends, this may not be the real thing, but it's pretty close. A lovely time.
Also banger soundtrack.

watched a jacksepticeye lets play of this game 7 years ago, forgot everything that happened, bought it and played through it myself, now i can say without a doubt this is one of the best and most fun story games i've ever played

This game is powerful. I play it every couple of years.
It is beautiful, story driven, and one of the most relatable games and stories i've ever experienced.

I've got over thirty hours on this game and have played through it about four times or so now plus all the extra little content things, and have gotten every single achievement. I highly recommend its a great game to sit down and play especially during the fall, the art style is phenomenal and the characters and plot are very fleshed out. I love these guys so much. However I will say the ending to the game feels a bit random, but other than that it was a great game 9/10

this game is very good. i like the story it tells, and it has a very unique vibe to it. overall, the game does a great job conveying complex emotions, and the characters are even better.

this game feels way too similar to real life and the only thing stopping me from having a breakdown over how closely it parallels my struggles and day-to-day experiences is how cute mae is

just beat this. phenomenal game. gonna be thinking about it for a bit. real funny too. a charming thing. i'll do gregg's route next!! love that guy. SO much

this is my favorite game of all time. the feelings that it captures through its art, dialogue, story, characters, and soundtrack are so visceral and beautiful. on the surface, it's nostalgic, silly, and relatable. but underneath that surface layer is something much, much deeper. as i grow older and revisit this game through the years, i find myself relating to it in entirely different ways. i can't recommend it enough

so it takes 32h only to own all achieves and about 3 reruns, welp-
seams i got nightmare eyes after all. great thing to play.

"At the end of everything, hold on to anything."
As a 21 year old college student, Night in the Woods hit me on such a personal level. Mae’s flaws made her deeply relatable, and every character’s story felt real and impactful. It’s not just a game, but it’s also an experience that stays with you. Truly remarkable, and easily one of my all-time favorites.

I did not love this game as much as a lot of people did: the actual day-to-day gameplay was monotonous to me, as were the platforming dream sequences. Developer Alec Holowka's abusive behavior is upsetting, and it's up to you if that's a dealbreaker for playing this game.

Still, overall I think this game is important enough to be worth the effort despite its flaws. Mae Borowski is one of my favorite adventure game protagonists of recent years, and I do think the characters and setting capture a zeitgeist of wayward millennials trying to find themselves in adulthood. The actual mystery plotline is lackluster but if you vibe with the characters then I'd recommend sticking with it until the end.

Amazing character writing and great art direction. On a line-level, the writing is phenomenal. On a macro level, there are major story structure and pacing issues. The first 70% is stretched out into way too many hours of pointless NPC interactions that have no impact to the story or the main character. The last 30% is great, until you realize it doesn't offer any real conclusion to the murder cult mystery, the cosmic horror stuff, or the MC's mental health issues. All of the truly meaningful setup is in the last 30%, but then there's barely any payoff.

The main character's internal arc also didn't land for me. This story is clearly written for young people who's trying to put their life together and feeling aimless/lost/stuck. I've already been-there-done-that and came out the other side, so yeah, I'm not the target audience.

This game changed my life.

I truly mean it when I say that. This game genuinely changed my life in ways I never could have expected from a stupid little indie story game I downloaded off Xbox Gamepass on a friend's recommendation. Playing it again for the first time in 3 or 4 years has only reignited my love for it. That's all.

Overall Rating: C+ Recommended for those looking for something different and who do not mind odd stories.

Night in the Woods is a strange game. It is one I will play again, after I let it digest for a while. However, I can only recommend it to others with caution. It is less of a game than it is a story told with game trappings. The story is all over the place, funny, uncomfortable at times, and strange. Getting to know the people of the town and doing the side activities were far more compelling than the main story, most of the time.

If you want something different, and have an open mind, go into this game blind and enjoy the charmingly odd vibe it has.

This has quickly become one of my favorite story-based games ever. It's definitely more of a visual novel and soft platformer with various mini games than a game based around complex mechanics, so it's best to play when you're feeling relaxed and thoughtful (bonus points if it's fall or winter). The characters are flawed and dynamic, and the challenges they go through feel very realistic, even in the cartoonish "paper doll"-like visual style. My only negative experience with this game is that the main character Mae definitely makes some dubious choices and it can be a bit emotionally taxing to choose between 2 inappropriate dialogue options and then get chewed out by the other characters, lol.

I cried multiple times while playing. Wonderful story, great characters, everything in this game is PERFECT. Loved climbing onto every place possible and discovering new stuff. Definitely one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITES of all time. Now Night in the Woods is gonna live rent free in my head for a looong time lol.

this game is so fucking good, only problem is that some of the dialogue choices are misleading and go totally against what it seems to be portraying

I love this game, i played is on my PS5 And once I finished it i had to buy it on here, the games visual style is unique and wonderful. The story and the characters are really wonderful and honestly i love them all, 10/10
Gregg rulz ok

Whoa. This game goes in so many directions and I love it! I love any game that makes it easy to love every character in it. Can't wait to play a second time to get a whole new experience!

Loved everything about this game, from the art style, to the characters and their designs, their personalities, as well as the story itself. Additionally, the soundtrack and sound design of the game is incredibly spot-on and memorable. Will definitely remember this game for a very, very long time.

Each of the four main characters has so many unique and enjoyable things about each of them, but it's especially true for Mae, the player character. She is a very amusing character and I very much enjoyed getting closer to her story and building up her history and reigniting old friendships she had, staying invested each step of the way.

I LOVE THIS GAME SO MUCH, the music is peak, the art is beautiful, gameplay is simplisitc but nice and it is suprisingly pretty open word despite being a side scroller. It's story is beautiful and I cannot recommend the game enough, PLEASE PLAY IT

this game has an amazing artstyle and animations, a ridiculous yet grounded plot with realistic writing, a wealth of optional content that will keep you busy for months, and a pansexual cat!!! what's not to love

I have only two complaints; the game was too short and the bass minigame is a bit jank. The bass is a bit out of time on most songs. Everything else; airtight. Such a beautiful, cozy game with so much love put into every aspect. Writing and dialogue is so well done. It appears to be written with a very young audience in mind, so don't expect the commentary to be amazingly nuanced and you'll be fine. It only seems to get more and more relevant to current times. The PG language only adds to the humour. Art and music is of course seamless. Game is designed well enough you shouldn't really get stuck anywhere for too long. You quickly get into the swing of the routine of waking up every day and doing your thing. I wanted to do it so many more times before the story wrapped up :(

All the right decisions were made except for when the story ends.

RIP Alec Holowka

I enjoyed this one, enough to purchase after starting on Gamepass (and finished it on Steam). May not be everybody's cup of tea, I think you'll know after the beginning if it's what you like. This is another one of my "play little segments every evening" type of game, which I did until I finished it. Was kinda disappointed in the sudden feeling ending (really thought it should have ended on a song), but I still enjoyed getting there. Liked interacting with the town's various characters on a daily basis, as the story progressed.

very open and lots to experience, gives you a feeling of adventure even though its 2d. great game!

The story isn't strong or nuanced enough to excuse the complete lack of gameplay. I know it's a narrative driven game but I just felt like I was running through town checking the same areas every day until the very last second when the story just... happens. In one huge chunk everything just... happens. The monotony of adulthood was clearly a narrative point but it almost made me lose interest completely. The humour felt a bit outdated and despite me agreeing with its political messaging, it did feel a little forced.

It's a game I feel I should enjoy, as there's many tropes I like, but it just didn't click with me.

This game is absolutely beautiful. Its one of my favorite games, I love everything about it, the story, the characters, the music.

With this game you can just sit back, be all comfortable and just play after a long day of work. No worries about losing or anything. 10/10 for sure

Gregg rulz ok

Crimes, Crimes

THIS GAME CHANGED ME!
i really mean it! a friend recommended it to me and I love replaying it to find more things. the struggles of the main character speaks so much to me and I love the effortless representation of several different characters with different mental health struggles, sexualities, etc.
If you want a good cry but feel good about it, play this game. You won't regret it

Will forever remember this game, till I die. The artstyle, the plot, the characters. Loved everything about it. Very cool, Would recommend. I love yarn balls.

This is a weird little awesome, incredibly well-made game. I bought it quite a while back and just played and finished it. It's so great. I love the awesome animation, the hilarious characters...it's wonderful. Everything I've ever loved about 80's spooky urban legend thrillers with a modern day relevance. We also live in a small mining town with similar history and I loved it. This game will get filed with my favorites.

Behind all the platforming and cute animals is a game that will make you genuinely care about the residents of Possum Springs. The dialog draws you in so fast and might make you rethink your whole life.

Highly recommend.