Neverending Nightmares Reviews
Neverending Nightmares is an examination of inescapable sadness and horror. I can't call it fun, but it left a lasting impression on me
Neverending Nightmares revels in tension and survives through conservation of its primal resource. Unfolding it exposes a weird paradox; a game that actively campaigns against a traditional desire to play it, and yet seeks to capture attention all the same. What Neverending Nightmares sacrifices in playability, however, it gains raw and relatable emotion.
Neverending Nightmares tells a very dark and personal story. It is not a feel-good story, and the ending I received wasn't a happy one. The journey is simultaneously thrilling and somber, and it may leave you feeling a bit nauseous. And guess what? It's a gem of a game. If you are comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, and want an experience that feels heavy without feeling arduous, Neverending Nightmares is definitely a must buy.
While I do believe some players may dismiss the game as a "walking simulator" (as they are wont to do nowadays), Neverending Nightmares falls into the must-play section of the horror genre. Whether or not you find it scary, you'll definitely be disturbed and intrigued as you seek resolution to the madness. There are also branching paths, something the game will point out, but the actions or lack thereof Thomas must take to find them are elusive and will keep players guessing. Get used to the blood.
Experience a nightmare and then have some of your own. "Inspired" by mental illness.
Neverending Nightmares lacks any real challenge, making it feel like less of a game and more of an interactive visual story. The 'true' ending still leaves questions, and considering the game's short length, I was left wanting more.
I admire the sheer artistic bravery of Matt Gilgenbach. It isn't often that a game developer will tear his heart out and lay it down for everyone to see. Despite its flaws, Neverending Nightmares offers a striking and unforgettable horror experience, combined with an uncomfortably intimate look into the true torment of mental illness. However, its lack of content and uneven pacing prevent it from being the classic it feels like it could have been.
Neverending Nightmares has its flaws, and it certainly isn't for the squeamish. However, anyone who digs the horror or suspense genres should absolutely pick this up. Being born out of personal torment and inner conflict makes this game a unique experience, and sometimes you can't help but relate to Thomas' confusion as he wanders through the dark. I hope you can save him. I know I wouldn't want to be stuck in his nightmare.
In short: I didn't need Drake for long. Actually I played about two chart-toppers before I no longer felt the need for his voice as a lighthouse through the darkness. I began to feel comfortable in a horror game, which is a problem. I slept soundly that night.
Neverending Nightmares is an apt name for an unnerving but meandering experience.
Neverending Nightmares has a promising concept that drew me in, but the story is shallow and the focus is more on disturbing gore than psychological horror. Forgettable, average and hard to recommend to anyone.
Neverending Nightmares feels so confident in its disturbed vision, until it comes time to actually say something.
Though eerily gorgeous and macabre, Neverending Nightmares tends to play it too close to conventions.
After an extremely positive first hour that was tremendously terrifying, Neverending Nightmares wears thin. The gorgeous visuals aren't enough to save the game from its own tedious design, and ultimately I was bored by the time the game ended less than three hours later. There's a lot of interesting ideas, but very few are capitalized on in any captivating way.
Neverending Nightmares doesn't go for the big set pieces, but relies on you to fill the gaps with your own imagination before unleashing some horror on you. Its slow pace combined with ominous sounds and music help to build tension in environments that gradually fall apart, as Neverending Nightmares masterfully gives off a sense of dread in its short playtime.
Neverending Nightmares is a very personal look at what it's like to feel trapped by mental illnesses, a look that is gruesome and scary. Though the game excels with great sound and art design, creating truly scary moments, its boring gameplay loop makes it a hard to sit through.
I hesitate to call Neverending Nightmares a "bad game." Despite its flaws, it remains a unique experience and a rare, intimate look into an illness that is often misunderstood by media.
Relentlessly chilling, but lacking in replayability, Neverending Nightmares is for those who value memorable storytelling more than solid gameplay.
With Neverending Nightmares, Infinitap does a stellar job of simulating the more common elements of nightmares, but shows enough self-control to prevent the experience from being absolutely wearying. Though the subject matter might be disturbing to some, this short, effective experience makes for one of the more memorable horror games in recent memory.
Sketching the true horrors of mental illness, Neverending Nightmares succeeds in creating an unnerving atmosphere that will keep you forever on the edge of your seat. It's let down by a lack of environments and varied gameplay, but it still stands as a chilling experience that those with an interest in the genre should check out.