Night in the Woods Reviews

Night in the Woods is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Geeks Under Grace
Sydney Stoddard
9.5 / 10.0
Sep 10, 2020

With thoughtful design, masterful storytelling, and authentic worldbuilding, Night in the Woods is a game you'll be quoting, discussing, and exploring long after you finish playing.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 21, 2018

Without giving away too much, Night in the Woods comprises of incredibly dark moments, an exploration of topics like economic depression, mental health, religion and growing up, lots of interesting and fun sides and funny moments. I feel the characters are really well developed and a lot of thought has been put into their backstories, and fleshing out their personalities. The game itself is aesthetically pleasing with a hand drawn cartoony feel and gameplay is really smooth. Where I feel the game could have improved is towards the end, where you find out what’s been going on the whole time and it all happens all very fast and at once. For me I would have liked more here either in the form of more dialogue or just an extra bit of gameplay. Overall as a small indie game I think it’s done very well.

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4.5 / 5.0
Apr 6, 2018

Night in the Woods is a powerful, story-driven game that shows that not all games need action if you have strong characters and fun mini-games. Oh and beating up a furnace with a bat is fun, too.

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Mar 27, 2018

Poignant, sometimes sad, but also joyous and gut-wrenchingly funny, Night in the Woods is a bold, brave game that will be be recognised as an all time great.

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90%
Mar 12, 2018

It is a solid adventure release with plenty of content to enjoy and a nice cast of characters that, thanks to their witty dialogue and strong presence, very much feel alive.

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8 / 10
Mar 1, 2018

The moment you step in the Possum Springs, You'll fall in love with it. Setting the bar high for interactive storytelling, Night in the Woods does every other thing just right; from magical artistic design to charming music to smart dialogues. One of the best indie titles in the recent years.

Review in Persian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Feb 21, 2018

Leaving Possum Sprigns is one of the hardest things we've done in the last years of gaming: Mae Borowski and her fellow young adults have left a memorable stain in our hearts, and we're already looking forward to go visit them again. Don't miss one of the best narrative experiences ever.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Unscored
Feb 18, 2018

An interactive story like nothing I’ve played, I couldn’t recommend Night in the Woods as a light experience. It is, however, quite an interesting and impactful one, and one that has kept me thinking, even as I write this review.

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Drew Hurley
Top Critic
8 / 10
Feb 18, 2018

This is an adventure game the likes of which is rarely seen anymore and is completely unlike anything else on Switch.

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Liked
Feb 17, 2018

Through its use of well-written, relatable dialogue, Night in the Woods is able to go from ridiculous shenanigans to heart-wrenching moments, while capturing the fears and insecurities of growing into adulthood.

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8.5 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2018

Night in the Woods is the good kind of narrative game, full of rich and deep topic, topped with a simple gameplay and witty humour. A short experience, but a must have for those of you that never played it when launched back in early 2017.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 14, 2018

I must say that Night in the Woods has me intrigued and already I want to play through it again to get what I missed and spend some more time with Gregg. It's certainly a satisfying experience and if you are looking for a story driven title to play then Night in the Woods is certainly for you, even if the ending left me annoyed.

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10 / 10
Feb 12, 2018

Night in the Woods is an incredible, heartfelt journey that goes above and beyond anything currently on Switch when it comes to its character development and storytelling. While the pacing might not be to everyone’s tastes, Night in the Woods is a truly unforgettable experience and one I’m sure we’ll be talking about for years to come.

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85 / 100
Feb 7, 2018

Night in the Woods tells a sad story in many levels. We love the art direction and the soundtrack (specially in minigames and dream levels), but it is not a game for everyone. Gameplay falls short compared to narrative elements.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

10 / 10
Feb 7, 2018

Night in the Woods and it's one of the most important experiences I've had as an enthusiast of this industry for over 30 years.

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Feb 7, 2018

"Exceptionally well told story about our everyday problems."

Review in Finnish | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Feb 5, 2018

I think the decision point with a game like Night in the Woods revolves around how much reality you want in your games. If you’re looking purely for an escape, to turn your mind off and simply enjoy yourself, Night in the Woods very much won’t be for you… at all. If, instead, you view games through the lens of entertainment that can also have something to say or to reveal to you about people who may be living very different lives than you I would absolutely say you should check it out. I don’t know that I’ve ever played a game with characters that remind me so much of my own children, some of their struggles, and how sometimes people’s traits being positives or negatives can be very heavily driven by perspective and context. I can’t think of any game I’ve played in quite some time that made me reflect on as many things as Night in the Woods has, and if you’re open to the experience I’d highly recommend it.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Feb 5, 2018

A hugely impressive achievement in interactive storytelling, that tackles difficult subjects head-on but still manages to be life-affirming and relatable.

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9 / 10
Feb 4, 2018

Less of a game, and more of an interactive story with some light platforming and exploring to tie it all together, Night In The Woods is one of the most rewarding experiences you can play on Nintendo Switch. A curio better played for yourself than described by us, it's an indie title that will no doubt leave an impression with its enchanting soundtrack, disarming story and instantly identifiable character arcs. Both strange and wonderful in equal measure, few games are as easy to recommend as this.

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80%
Feb 2, 2018

A Night in the Woods is a game which requires patience and is best savoured like a good wine or meal. There is lots to explore, many strands of story to uncover, and Possom Springs is a place with characters which just draws you in. Once hooked, it doesn't let go until the credits roll. Mae is an imperfect cat with many vulnerabilities and that's why the story resonates so deep; because when you play this there is no doubt that many will have experienced some of the things in this game. Even though it is a supernatural adventure these are just characters living normal lives with everyday problems which the writers have brought to the fore with an excellent written script. I can't promise that this will be for everyone, but I can confidently say that those that are willing to give this one the time it deserves will be richly rewarded.

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