Night in the Woods Reviews

Night in the Woods is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
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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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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8.5 / 10.0
Feb 24, 2017

Amazing storytelling in a world filled with characters trying to find themselves, Night in the Woods delivers quite a powerful performance!

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8.5 / 10.0
Feb 27, 2017

Night in the Woods is one of those art forms that takes you on a journey rather than providing exciting gameplay. This could have been a book or a movie and I would still relish the chance to dive into the world once more. The characters come to life like few other video game icons can and the conversations through written dialogue is some of the best gaming has to offer. It says something about a title when the only things you have to worry about are slight dips in pace and repetitive day to day motions. Although that very well could fit in with the game's theme. If you're looking for a unique and meaningful tale of self-discovery, Night in the Woods needs to be in your virtual library as soon as possible.

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Andy Kelly
Top Critic
82 / 100
Feb 28, 2017

A beautiful, heartfelt coming of age story that says something about life, and cracks a few jokes in the process.

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82 / 100
Mar 2, 2017

I wish there was more to do in Night in the Woods, but that doesn't stop it from being a delight. I love that it addresses something relevant and honest. It's a slice of life that speaks to a generation and explores a world with unusual depth.

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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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8 / 10
Feb 27, 2017

While the main narrative drags a little, wonderfully crafted characters that deal with real-life issues, fill this beautiful Saturday morning cartoon show where the mundanity of life is the backdrop for some wonderful exchanges between Mae and her friends

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Jan 17, 2018

Night in the Woods is a refreshing take on the adventure genre.

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Feb 28, 2017

Night in the Woods might get messy with its broad strokes, but it's the fine details that make the game so special.

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4 / 5.0
Mar 4, 2017

Although it’s told through the lenses of cute cuddly woodland creatures, Night in the Woods‘ narrative themes of isolation and insecurity are nothing to shake a stick at.

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Mar 14, 2017

Night in the Woods may be a pastiche of influences, but as far as video games go, there's really nothing else like it, and there's a lot to be learned from spending a dozen days in Mae's life—about her and her friends, about yourself, about America and towns forgotten by time.

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8 / 10.0
Mar 12, 2017

Night in the Woods is about growing up in a world that doesn’t seem to give a damn about you, something so many of us can almost relate to today. It’s about growing up when you thought you were already grown up. It’s about embracing your emotions and coming to terms with your failures. It’s about cherishing the past but also learning to let it go. And it’s one of the nicest indie games I’ve had the pleasure of playing in recent memory.

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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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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.

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8 / 10.0
Mar 7, 2017

Overall, Night In The Woods is a charming and well-executed slice of American life in a small town.

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Adam Riley
Top Critic
8 / 10
Apr 28, 2017

Night in the Woods is an expertly written story wrapped up in a 2D platform adventure blanket. Whilst not the epitome of actual gaming, it can still hold its own in the face of competition. What makes Infinite Fall's piece of entertainment so compelling, though, is definitely its charm and storytelling expertise, providing such an engrossing tale, complete with sublime audio-visual presentation, making this an essential purchase for those that love to be drawn completely into the world they are playing through.

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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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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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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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