Night in the Woods Review (DashesOfRainbow)
This game doesn't need any other reviews, and likely, nobody will ever see this. Yet, I feel compelled to write it.
I picked this game up when I was going through some mental issues in hopes that it would help perk me up. It did not. Instead, I felt the weight that the main character, Mae, was carrying with her every day. These characters are basically cartoons yet I related to them, I felt a connection to them. When Bea was mad at Mae, I felt bad like I did something wrong. That is amazing storytelling. To be able to engage players in such a way that you relate to a cat and feel sympathy for her crocodile friend is a gift.
The gameplay can be very repetitive. With only a handful of keys, you spend most of the game pressing 'c' or the arrow keys. Which irked me a bit as I've never played a game where the select button isn't Enter but c. I felt dumb before I even started playing. The lackluster game play is made up for by a great script however.
The story is compelling, and the conversations feel real. Like they are real conversations that friends would have. I also appreciated the presence of a gay couple whilst not making their entire personalities about them being gay. They were just regular "people" like most gay folks.
The game touches on mental health which isn't common. I did feel this to be a bit triggering at times, but I also felt comfort in being able to relate to characters with their own struggles.
I will say that I agree with some other reviews, the ending is disappointing in my opinion. I won't say much in case anyone does read this, but I wish it could have gone another way. Still, this game tells a beautiful story of friendship and growing up that I think many people may be able to relate to. I beat it two days ago and still can't stop thinking about it.