Games You Might Have Missed: Night in the Woods
In the deluge of AAA games that came out at the beginning of this year, it was easy to miss the February 21st release of Nightfall’s Night in the Woods. An indie walking sim with platforming elements doesn’t exactly have the same sex appeal as fighting robot dinosaurs or colonizing a new galaxy. But as December approaches and game of the year discussions loom closer, I’m here to tell you that missing Night in the Woods is a huge mistake.
Set in a small town called Possum Springs, you follow Mae, an anthropomorphic cat fresh off dropping out of college. While she’s not the most likable character, Mae is relateable in poignant ways, serving as the focal point and foil for the many social issues Night in the Woods comments on. Economic privilege, mental health, and what it means to be queer in a small town are all topics that come up as you play, and each is addressed with thought and care. The same can be said for the game’s supporting characters.
Building relationships with Mae’s friends, Bea and Gregg, is heartwarming and engaging. Bea is the goth alligator who runs her family’s hardware store and dreams of going to college. Gregg is the anarchist convenience store clerk who just wants to move somewhere nice with his boyfriend. Each has their own relationship path you can follow by choosing to spend the day hanging out with them. These friendships feel real as you pull back layers to get to know them and see the hardships they’re facing in own lives. Both friends also provide insights on who Mae is and how she became that way.
While the platforming can sometimes be annoying, the gameplay is enjoyable overall, rewarding you with extra details to fill in gaps in Possum Springs’ lore when you interact with the world around you. There are even collectible mini windmills scattered around town that provide a bit of extra content if you can find them all! Random mini-games across genres (rhythm games and retro dungeon crawlers, for example) help mix things up in between jumping on ledges.
No matter what kind of games you like, Night in the Woods is a must-play. The story is well done and incredibly relevant in 2017, and at around 6-7 hours, it won’t consume your life like an expansive open-world game. All this for $19.99 is more than worth it. Do yourself a favor and play this game.
