Night in the Woods
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Night in the Woods
Night in the Woods captures the fears and anxieties of being a young adult with surprising clarity, but brings it into new and interesting territory thanks to its developers’ deep understanding of rural America’s economic hardships. Branching, well-written dialogue made me feel closer to Mae’s story as I helped build out her history and reignite friendships, encouraging a second playthrough to uncover the scenes (and even a few secrets) I know I missed.
A beautiful, heartfelt coming of age story that says something about life, and cracks a few jokes in the process.
A witty smalltown adventure with light puzzle-platforming elements that walks the line between nostalgia and nihilism.
A hugely impressive achievement in interactive storytelling, that tackles difficult subjects head-on but still manages to be life-affirming and relatable.
Natural, clever dialogue is the most compelling aspect, mixing black humor, charm, and profound observations
Night in the Woods isn't perfect. I'm not perfect. You're not perfect. Life isn't perfect. But as the game itself tries to espouse, if you've got the patience, you may find that there is true beauty in that revelation.
Night in the Woods delivers an evocative take on the early-20s existential crisis with awkward humor and charming characters.
All of this -- the unique pieces that make up Night in the Woods -- goes back to why it's so damn hard to define the game. There isn't an adequate term for titles that blend clunky platforming with choose-you-own-adventure friendship simulators. Nor is there a word to describe games that feature knife-fighting minigames and Guitar Hero-inspired band practices. But, again, maybe that's a big part of Night in the Woods' appeal. It's a confident outsider, and one that takes pleasure is celebrating the weird ways that everything comes together in life.
Industry Coverage
Xbox Game Pass' Next Wave of Games Have Been Announced
Microsoft has announced the next few games that are coming to Xbox Game Pass
Read more
