Topic: Night in the Woods

I really love this game and without a doubt in my top 3 Switch games so far. However, I think its price put a lot of people off of buying it. Hopefully a sale will generate some sales and it can get the exposure it deserves.

Anyone want to share there thoughts on the game and what you would want from the series next??

Want the game, but my backlog is already too long to justify the purchase. The price hasn't put me off, though.

I think the price would be off putting to someone who wasn't sure about whether the game was for them or not but regardless I hope you can get round to playing it soon my man as it really is an awesome game. @Krull

Good to hear. It's near the top of my want list.

The ending left me feeling unsatisfied. I want a sequel. I loved the characters and their interactions. I really hope they aren't gonna stop with this one game. Mae's story feels like it's not over yet...

The ending was alright to me. It could have been better, maybe much better. But it was fitting and didn't ruin the things they built up to or the general tone of the game with cheesiness, which I appreciated.
Other than that it was one of the games that left a lasting impression on me. I feel emotionally attached to that game, which few managed to that degree. The writing is just so good and the graphics and music really create a unique atmosphere. You feel like you are part of the group.

@Giygas_95 @Tiefseemiez

I loved the music especially it gives everything a lovely ambience and I honestly can't think of a single moment the music quality dropped throughout. And that art style you know when I first saw screen shots I thought yeah this looks good but when it's all in motion those little details here and there and the less is more approach it all just came together to make a game that is beautiful to behold.

I'm really hoping for a sequel as well. I think sticking with Mae and gang is the best way forward and building on the supernatural aspects. I think unless they go over the top with the size than other than writing it shouldn't take a long time to make a sequel having done a lot of the work with the first game.

@bluemage1989 Oh the soundtrack? You gonna get me started on the SOUNDTRACK?

This is the biggest assortment of quality, ambient, and bittersweet tunes I have ever seen in a game. Every one feels talor made to the current situation and fits so perfectly that you can feel exactly what they were going for. Take my favorite one, Mallard's Tomb for instance. It has such a relaxing and nostalgic feel to it (which is perfect considering where it plays) yet such an addictive beat that I find myself listening to it when I'm not even playing the game. I even use that song as my alarm in the morning! The whole soundtrack is just incredible. Often times when I have a long drive ahead of me I just turn it on and let the whole thing play as I'm driving.

I haven't played Night in the Woods since probably February or so. I played through it twice, but I still haven't done the first hangout with Gregg (mixed play through the first time and then went full Bea for the second one). I'm planning on doing a full Gregg run next time. There are some Maple trees right outside of my apartment. When the leaves turn and begin falling, it will be time for my third play through.

@Giygas_95 Mallards Tomb is not just my musical highlight but one of my highlights of the game full stop. Everything about that first visit is simply perfect and that track just gels perfectly with the writing to create a scene of melancholy nostalgia that really hit the spot. I'm a big ambient music fan anyway and this soundtrack could easily have been released and appealed to fans of the genre the fact it works so well in sync with everything else though elevates it to greatness.

I'm currently on my second play through having already done an all Bea initially. Its really great going through the whole story again with Gregg and knowing where the story goes in general pondering some of the less explained elements such as the janitor or picking up on some of the subtle story beats that foreshadow later revelations. The cast of characters created here not just your main cast but literally everyone have been handled with so much attention it really brought them to live.

I grew up in a small town that shares a lot of similarities and I remember returning home aged 20 so for me now aged 29 there is some nostalgia here for my own early twenties. I can see people I know in these characters sometimes and it makes me appreciate how real these characters all feel.

What direction would you like to see a sequel take yourself??

@bluemage1989 Direction...I'm not entirely sure. I think maybe I'd like to see Mae having grown from her experiences in the first game and trying to make something of herself. Whether that happens in Possum Springs or a new town I'd be fine either way. Some of the gameplay could maybe be her working a job of some sort. Alternatively...

I wouldn't mind seeing a much darker take. As in Mae falls into a downward spiral throughout much of the game due to depression and lack of direction. Imagine a story where Mae gets mixed up in crime (worse crime than she and Gregg did anyway) and/or drug addiction. It could be a pretty dark story but I wouldn't mind seeing it happen. I'd like to see the game tackle really heavy subject matter like addiction, rape, murder, etc., but that would probably also push the age rating up to M.

@bluemage1989 I absolutely adore the game as well. But it is, more or less, a visual novel. And for whatever reasons, those don't do very well with western audiences. Which is somewhat ironic considering this game is, in many ways targeted at a very specific group among Americans. I hold that anyone who is a fan of a good story can enjoy it, but that it is highly targeted at American Midwestern Millennials. Basically 19-35 year old people in roughly the middle of the US. Which is another possible turn off to those outside that group. I am smack in the middle of that age group and grew up in Michigan. Replace the mines with empty car factories and that's 2/3 of my home state. The people in the conclusion of the story could very easily have been many of the people I knew or knew of in towns all over Michigan. Heck, my Uncle would probably happy have joined a group like that.

@Giygas_95

I agree with you ideas!
I also could very well imagine a sequel following Gregg and Angus and how they start a new life by the sea.
I have my struggles imagining a sequel with Bea though. She seems to have arranged with her situation too "well" somehow.

By the way about the ending once more:
I was kiiiind of disappointed and surprised by the writers actually going with the creepy-uncle-gang-goat-thingy after all. I was happy that they surprised me with sticking to the mythic side of the story, but at the same time I already thought of that stuff being Mae going crazy. So I kind of felt the story would have made more sense if the uncle-cult was only in her head. At the same time that would have been very predictable and kiiind of boring. I think it is great that all that stuff still can be seen pretty metaphorical, but it was the only thing that I thought could have been better.

Also this is the only game ever I bought a soundtrack of. I enjoy the midi-ness of the songs less than I thought if they are not accompanying the game, but the melodies are so great and they bring back all sorts of feelings.
It's crazy how music can make you so emotionally attached to a fictional world that you almost feel at home when you hear the music. And start thinking of all the cool things you and your "friends" did together when you hung out.

@bluemage1989 Did I also mention that the title screen theme is probably my favorite title theme ever in a video game? It let's you know right up front this isn't going to be a happy return home but rather a sad and often times dark one.

@Tisolationz

I know what you mean about the ending. I had also figured it was a symptom of her mental illness and when it was revealed to be real I thought maybe they have made it harder for themselves with regards to making a sequel. I suppose there are ways they could get around it still but all would feel a bit cheap I think.

@Heavyarms55

I personally think the game has fairly broad appeal. I think millennials who grew up in say the north of England with the loss of the steel works or rural Australia with the loss of agricultural work could identify with the setting just as easily as those brought up in the Midwest. I think the fact you are in a group of young characters facing issues of isolation/hopelessness/depression means anyone who is young can still identify with the characters and the setting just gives some context to those feelings. I agree that anyone who enjoys a good story could enjoy this game as like you said it does have visual novel like gameplay and I think that's why the price would put people off. I really think it deserved every penny of it's price but I feel there's a lot of people out there who would not take a chance on a game like this because of it's price because it is a gamble when the gameplay is so light whether the story will be enough for some.

@Giygas_95

I love the opening theme for the same reason it reminds me how the music of Twin Peaks foreshadowed the impending strangeness. I think the developers have made things a little tricky for themselves by making clear the elder god is in fact real. I mean you can't just throw one into the mix and then not acknowledge its existence. I'd like to see them go dark as well but still try and retain that humour in the right places that can be hard to do shows like Twin Peaks managed it and I hope the reason we haven't heard a lot on the sequel is because they want to take the time to do it right. Maybe a short college based prequel to tide us over?? Personally I hope they retain this cast although as said above Bea seems to have resolved a lot of her issues I think she is imtegeral to the group dynamic and I think Mae has a lot still to offer.

I want to know what Aunt Molly's whole thing is. Seems to me there was a lot more to her than was shown.

@bluemage1989 After giving it some more thought I think I'd like to see a game where Mae is trying to make something of herself and has a job but is struggling to make ends meet. Bea's father is either passed away or in poor health due to his depressed state of losing his wife before the first game, and these hardships have strengthened Mae and Bea's bond. Maybe one plot point could be Mae's spiral into depression and Bea trying to pull her out of it while also trying to either take care of her father or get over his death. That could include Mae having issues with drug addiction (which could honestly lead to some interesting gameplay scenarios now that I think about it...) I dunno, maybe that's too dark. Gregg and Angus seemed to have stuff figured out by the end of the last game though, and I would imagine they may have moved at some point.

Alternatively, I wouldn't mind seeing them go full on weird and embracing the eldritch stuff from the first game. Maybe Mae starts realizing she has some strange powers of her own, and that's why she could hear Black Goat singing to her.

Also some time down the road I'd love to see a game set decades into the future where Mae is in her 40s or 50s. That could be really interesting to see how time would have changed her.

In response to your comment about Aunt Molly, I think maybe she's very perceptive and knows when something is going on. She just doesn't always know exactly what. Or maybe she does know more than she lets on. Could be she knows something of the cult.

@Giygas_95 I like both ideas you say and I think this is there problem. Both of them sound like awesome directions to go but how can they balance both??

Personally (and I think it might be an option even if it's a bit crazy) is that Mae becomes a local cop. She keeps on top of the local kids being kids but also always on the lookout for the influence of big bad goat... but it takes its toll she can't talk to anyone professionally about the previous events because she can't risk losing her job for mental health issues and her family need her more than ever now there getting older her father can't work anymore his back is gone and her mother there's just no more work for a woman of her age and the church have reduced her hours... she turns to drugs because well there free shes forever confiscating from residents of a town where unemployment has taken its toll. She can't understand why no one else can feel the influence of the elder god taking over the hearts and minds of the town... or is it a drug/stress/fatigue based paranoia.

As for Aunt Molly.. maybe I read to much into some of her dialogue but when she speaks of 'protecting people like you' 'the world is a dangerous place' (don't remember the exact words) and her parents talking of her 'dangerous job' the way she just seems to be at places at the right time and her general manner made me feel there was something about her from the moment you first meet her. She sounds like her words are a bit heavy for a small town cop. I'd like to know what her relationship to the cult is if there is one.

@bluemage1989 I think that's actually a really good idea since it would force Mae and Molly to work together and get over their differences. In time they could really bond with each other too. Imagine if Molly even got assigned to train Mae! I'd love to see that. Just imagine Molly trying to teach Mae how to handle a firearm. XD

Also Mae in a police uniform would be adorable.

My friends has praised this game endlessly and whilst I want to play it I'm in the same boat. Don't feel willing to stump up £17.

Even more so on some of the comments made about the ending. I like my endings fully wrapped up with all questions answered and nothing else to think about or consider. An ending that makes me feel satisfied on what I accomplished. The thought that I may have gaps to fill in (not gonna happen as frankly I have better things to do than fill in the gaps; that's the author's job not mine) makes me even more likely to wait for a sale.

@FX102A let me be the next man to recommend this to you!! Whether you pick this up on sale or regular price I think you will find a great game. I can understand your concern about the ending but it feels like more of a 'to be continued' than an open ending.

@Giygas_95 it would be adorable wouldn't it!! I think it would be a cool way to take the story forward Mae being a cop and hopefully it would allow us to explore more of Possums Springs. I hope the only reason a sequel hasn't been announced is because the developers are taking there time on a sequels story free from pressure to release.