Before The Night

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 104 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Before The Night Game Cover
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In "Before The Night" , players control the human pet Lisa, whose mission is to obtain Flower of Life from a cute animal village to revive her master. To do so, players must bypass the rabbits' protections by bartering with carrots or using a hammer to persuade them. Stealing the Flower will trigger nighttime, unleashing infested villagers. The game combines horror and action-adventure elements with cute animal aesthetics.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews
story22 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • The game features a charmingly grotesque art style that effectively blends cuteness with horror, creating a captivating atmosphere.
  • Gameplay is engaging with a mix of puzzles, stealth, and combat, allowing for multiple solutions to challenges and rewarding players for skillful play.
  • The story is intriguing and well-crafted, offering a unique perspective on the relationship between humans and animals, which adds depth to the gameplay experience.
  • Movement can feel slippery and imprecise, making it difficult to navigate levels and throw items accurately.
  • The game lacks a pause function during the menu, which can lead to frustrating moments when trying to manage inventory or take a break.
  • Some dialogue feels out of place or excessive, detracting from the overall immersion in the game's narrative.
  • story38 mentions

    The game's story is engaging and immersive, centering on a protagonist who accidentally enters an animal kingdom, exploring themes of humans as pets without being overly preachy. Players appreciate the gradual unraveling of the narrative through gameplay, complemented by stunning visuals and sound that enhance the experience. Overall, the storytelling is described as compelling and unique, making it a worthwhile choice for those seeking a short yet intense narrative adventure.

    • “Its storytelling is compelling, without forced elements, and it immerses you with visuals and sounds that change with the day-night cycle.”
    • “In a nice story of a girl determined to revive her best friend... no matter what.”
    • “I also love the story of the game, which I won't get into here because of spoilers, but it's really good.”
    • “Nothing in the animated trailer is really present in the game, so if you're expecting something like a 'Promised Neverland' kind of story, it's not quite that.”
    • “I've had my say on gameplay, so onto the story: it's wild.”
    • “The story is a take on humans being pets/livestock, but it's not the preachy 'be kind to animals' story.”
  • graphics22 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique cutesy-horror aesthetic, which effectively enhances the storytelling and atmosphere. Players appreciate the vibrant art style and immersive sound design that adapt with the day-night cycle, creating a compelling experience that balances charm with creepiness. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “I love the whole cutesy-horror aesthetic of the art style, and the music sets the tone of the game wonderfully.”
    • “The art is super awesome, I really love all of the graphics in this game.”
    • “Just make sure you don't do a dumb and that you don't use integrated graphics.”
    • “I love how the art style is cute but also makes the game very creepy and horror-like, which is absolutely perfect for this game.”
  • gameplay20 mentions

    The gameplay in "Before the Night" is characterized by a unique mechanic where players retain their inventory if they survive, adding a layer of challenge, especially since dying results in a complete wipe. The game offers a mix of stealth and action, allowing players to choose between quiet or loud approaches, and features a variety of weapons that enhance gameplay as levels progress. While the experience is engaging and blends horror with cuteness effectively, some players noted a need for improved gameplay clarity.

    • “It offers a challenging gameplay experience that will take at least 4 hours to complete in easy mode.”
    • “Gameplay is interesting as there's a way to either go quiet or loud in some levels.”
    • “While there's room for gameplay clarity improvement, 'Before the Night' is a delightful horror action-adventure, blending cuteness and horror effectively.”
    • “The main gameplay is preparing for the inevitable night by killing threats and opening pathways using limited resources.”
    • “With oddly payday mechanics (scout the area without a time limit).”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to set the tone, effectively balancing cutesy melodies with eerie undertones that enhance the overall atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack complements the art style and gameplay, maintaining focus without being overwhelming, and contributing to the game's unique cutesy-horror aesthetic. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that enriches the gaming experience.

    • “I love the whole cutesy-horror aesthetic of the art style, and the music sets the tone of the game wonderfully.”
    • “The music perfectly portrayed a simple cute tune that could switch to a creepy feeling instantly.”
    • “In terms of the music, I like that it wasn't too over the top and allowed the game to keep my focus while beating the later half of the game.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game evokes strong emotions by exploring the complex relationship between humans and animals, leading players to feel sympathy for a horrifying animal society despite the game's graphic violence. This role reversal creates an emotionally charged experience that resonates with players' reflections on their own views about animals.

    • “This role reversal taps into thoughts many of us have had about our relationship with animals, making for an emotionally charged experience.”
    • “It sure made me feel kind of bad for the horrifying animal society by the end, which is really something considering how immeasurably gory this game is.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game creates a captivating atmosphere that blends haunting fairy tale elements with impressive game design. Its art style and soundtrack effectively evoke the contrasting feelings of whimsical villages and unsettling nightmares, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The game has a captivating atmosphere of a haunting fairy tale, and its game design is truly impressive.”
    • “The art style and soundtrack are really good and nail the atmosphere of cutesy villages and bad trip nightmares.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game has limited replayability due to the absence of a level select feature, a lack of secrets to discover, and many levels serving primarily as exposition rather than offering engaging gameplay.

    • “Not much replayability factor, no level select, no secrets to find, and a lot of levels exist just for exposition.”
    • “Not much replayability factor, no level select, no secrets to find, and a lot of levels exist just for exposition.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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