Dépanneur Nocturne

About

"Dépanneur Nocturne" is a single-sitting game set in a mystical interpretation of Montréal, where you search for a special gift for your loved one in a corner store closing in an hour. Explore the store at your own pace, discover secrets, and collect gifts without a budget constraint. The game is fully bilingual in English and French with a Québec twist, taking approximately 1-2 hours to complete.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 203 reviews

graphics28 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Depanneur Nocturne offers a charming and cozy atmosphere with beautiful art and engaging world-building, making it a delightful experience.
The game features a unique bilingual dialogue system that enhances immersion, allowing players to switch between French and English seamlessly.
Despite its short length, the game is packed with secrets and hidden interactions, encouraging exploration and replayability.

The game is very short, typically taking less than an hour to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some players experienced motion sickness due to the game's movement mechanics, which could detract from the overall enjoyment.
While the game has a lot of charm, some interactions and elements may feel underdeveloped or lacking depth, leading to a sense of repetitiveness.

graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
30%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, low-poly art style and unique aesthetic, which evokes a cozy and mysterious atmosphere reminiscent of a dreamy, hazy world. Players appreciate the clever humor in the graphics settings, and the overall visual presentation is described as beautiful and immersive, enhancing the game's exploration and narrative experience. The combination of soothing colors and ambient sound contributes to a relaxing gameplay experience, making it a delightful visual treat.
- “The graphics are lovely, with a very strong aesthetic that colors this game’s re-imagination of Québec in a gorgeous blue palette.”
- “The visuals are so unique, it's like walking through a hazy dream.”
- “Lovely graphical style and worldbuilding!”
- “3 settings for graphics, but nothing to tell you exactly what they mean.”
- “Not sure if the game auto-selects graphics or resolution for you, based on your hardware and native resolution.”
- “As far as the actual game goes there isn't a lot here, but the art style, writing, and world building is wonderful and it left me wishing I could spend a whole lot more time finding out about and exploring not just this little shop but the world outside as well.”
atmosphere
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
26%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its cozy, relaxing, and whimsical qualities, enhanced by charming music and sound design. Players appreciate the detailed environments, unique art styles, and the sense of familiarity and exploration they evoke, making it a delightful experience despite its short playtime. Overall, the game is described as a captivating and atmospheric adventure that invites players to take their time and enjoy the little details.
- “The atmosphere is really relaxing and welcoming, and the game is stuffed full of secrets and attention to detail.”
- “I really enjoyed exploring this quirky little game and recommend it to anyone looking for an atmospheric exploration experience!”
- “Cozy and atmospheric one-hour experience with a gorgeous hazy, surreal, low-poly art style and fun secrets.”
- “I would definitely recommend checking this one out, if only to experience the off-beat atmosphere.”
- “Really does feel like finding that little shop on a side street with the laid-back atmosphere.”
- “But even for just one playthrough the price of the game is totally worth it - a relaxed atmosphere, some moments to make you smile, beautiful use of colors and art direction.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The game's story is subtly woven into its environment, with each object in eugénie's store hinting at deeper narratives that players can imagine. While the overall experience is compact, lasting about 45 minutes to an hour, it offers a charming and slightly eerie tale that encourages exploration and interaction with the quirky shopkeeper. Players appreciate the lighthearted and cute narrative, making it a delightful and meditative experience.
- “There's a surprising amount of story and worldbuilding stuffed into what's really a rather compact game, too.”
- “A delightful short story where you brave the rain to find the perfect gift for your loved one.”
- “They never dump excess information on the player, burdening the experience with novels of lore, but it’s clear that there’s a story behind every object in Eugénie’s store, and we’re left to imagine all the other stories that make up this world that we’ll never get to hear.”
- “Completing the full story takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how much you explore and interact with the shopkeeper. You will need to idle the game to get all card drops if you don't want to replay to see if different gifts give you different endings to the story.”
- “There's a surprising amount of story and worldbuilding stuffed into what's really a rather compact game.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
42%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and chill quality, effectively complementing the overall atmosphere and setting. Players appreciate the simple yet pleasant soundtrack, which enhances the relaxing experience alongside the visuals and gameplay. The integration of ambient sounds, like rain and radio tunes, further enriches the immersive environment.
- “The music and sound atmosphere complement very well the setting.”
- “The art, music, and gameplay were all very relaxing.”
- “Pleasant music plays while you browse, courtesy of a radio which you’re free to retune.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, primarily due to its multiple endings and collectible achievements, encouraging players to explore different choices. While some players find the replay value limited to minor variations in dialogue and missed achievements, others appreciate the opportunity to experience the game anew. Overall, it provides enough incentive for players to revisit, especially if they enjoy uncovering all content.
- “The game’s got a remarkable amount of replay value, too.”
- “Short, but surprisingly sweet game - with a lot of replayability!”
- “It's pretty short but it has some different endings, so there's replay value :)”
- “Not a ton of replayability, unless you want to catch any missed achievements, or see what different endings each gift may produce.”
- “It has a little bit of replay value because there are some gifts that you can't obtain during the same playthrough, but as far as I can tell they just change a few lines of dialogue at the end.”
- “But via the achievements I was already able to see that there are some more things left to do in the game - so there definitely is some replay value there if you go in blind.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The gameplay is praised for its smooth progression and natural interactions, enhancing the overall experience. The integration of English and Quebec French dialogue options is seen as a clever mechanic that adds personality to the game, making it particularly appealing for those who enjoy short, relaxed gaming experiences.
- “Bonus points for the English/French language option being integrated into the dialogue; I thought that was a really clever way to incorporate game mechanics into the setting of Montreal.”
- “The art, music, and gameplay were all very relaxing.”
- “I was particularly impressed at the smoothness with which the gameplay progresses, and the interactions all feel very nice and natural.”
- “Highly recommend if you love short games without much gameplay but a lot of personality.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and evocative design, creating a sense of hope and connection through its lovingly crafted characters and environments. Players find themselves deeply engaged, often feeling a mix of warmth and vulnerability, which enhances their overall experience.
- “Contained and lovely, evocative; I could go around touching things in this store for hours.”
- “The interior and characters are created and written with so much love, it's instantly heartwarming.”
- “I want you to imagine it here, telling you how this game made me feel hope that not all of gaming is doomed to follow the tropes of what is popular, and that maybe we don't always have to take a maximalist approach to game design.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized as both funny and poignant, blending surreal elements with casual, comfortable interactions. Players appreciate the witty comebacks of the main character, particularly in response to player actions, which adds to the overall comedic experience.
- “Both funny, poignant, and surreal.”
- “What made me fall in love with it is that it satisfies a very specific itch I have for experimental games that are actually casual, comfortable, and funny.”
- “You only get to interact with one character in the game (not counting the cat), but she has some hilarious comebacks, especially when you trash the store.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers appreciate the charming character design and the intriguing worldbuilding, which enhances their desire for deeper character development.
- “The little bits of worldbuilding make me want more, and the character design is really charming.”
- “The character arcs are incredibly well-written, making each journey feel personal and impactful.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, with their choices leading to meaningful consequences.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, the game's stability has significantly improved since its initial release, with users reporting a smooth experience free of bugs or glitches.
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- “There are still numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, despite some patches.”