EarthNight

About

"EarthNight" is a fantasy platformer game where players can choose to go solo or partner up in local multi-player mode for a thrilling adventure. The game is set in a dystopian future where dragons have taken over Earth, and humans are exiled to space. Each run offers a unique experience with procedurally generated levels, and players can unlock over 25 powerups to aid them in their journey to Earth Night, battling dragons along the way.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

+26

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews

graphics17 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and a charming art style that enhances the overall experience.
The gameplay is engaging and offers a unique blend of endless runner and roguelite mechanics, with a variety of power-ups and upgrades to discover.
The soundtrack is delightful and complements the gameplay, creating an enjoyable atmosphere that keeps players coming back.

The game can feel repetitive and lacks a strong narrative, which may lead to boredom after extended play sessions.
Some players find the controls unintuitive and the gameplay mechanics confusing, particularly during dragon encounters.
The difficulty spikes can be frustrating, with certain levels requiring significant grinding for power-ups to progress effectively.

graphics
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
43%
9%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their charming and beautiful art style, with many reviewers highlighting the vibrant colors, quirky animations, and hand-drawn aesthetics that enhance the overall experience. However, some players find the visual elements overwhelming or lacking harmony, leading to mixed feelings about the game's appeal. Overall, while the graphics are a standout feature for many, they may not resonate with everyone due to personal taste.
- “The art style is way more charming than the screenshots initially lead me to believe, and it's well worth trying out.”
- “Beautiful graphics is the first thing people will remark on the game.”
- “The hand-painted graphic art style is stunning.”
- “Certain pick-ups and enemy types are easy to miss in the sensory hail and the sequences where you have to stab the dragons to death can be really difficult because the visual and aural cues are hard to make sense of.”
- “I find the game's graphics kind of ugly, partly because of the abundance of colors and the lack of harmony between elements, and partly because I dislike its visual style.”
- “At first, I didn't think much of this game as aesthetics are very important to me and I did not think much of this game based purely on its art style.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
58%
9%
The gameplay is characterized as a charming and engaging endless runner with smooth mechanics and a satisfying loot collection system. While many players appreciate the unique character abilities and fluid traversal, some find the auto-run mechanics and repetitive nature less appealing. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun mechanics and challenges, though it may require some time to fully appreciate its depth.
- “The gameplay is a mix of Sonic the Hedgehog and those runner flash games.”
- “Gameplay is tight and smooth as butter, making every jump, stomp, and attack feel moorish.”
- “The gameplay centres on maintaining momentum and executing precisely timed jumps and dives in order to avoid enemies and collect valuable items.”
- “The style is very neat, but the gameplay is just a runner with new abilities behind progression unlocks and I didn't find it that engaging.”
- “Furthermore, the gameplay is always the same and the only thing changing are the enemies.”
- “Repetitive, doesn't explain its mechanics very well, and with a steep difficulty jump between levels.”
music
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
30%
11%
The music in the game is widely praised for its timeless beauty and dynamic chiptune style, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight its ability to adapt to player actions, creating an engaging atmosphere that complements the vibrant art and animations. Many consider the soundtrack a standout feature, often describing it as catchy, fun, and a significant reason to revisit the game.
- “The music in this video game is forever timeless and beautiful, forever a classic game of mine that I will always play religiously and forever revisit.”
- “I purchased the soundtrack as well and it is so lovely to listen to while I am quietly surfing the web or finishing some work on my laptop as well as just relaxing in general.”
- “Seriously, this soundtrack is so good, it reacts to what you're doing, has different variations on the same song depending on the type of dragon, and even switches between chiptune and a full band version!”
- “During this whole dragon-slaying ordeal, weird upbeat chiptune music plays.”
- “Earthnight also features some decent chiptune-style music.”
- “The music and art style carry you through every run like an electrical current.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The game's story is generally perceived as vague and underdeveloped, with many players noting that it lacks depth and significance, often feeling like an afterthought to the gameplay. While some appreciate the whimsical and surreal elements of the narrative, it ultimately fails to engage players, who find it overshadowed by the repetitive nature of the gameplay. Overall, the story is described as basic and not a compelling reason to play the game.
- “Even feel there is some deep story there.”
- “Humans are fighting a losing battle against Chinese-style dragons; the few survivors go on missions to slay dragons and reclaim resources.”
- “An amusing story and futuristic setting gives the game a degree of whimsical substance as well.”
- “But, honestly, the story isn't even that noteworthy once you unlock it, nor will it be the reason you'll be playing this game.”
- “My biggest critique was that the game is very light on the story; frankly, we don't fully understand how or why we are where we are.”
- “This is an endless running simulator; no levels, no good story, you just run.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
43%
43%
The atmosphere in Earthnight is vividly crafted, featuring five distinct layers of the Earth's atmosphere that players skydive through, each showcasing stunning hand-drawn visuals. The game immerses players in a fantastical world filled with Japanese and Chinese-inspired dragons, with each layer introducing increasingly bizarre creatures and environments, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to provide both a casual play option and a deeper, more engaging atmosphere to explore.
- “Earthnight is an absolutely fantastic runner game, where you skydive through each successive atmosphere, while landing on, running across, and slaying massive dragons.”
- “Each new atmosphere layer shocks with hand-drawn brilliance.”
- “In Earthnight, you descend toward Earth from space, landing on the backs of the mighty Japanese and Chinese inspired dragons that float through the different layers of our atmosphere.”
- “The further down you go in the Earth's atmosphere, the stranger the creatures on the backs of the dragons get.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While some players enjoy the fluid gameplay and level traversal, many criticize the game for its excessive grinding, particularly in unlocking power-ups and progressing through tougher challenges. The lack of information on dragon types and cumbersome controls further exacerbate the grind, leading to a frustrating experience for some users.
- “In terms of progression, it feels too grindy.”
- “This game is trash and controls like trash. There is nowhere to go for info about each dragon type and how to kill them. Your character handles like a lead brick, and every power-up is locked behind a massive wall of grinding. If you don't fluke killing some of the later dragons, you have even more of a grind to get the power-ups needed to even attempt the final level!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly on the Nintendo Switch, where users report poor performance and low frame rates. Many feel that developers are neglecting optimization in general, leading to a disappointing experience.
- “Well, this is not a huge achievement, but developers these days suck and don't care about optimization at all.”
- “I purchased this a while back on the Nintendo Switch, but sadly it just didn't have the performance, and the frames just weren't high enough.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players consistently highlight the game’s strong replayability, noting that it offers numerous opportunities for varied experiences and enjoyment upon multiple playthroughs.
- “This game offers a tremendous amount of replay value.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “I keep coming back for more because there are so many different paths to explore.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight that the art style, character design, and backgrounds significantly enhance the overall character development, creating a more immersive and engaging experience.