Grim Nights

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,394 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Grim Nights Game Cover
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"Grim Nights" is a top-down, open-world survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players must scavenge for resources, craft tools, and build shelters to survive against the harsh elements and dangerous enemies. The game also features a day-night cycle and dynamic weather system, adding to the survival challenges. However, please note that the game is currently in Early Access and may still have some bugs and unfinished features.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,394 reviews
gameplay42 positive mentions
stability32 negative mentions
  • Great value for the price, offering hours of fun and engaging gameplay.
  • Challenging mechanics that require strategic thinking and resource management.
  • Charming pixel art and a pleasant soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • Frequent crashes and bugs that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
  • Micromanagement can become tedious, especially with a large number of villagers.
  • Difficulty spikes can be overwhelming, particularly with certain bosses appearing too early.
  • gameplay132 mentions

    The gameplay of "Grim Nights" is characterized by a blend of resource gathering, defense building, and strategic depth, offering a mix of relaxing exploration and challenging mechanics. While many players appreciate the engaging gameplay loop and aesthetic appeal, there are notable criticisms regarding bugs, crashes, and a lack of clarity in certain mechanics, which can lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable and addictive, particularly for fans of the genre, but it suffers from some execution issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “What truly sets Grim Nights apart is its compelling aesthetic and auditory experience, combined with gameplay that masterfully blends relaxing exploration with strategic depth.”
    • “The gameplay (on normal difficulty) is challenging but not to the point where you are constantly stressed.”
    • “Simple premise, strong challenge, very satisfying gameplay.”
    • “Common sense would dictate you don't design a game to punish players so much within their first 20 minutes of gameplay in an already clunky game with stop-and-go periods of player involvement, but hey...why not?”
    • “But there are too many gameplay issues at the moment.”
    • “Additionally, plenty of aspects of gameplay are simply not explained sufficiently (e.g., what to do when you discover potions). As a result of these issues, a lot of the difficulty is artificial - it's not that you don't know what to do to overcome challenges, it's that the way the user interacts with the game forces mistakes through awkwardness and imprecision.”
  • graphics114 mentions

    The graphics of "Grim Nights" are characterized by a charming pixel art style that evokes nostalgia, with many players appreciating the aesthetic and atmospheric integration with the gameplay. While some reviews note that the graphics are not top-notch and can make unit identification challenging, the overall visual presentation is deemed enjoyable and fitting for the game's theme. However, there are calls for improvements in graphical clarity and variety to enhance the gaming experience further.

    • “Nice graphics and satisfying gameplay loop.”
    • “The pixel graphics really lend themselves to this type of game.”
    • “The 2D old school pixel graphics [done quite well I might add; check out those fire arrows!] definitely inspire a sense of nostalgia to a bygone era of gaming.”
    • “The gameplay videos and review channels actually oversell the game due to the aesthetic styling hiding the fact that the zooming function and camera controls feel odd and somewhat jerky at times.”
    • “It is amazingly addictive and well worth its surprisingly low price, having said that I think using pixel graphics was a mistake and does make selecting the correct unit and telling apart similar units far more difficult than it needs to be.”
    • “Graphics are well... practically non-existent but the fun of lobbing burning arrows and kabooms onto your enemies is cathartic enough to let one overlook a few things like that.”
  • music90 mentions

    The music in the game receives largely positive feedback, with many players praising its calming and atmospheric qualities, as well as its ability to enhance the overall experience. However, some users note the repetitiveness of the soundtrack and the limited variety, suggesting that while the music is enjoyable, it could benefit from more diversity to match different game events. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, contributing to the game's charm and engagement.

    • “Game fun 10/10 music make me cry”
    • “The music is fantastic.”
    • “I make music myself and I found the compositions in this game mindblowing.”
    • “The music is fine, although relatively loud for background music, even at 10%.”
    • “My only complaint is the repetitive soundtrack.”
    • “Too few soundtracks, doesn't differentiate between events (night, day, mogba, being attacked, etc.).”
  • replayability48 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly replayable due to its addictive and casual nature, others criticize it for lacking depth and variety, leading to a diminished experience after a few sessions. Many users express a desire for more content and randomization to enhance replay value, with some noting that the similarity of maps and enemy waves can make the game feel repetitive. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some rating it as low as 2/5 for replayability, while others consider it infinitely replayable.

    • “A challenging tower defense with replay value built in with its random generation of characters and resources.”
    • “Game has a really modest price, low system requirements, cute pixel graphics, and high replayability.”
    • “The gameplay is a mix of balancing resource gathering and defense building, with varying degrees of randomness that increase the replayability of the game.”
    • “Ultimately, the game is good, and worth the money, but there are also better games in the genre if you're looking for more complex, more replayable experiences, such as 'Rise to Ruins', another indie pixel game that is still receiving free updates, not paid DLC.”
    • “At the end of the day, this game lacks replay value because you don't progress from one session to the other.”
    • “Not much replay value as the maps are too similar and it seems like the attack waves are the same for each map.”
  • stability36 mentions

    The game's stability has been a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of freezing, crashing, and various bugs affecting gameplay mechanics such as unit selection and building placement. While some players appreciate the game's potential and note improvements over time, many feel that the current level of stability detracts from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend without further quality assurance.

    • “Awesome game for an awesome price, this is a great little indie game that plays really smooth and is relatively bug-free.”
    • “This game has a great deal going for it, but it's just too buggy.”
    • “I want to love it, but my gripe is when killing some of the larger enemies, my game freezes, forcing me to load an auto save from the previous day.”
    • “I would recommend this game at this price if only it was more stable, but it crashes and freezes too often to be worth anybody's trouble, and there isn't enough to like in compensation.”
  • grinding26 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be enjoyable and rewarding, it often becomes repetitive and tedious, particularly due to the micromanagement of randomized villagers and resource allocation. The fun of exploration and combat is frequently overshadowed by the need to constantly reassign workers and the slow pace of farming, leading to frustration for some players. Overall, the game offers moments of enjoyment but requires a tolerance for grinding to fully appreciate its content.

    • “Not tedious until it suddenly is”
    • “I really wanted to enjoy it, but it gets super repetitive and tedious.”
    • “Goes from 1-100 in the space of a few 'game days' and it gets tedious going back and save-scumming or restarting just to find the magic combination needed to get past night x and the monster de jour.”
    • “While it's fun to do in battle, it's tedious to reassign each of your workers to new resources once the old ones are depleted, and it's even worse when you have to select each villager to check what skills they have and kill off useless ones.”
  • story18 mentions

    The game's story is largely absent, with many users noting that it feels similar to playing a game like Temple Run, where narrative depth is not a focus. While some players appreciate the lack of a complex storyline, suggesting it allows for casual enjoyment, others express a desire for at least a minimal narrative framework to enhance the experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game does not require a story to be enjoyable, but a few introductory elements could add depth.

    • “Epic story.”
    • “Maybe a story intro that emphasizes that we're defending something really important and an end game clip that shows we have defeated the final summoner.”
    • “This game has essentially no story, but it isn’t the type to need one.”
    • “There is no storyline to the game at this time.”
    • “This game is great for a good time if you don't want to get into a game with a deep story.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its soothing music and polished graphics, which effectively create an immersive experience. The pixelated art style complements the overall ambiance, enhancing the casual gameplay. However, some players feel that while the atmosphere is appealing, it does not translate into an engaging gameplay experience.

    • “It's a perfect fit and really builds the atmosphere.”
    • “I'm guessing it was done like this for atmosphere, and it looked kinda neat in the promo video; however, it's not fun when actually playing.”
    • “It has its own atmosphere.”
    • “The pixelated art style is pleasant, the music is very soothing and matches the game's atmosphere very well.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely driven by the personalized and amusing name generation, which enhances the overall experience. However, some attempts at humor in the descriptions fall flat, often leading players to find amusement in their own struggles with the game's mechanics rather than the intended jokes.

    • “The personalized names and the hilarious generation of them adds to the experience with the ability to customize them via potions.”
    • “I am laughing at myself, in my ineptitude in getting a handle on the operation of this gem.”
    • “It's funny, I just spent most of my review talking about two small things.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with players reporting numerous gameplay bugs and performance issues that have not been adequately addressed over time. Additionally, there are concerns regarding compatibility with ultrawide screens, as the game does not fully support 21:9 aspect ratios, which is a common limitation in many titles.

    • “I enjoyed the little I played, but there are a lot of issues with gameplay bugs, performance, and their resolutions. Considering there hasn't been much done on it for a while, it's disappointing.”
    • “If there are any cons, it is the fact that I use a 34-inch widescreen 21:9 monitor, and the game is not optimized for that. Rarely any game is, and it is not the 'norm' screen, I am sure.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviewers highlight the character development as a strong point, noting that it is well-executed and enhances the overall experience of the game. The combination of engaging systems and appealing art further supports the depth of character growth.

    • “The systems here are good, very nice art, good character development, scary combat, fun tower defense mechanics.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game is described as both heartbreaking and brutal, emphasizing the emotional weight of the experience while also highlighting the reliance on luck to navigate its challenges.

    • “Heartbreaking and brutal game that you really have to depend on good RNG to help you out.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
5-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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