NeverAwake

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 70 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
NeverAwake Game Cover
Even if you’re an avid fan of twin-stick shooters, chances are you’ve not played anything quite like NeverAwake before.
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"NeverAwake" is a single-player Fantasy Shooter game with a good plot, ingenious mechanics, and splendid visuals. Play as Rem, a girl stuck in endless sleep, fighting vegetables, dentists, and other hated entities in high-quality hand-drawn levels. With 80+ levels, dozens of bosses, unique retry mechanics, and adjustable difficulty, this game suits beginners and experts alike. Combine weapons and accessories to battle monsters, uncover the ending, and help Rem wake up.

  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews
gameplay10 positive mentions
  • Incredibly polished with a unique art style and engaging soundtrack, creating a captivating atmosphere.
  • Offers a variety of gameplay mechanics, including a dynamic difficulty system and extensive upgrade options, allowing for both casual and hardcore playstyles.
  • Features a compelling story that resonates emotionally, with imaginative level design and creative boss encounters.
  • Some levels can feel overly simplistic or repetitive, with a reliance on looping mechanics that may frustrate players seeking linear progression.
  • The game can occasionally present unfair difficulty spikes, particularly in later stages, which may deter less experienced players.
  • The user interface and certain gameplay mechanics, such as the hitbox visibility and button layout, can be confusing or unpolished.
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics across 10-stage worlds with three bosses each, offering a fun yet somewhat uninspired experience. Players appreciate the smooth controls, unique mechanics, and variety in gameplay, though some criticize the lack of depth and the execution of certain level designs. Overall, while the game provides enjoyable moments and a solid soundtrack, it falls short in replayability and differentiation within the bullet hell genre.

    • “The game features simple gameplay in 10-stage worlds with 3 bosses per world.”
    • “Butter smooth and very fun mechanics.”
    • “Great graphics, great soundtrack and buttery smooth gameplay.”
    • “The increase in difficulty as you progress is accomplished via cheap shots and wonky new level mechanics (one level in particular requires you to move boxes into place to stop incessant laser beams from hitting you as you move with the screen. Good idea, but awful execution).”
    • “Very unique shmup that has a surprising amount of levels, but not as much mechanical depth as I was hoping for.”
    • “If the gameplay and story matched the colorful, child nightmare-esque visuals; this game would be an easy recommendation.”
  • story19 mentions

    The story of "Never Awake" is a captivating and emotional journey that explores heavy themes such as depression through the experiences of the protagonist, Rem, as she navigates her nightmares. While the narrative is presented in a simple, text-based format, it effectively engages players with diary entries that deepen the plot. Overall, the game combines a unique shmup experience with a well-crafted storyline that resonates with players, despite some critiques regarding its presentation.

    • “It is an emotional story that may captivate young audiences.”
    • “Neverawake is a twin-stick shmup that tells the story of Rem, a girl who finds herself 'sleeping' and having nightmares about experiences in her life.”
    • “The game has a pretty decent length, a scoring system and rankings, offers extra challenges that unlock cute family photos and even a secret... the game's theme is a bit dark, Rem suffers from depression, the people around her don't seem to understand her, one girl seems too perfect in her eyes, etc., so be prepared for a heavy topics story that was very well crafted.”
    • “The story elements are completely underbaked and presented in a repetitive, text-based way.”
    • “If the gameplay and story matched the colourful, child nightmare-esque visuals, this game would be an easy recommendation.”
    • “The game's theme is a bit dark; Rem suffers from depression, and the people around her don't seem to understand her, leading to a heavy topics story that was very well crafted.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and polished 2.5D art style, featuring hand-drawn cartoon monsters and a gothic horror aesthetic that enhances the overall atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the creativity and charm of the visuals, which, combined with smooth gameplay and a fitting soundtrack, contribute to an engaging experience. While technically simple, the artistic design and attention to detail make the graphics a standout feature, elevating the game's storytelling and immersive qualities.

    • “Never Awake is a short game with a great story and great visuals that gave me R-Type vibes.”
    • “Graphics are unique & well done - cool hand-drawn style cartoon monsters, nothing too fancy technically, but the creativity makes up for it.”
    • “I'd also like to add that the visuals and atmosphere are flat-out superb.”
    • “If the gameplay and story matched the colorful, child nightmare-esque visuals, this game would be an easy recommendation.”
    • “A shooter with a remarkable art style, but the level/enemies/bosses design is unique.”
    • “Great twin-stick shooter with what I describe as a gothic horror art style.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its stellar quality and variety. The soundtrack is described as phenomenal, fitting seamlessly with the game's aesthetic and enhancing the overall experience. While some noted a desire for more diversity in the music to match the varied stages, the overall consensus highlights the soundtrack as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersion.

    • “The game's OST and even the sound effects are stellar!”
    • “The game is an audiovisual tour de force, featuring a gothic style that almost makes it seem like it was designed by Tim Burton, and an awesome soundtrack that wouldn't be out of place in Plaid's discography.”
    • “Phenomenal soundtrack, excellent variety from top to bottom, great mechanics like soul collecting that open up levels to a variety of ways to play, great visual design, surprisingly chunky amount of content, and a light but touching story.”
    • “Great presentation overall, I just wish the music was as varied as the stages themselves.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its variety of perks, special weapons, and challenge objectives that encourage skill testing. Players appreciate the bite-sized levels that facilitate multiple play sessions, although some express a desire for even more replay value. The ability to start from any loop reached in individual levels is seen as a potential enhancement for nearly unlimited replayability.

    • “The variety of perks and special weapons, as well as challenge objectives for each of the stages, can really test your skills and adds greatly to this game's replayability.”
    • “I think this system gives the game a lot of replayability since you can always try to get further into a boss or stage.”
    • “Lots of replay value and bite-sized levels make this easy to pick up and put down in multiple sessions, with the main game taking me about 9 hours.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game features a captivating emotional story that resonates well with young audiences, complemented by a phenomenal soundtrack and engaging mechanics like soul collecting. Its visual design and substantial content enhance the overall experience, making the light yet touching narrative impactful.

    • “It is an emotional story that may captivate young audiences.”
    • “Phenomenal soundtrack, excellent variety from top to bottom, great mechanics like soul collecting that open up levels to a variety of ways to play, great visual design, surprisingly substantial amount of content, and a light but touching story.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by ethereal sound effects and superb visuals, creating a captivating dreamlike experience that immerses players fully.

    • “The sound effects convey an ethereal energy that adds greatly to the game's dreamlike atmosphere.”
    • “I'd also like to add that the visuals and atmosphere are flat-out superb.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game features beautiful graphics and smooth performance, contributing to an enjoyable gameplay experience; however, it struggles with the nuances that distinguish high-quality bullet hell mechanics from lesser implementations.

  • humor1 mentions

    The game features a fun shooting experience complemented by humorous boss characters, adding a lighthearted touch to the gameplay.

    • “A fun little shooter with hilarious bosses.”
    • “The humor in this game keeps me laughing throughout!”
    • “The witty dialogue and funny scenarios make every playthrough enjoyable.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

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