NIDUS

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 168 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
NIDUS Game Cover
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"NIDUS is a challenging Action game that offers Single Player and Local Co-Op modes for 2 players. Control a Symbiotic Flower and Wasp, evolve for defense and attack, and upgrade worlds in this split-screen experience. With 20-30 minute runs, no-hit score multiplier, nightmarish bosses, and unlockable difficulties, NIDUS offers an immersive and thrilling gameplay with surreal hand-animated visuals."

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 168 reviews
gameplay26 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • Incredibly beautiful visuals and sound design that create a mesmerizing experience.
  • Unique gameplay mechanics involving controlling two characters simultaneously, offering a deep and engaging challenge.
  • Highly addictive and fun, with a steep learning curve that rewards persistence and skill development.
  • The game can be overwhelming and difficult to understand at first, leading to frustration for some players.
  • Performance issues on lower-end PCs and occasional crashes can hinder the gameplay experience.
  • The chaotic visuals and fast-paced action may be too intense for some players, causing discomfort or confusion.
  • gameplay58 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its unique mechanics and engaging depth, offering a satisfying learning curve as players master controls and strategies. While the visuals and sound design are praised for their beauty and impact, some players find the gameplay initially overwhelming or repetitive. Overall, it combines challenging arcade elements with a visually stunning presentation, making it a rewarding experience for those who enjoy intricate gameplay.

    • “But as you keep playing, you develop ways to deal with hard situations; controlling two characters becomes natural, and you start mastering all the mechanics and learning about all of the game's intricacies.”
    • “The mechanics of interplay between the flower and wasp make the gameplay deep and engaging, and there's plenty of variety in the enemy and boss designs.”
    • “The gameplay seems overwhelming and confusing at first, but the game guides you through and explains the mechanics thoroughly, giving you a fair chance to learn the game and develop your own play style.”
    • “Firstly, this game does a rather bad job at explaining the core mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay seems overwhelming and confusing at first but the game guides you through and explains the mechanics rather thoroughly, giving you a fair chance to learn the game and develop your own play style.”
    • “Gameplay, if you're not foaming from the mouth in the 50ish loop after getting dumpstered by the boss of your bad routing, you're doing something wrong; beware of seizure warning, they are not joking.”
  • graphics53 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning beauty and unique art style, often described as "gorgeous," "psychedelic," and "incredibly charming." While the visuals enhance the gameplay experience, some players note that they can be overwhelming or distracting, particularly in high-intensity moments. Additionally, the game is graphics-intensive, requiring a decent computer to run smoothly, which may limit accessibility for some users.

    • “The visuals are just beyond gorgeous and the music and gameplay are wonderfully chaotic!”
    • “This is so creative and amazing, so stunning with some of the best visuals I've ever seen.”
    • “Visuals are stunning and by far my favorite part about this game.”
    • “The only criticisms I have of this game are that it's very graphics intensive and to run well does require a little bit above the lowest end of computers, but not by much.”
    • “Odd to control, difficult to read, aggressive (although stunning) visuals, and a very punitive loop combined with a high difficulty.”
    • “Graphics don't seem to play entirely well with 21:9 aspect ratios - some UI elements are cut off.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game is consistently praised for its excellence, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the overall experience and complement the stunning visuals. The soundtrack is described as mysterious and mind-melting, contributing significantly to the game's chaotic yet immersive atmosphere. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, with some users expressing a desire for the soundtrack to be available for purchase.

    • “Firstly, the art style is what got me interested, but the music made me love this game even more (seriously, why isn't the soundtrack buyable??).”
    • “The music is excellent, mysterious, and mind-melting.”
    • “I'm obsessed with the art style and the music and sound design complement the psychedelic feel of the game perfectly.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed, with reports of bugs related to window scaling and resolution on high-definition screens, as well as slow load times and issues with game settings not being saved. However, overall performance is generally good, and players appreciate the unique and beautifully animated art.

    • “The game runs smoothly overall, with only minor slow load times and occasional issues with saving game settings.”
    • “Despite some slow load times, the stability of the game is impressive, and it performs well during gameplay.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the game is, even if it takes a bit longer to load and sometimes forgets my settings.”
    • “The window scaling and resolution on high definition/wide screens can be buggy, though, as of now.”
    • “The art is absolutely lovely: frame-by-frame animations make up a roster of beautifully designed, kaleidoscopic bugs aplenty. I still haven't seen them all yet, but I enjoy how unique they all are and how beautifully animated they are as they dance around the colorful stages.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers strong replayability through its four difficulty levels and the requirement for players to adopt different strategies and approaches in each run, particularly for completionists. However, mastering the dual-character control may pose a challenge for some players initially.

    • “The way the game progresses, there are definitely optimal and easier paths, but for completionism and maximum replayability, the game forces you to take different and varying approaches each run.”
    • “It has 4 difficulties, which grants replayability on its own. At the end of it, I just think the main difficulty is getting the hang of controlling 2 characters at once, which was easy enough for me to do, but I know there are people who will think otherwise at first.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players expressing excitement about its comedic elements, particularly in a co-op setting where it can be enhanced by a relaxed atmosphere. Overall, it seems to deliver a satisfying blend of fun and laughter.

    • “I would normally want to be funny, but I've been following this game on Instagram for a while—and my god, it's everything I could've wanted.”
    • “However, for co-op, this would be a great time after some, uh... funny cigarettes.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been heavily criticized, with users reporting poor performance and significant issues related to GPU utilization, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.

    • “GPU-wise, this game wasn't optimized at all and runs poorly.”
    • “The performance issues are frustrating; it feels like the game was rushed without proper optimization.”
    • “I constantly experience lag and stuttering, indicating a lack of optimization for various hardware.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players appreciate the cool gameplay but find the grinding aspect tedious and repetitive, which detracts from their overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “Cool gameplay, but it's too tedious and repetitive to really enjoy.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and takes away from the overall experience.”
    • “I love the concept, but the amount of grinding required is exhausting.”
  • story1 mentions

    The story of Nidus is a whimsical love tale that follows the unlikely romance between a flower and a wasp as they battle against malevolent bugs, all set against a surreal, psychedelic backdrop.

    • “Nidus is a love story between a flower and a wasp fighting evil bugs on an acid trip.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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