NIDUS

About

"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."

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

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 336 reviews

gameplay52 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Incredibly fun and chaotic gameplay with stunning visuals and sound design.
Unique dual-character control system that encourages strategic thinking and offers a high skill ceiling.
Beautifully animated art style that immerses players in a psychedelic experience, making it a visually captivating game.

Steep learning curve that can be overwhelming, especially for new players trying to manage two characters simultaneously.
Performance issues on lower-end PCs, with some players experiencing crashes and optimization problems.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and chaotic, making it difficult to understand mechanics and objectives at times.

gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The gameplay is characterized by its unique mechanics and engaging depth, offering a satisfying learning curve as players master the controls and strategies. While the visuals and sound design are praised for their beauty, 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, 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 is just so well crafted and satisfying; I really can't get enough of it.”
- “Firstly, this game does a rather bad job at explaining the core mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is just a bit too 'messy' for me to want to push for anything challenging, but what's there is intriguing enough, so it was an enjoyable pick up.”
- “The learning curve is probably steeper for me thanks to ADHD and lack of gaming experience, so don't let this discourage you if you're better at hitting the ground running without clear instructions or intuitive gameplay.”
graphics
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning beauty and unique art style, often described as "gorgeous" and "psychedelic." Many players appreciate the vibrant visuals and how they enhance the gameplay experience, although some note that the graphics can be demanding on system resources and may distract from gameplay at times. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “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.”
- “Graphics don't seem to play entirely well with 21:9 aspect ratios - some UI elements are cut off.”
- “Odd to control, difficult to read, aggressive (although stunning) visuals, and a very punitive loop combined with a high difficulty.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
23%
The music in the game is widely praised for its excellence, with many reviewers highlighting its mysterious and mind-melting qualities that perfectly complement the stunning visuals and chaotic gameplay. The soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with players expressing a desire for it to be available for purchase. Overall, the music, along with the art and sound design, contributes significantly to the game's immersive and psychedelic experience.
- “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 complements the psychedelic feel of the game perfectly.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's stability is mixed, with reports of bugs related to window scaling and resolution on high-definition screens. While it generally runs well, users have noted slow load times and issues with game settings not being saved. Overall, the performance is satisfactory, but improvements are needed in specific areas.
- “The game runs great overall, with only minor issues like slow load times and game settings not being saved.”
- “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.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers strong replayability through its four difficulty levels and the requirement to adopt different strategies in each playthrough, particularly for completionists. While mastering the dual-character control can be challenging for some, the varied paths and approaches enhance the overall replay value.
- “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.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's humor to be highly enjoyable and fitting, often suggesting that it enhances the co-op experience, particularly in a relaxed setting. The anticipation built through social media engagement has led to high expectations, which the humor seems to meet effectively.
- “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.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is severely lacking, with users reporting poor performance and significant issues related to GPU utilization. Overall, it runs poorly and fails to meet expectations for optimization.
- “GPU-wise, this game wasn't optimized at all and runs poorly.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story of Nidus is a whimsical love tale between a flower and a wasp, set against a backdrop of battling evil bugs while experiencing a surreal acid trip. This unique narrative blends romance with fantastical elements, creating an engaging and imaginative experience.
- “Nidus is a love story between a flower and a wasp fighting evil bugs on an acid trip.”