Night Loops
- October 16, 2023
- Jiaquarium
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Night Loops" is a single-player Horror Visual Novel game with an intriguing story, good gameplay, and beautiful visuals. Explore an endless mansion in a time loop, solve puzzles, manage psychic masks, and uncover the truth about the Seaside Hotel and its owner. With branching stories and endings, and an original gloomy soundtrack, Night Loops offers a unique and ingenious atmosphere that will make you laugh and keep you on the edge of your seat.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Epic Games
Reviews
- The game features a unique and beautiful art style, combining pixel art with 3D elements, which enhances the overall atmosphere.
- The puzzles are engaging and encourage creative thinking, with a variety of mechanics that keep the gameplay fresh and interesting.
- Night Loops offers a compelling narrative that unfolds gradually, allowing players to explore themes of introspection and emotional depth through its characters.
- The story can feel underdeveloped and overly abstract at times, leaving players wanting more clarity and connection to the characters.
- The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 2-4 hours, which may leave some players feeling unsatisfied with the overall experience.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as the dancing sequence, may not appeal to all players, as they can feel more like skill tests rather than puzzles.
- story85 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its introspective and atmospheric qualities, while others find it underdeveloped and confusing, particularly in the early stages. Many reviewers note the unique art style and emotional depth of the characters, but some criticize the dialogue and narrative structure as lacking clarity. Overall, the story is engaging and thought-provoking, with a blend of dark themes and quirky elements that keep players intrigued, despite some initial disorientation.
“The story is interesting and introspective.”
“Dark, melancholic, but also not afraid to be occasionally cute, the story, music, and artwork all come together to make a brilliantly cohesive experience that I am glad I tried.”
“The story gradually unfolds as you play, and even though you may guess the direction it's heading, the journey is full of so much charm that you can't help but see it through to the end.”
“But the story and dialogue felt like it was written by a middle schooler who still has protagonist syndrome.”
“The biggest flaw of the game, I would say, is that the story can't figure out if it wants to be something fully abstract (like Yume Nikki) or a bit more directed and structured like other games in this sort of genre.”
“So while I understood most of the story, sometimes it felt like it was withholding details for the sake of it.”
- music58 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, effectively complementing the visuals and narrative. Reviewers highlight its ability to oscillate between dark, melancholic tones and lighter, whimsical moments, creating a unique ambiance that enhances the overall experience. The soundtrack is noted for its emotional depth and adaptability to different environments, contributing significantly to the game's psychological and surreal themes.
“The music was just right, immersive without getting too spooky.”
“Dark, melancholic, but also not afraid to be occasionally cute, the story, music, and artwork all come together to make a brilliantly cohesive experience that I am glad I tried.”
“Coupled with a unique soundtrack oscillating between pensive piano chords to frenetic beats, the game consistently creates a sense of longing and nostalgia interwoven with moments of levity and humor that provide a contrast to the game's darker undertones.”
“The black-and-white art style, chilling music, and disturbing characters left me itching to figure out how the story continues.”
“There are times when the music can be unsettling, but it also has these melodic moments that tie everything in.”
“Also, this soundtrack really complements the eerie artwork style of the game; it's really spooking me out.”
- graphics45 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, which combines pixel art with 3D modeling to create a captivating 2.5D aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the atmospheric visuals, character designs, and the effective use of lighting, all of which contribute to an immersive experience that balances dark and melancholic themes with quirky elements. The soundtrack complements the visuals, enhancing the overall eerie and engaging atmosphere of the game.
“The visuals were very intriguing, yet sometimes haunting, and I fell in love with the character designs, settings, and music which switches from fun to melancholic.”
“Night Loops has a stellar presentation: it's very visually appealing with an art style that is beautiful and works well, and the sound design is also surprisingly good!”
“Combining pixel art with 3D modeling gave a unique spin on the 2.5D art style.”
“The black-and-white art style, chilling music, and disturbing characters left me itching to figure out how the story continues.”
“The creepy vibes and eerie atmosphere really work together with the art style to keep you engaged.”
“This psychological adventure puzzle game had art and graphics that were atmospheric and really well-done with music that added to the world.”
- gameplay34 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique time loop mechanic and creative puzzle-solving elements, particularly through the use of various masks with special powers. While some players found the initial stages confusing, the overall experience is praised for its artful design, satisfying mechanics, and thought-provoking challenges, making it a short yet engaging adventure. However, a few reviews noted that the gameplay could feel uninteresting at times, contrasting with the more positive aspects highlighted by others.
“Great music and art, pleasing play mechanics.”
“Love the mechanics and how short and sweet the whole experience was; it felt like a lot of love and care was put into making this game.”
“Surprisingly, the puzzle mechanics were both unusual and thought-provoking at the same time, like you can equip different masks with special powers. For example, one mask is used to communicate with the spirits, and another mask allows you to enter different paintings, so you have to switch between them depending on the situation.”
“The limited time mechanic was incredibly frustrating but hey, it pushed me to git good, so to speak.”
“I would say the first 30 minutes is where I felt a bit lost; you have to jump through a few weird story elements before the game starts to get into the exploration, but once you get into puzzle mechanics it feels a bit more logical.”
“Personally, it's been pretty intuitive to pick up the clues in the game, but sometimes the time loop mechanic definitely poses a challenge.”
- atmosphere25 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its aesthetic strength, immersive music, and unique art style, creating a surreal and engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the effective combination of quirky environments, eerie vibes, and a sense of impending doom that enhances the storytelling. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional impact and player engagement.
“Great use of its art style, consistent storytelling, unique atmosphere, quirky environments and characters, and great little details that help to slowly scale a sense of coming doom and pressure on time/escape.”
“Really atmospheric game with eclectic characters and dialogue set in a surreal dreamlike world with music to match.”
“The feelings are absolutely there and the atmosphere is present, but the rest of the story is left to suggestion: too much, I think, for a game with a lot to say but not a lot of time to say it with.”
“The creepy vibes and eerie atmosphere really work together with the art style to keep you engaged.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of tongue-in-cheek elements and whimsical animations, such as the amusing mask effects and sketch-style cut-ins. This lightheartedness contrasts effectively with the darker themes, creating a unique balance of levity and nostalgia throughout the gameplay experience. Overall, players appreciate the creative puzzle mechanics and the subtle, yet impactful, humor that enhances the game's atmosphere.
“I really enjoyed the sketch-style cut-ins, and some of the mask animations (e.g., the chomping) are quite funny.”
“The overarching theme of the game feels very dark and eerie, but it's paired with subtle humor and sprinkled with a lot of surprisingly adorable yet somber elements to balance out the energy.”
“Coupled with a unique soundtrack oscillating between pensive piano chords to frenetic beats, the game consistently creates a sense of longing and nostalgia interwoven with moments of levity and humor that provide a contrast to the game's darker undertones.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features captivating and haunting character designs that enhance the overall experience, complemented by a unique looping day mechanic. Players appreciate the intriguing visuals and the emotional depth conveyed through the music, which shifts from playful to melancholic, enriching character development.
“The visuals were very intriguing, yet sometimes haunting, and I fell in love with the character designs, settings, and music, which switches from fun to melancholic.”
“Creepy and interesting character designs with a looping day mechanic make this just my kind of game.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "nightloops" is highlighted by its deep storytelling, complex character emotions—particularly that of Rin—and a beautifully crafted art style complemented by an engaging soundtrack. While the overarching themes may be straightforward, the intricate portrayal of characters' emotional states adds significant depth to the experience.
“Deep story, beautiful art, engaging puzzles, emotional soundtrack... Nightloops really has it all.”
“The themes of the story are pretty straightforward, but the detail put into the characters' (especially Rin's!) emotional state is pretty complex.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players have reported performance issues, particularly in the "well world," where breaking ice causes noticeable frame drops for several seconds before returning to normal. This suggests that optimization may be inconsistent in specific areas of the game, particularly for users with certain hardware configurations like the Ryzen RX 6600 XT.
“I encountered a performance bug: in the well world (and only there) when I broke the ice, I experienced frame drops for a few seconds before it returned to normal. I'm using a Ryzen RX 6600 XT for reference.”
“The optimization in this game is lacking; I frequently experience frame drops in specific areas, which disrupts the gameplay experience.”
“There are significant performance issues that need addressing, as I often face stuttering and frame rate drops, especially in certain environments.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its multiple endings, encouraging players to revisit it to explore different outcomes. Its engaging puzzles and eerie atmosphere enhance the overall experience, making it particularly appealing for seasonal play.
“Great game with an eerie vibe and really fun puzzles. Not too difficult but also not completely obvious. A great short game for the Halloween season, and the replayability factor is basically hard-wired in with the different endings.”
“The replayability factor is basically hard-wired in with the different endings.”
“The game offers a great short experience, but the replayability is limited due to the lack of significant changes in subsequent playthroughs.”
“While the game has an eerie vibe and fun puzzles, once you've seen all the endings, there's little incentive to play again.”
