Night Shift

About

Night Shift is a single player racing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Brandon Brizzi and was released on February 23, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Night Shift is a survival horror game where players must navigate through a mysterious factory while avoiding deadly traps and frightening creatures. The game features a unique mechanic that forces players to manage their stamina and sanity while uncovering the dark secrets of the factory. With permadeath and limited resources, each playthrough presents a new challenge in this intense and atmospheric experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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65%

Audience ScoreBased on 80 reviews

music22 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and intriguing concept, blending driving with puzzle-solving in a surreal atmosphere.
The retro graphics and 80's inspired soundtrack create a nostalgic and immersive experience.
Completing puzzles provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment, especially when accompanied by the game's engaging music.

The game lacks clear direction and intuitive controls, often leaving players feeling lost and frustrated.
Puzzles can be overly cryptic and vague, requiring the use of external guides to progress.
The game is short, with limited replay value, and some players feel it doesn't justify its price.

music
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its nostalgic 80s-inspired soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall atmosphere. While some players noted that the music is not consistently present and serves as an indicator of gameplay progress, the majority agree that it significantly elevates the experience, making it a key reason to engage with the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's redeeming qualities, often overshadowing its gameplay shortcomings.
- “The retro graphics and simple controls are very nostalgic, and the absolutely amazing 80's inspired soundtrack just kicks it up over the top in the best way possible.”
- “The soundtrack is one of the best parts of the game and the gradual shifts it makes as you progress are very satisfying!”
- “All of the music was composed by a band named Dance With The Dead, who make some pretty awesome and catchy electropop, and it really fits well with the artistic themes of the game.”
- “Just buy the music instead - it's the only redeeming part of this garbage.”
- “I cannot stress enough that my only complaint about this game is that I couldn't buy the soundtrack separately from the game.”
- “The music is pretty much non-existent.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The graphics of the game are predominantly retro pixel art, which elicits mixed reactions from players. While some appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and its fit with the game's theme, others criticize the graphics as outdated and lacking in quality, especially given the game's release date. Overall, the minimalist design is seen as functional but may not appeal to everyone, with some players wishing for more modern graphical options.
- “The retro graphics and simple controls are very nostalgic, and the absolutely amazing 80's inspired soundtrack just kicks it up over the top in the best way possible.”
- “The chill music and 2.5D graphics really brought some nostalgia out in me, and the premise of just a weird, cool driving game with ghosts and ghost cars had me so excited.”
- “The graphics might feel retro, but do not let that fool you, it fits like a glove, and so does the soundtrack, which will make you take a trip down memory lane.”
- “The retro pixel graphics look pretty bad, and aren't necessary - this game was released in 2015.”
- “The combination of bad gameplay and awful retro graphics (it's 2018 now, let retro die) and the overly greedy $5 price point prevents me from recommending this to anyone.”
- “Graphics are terrible even by retro 320 x 240 DOS game standard.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it aimless and frustrating due to a lack of direction and poor controls, while others appreciate its unique mechanics and retro aesthetics. Many reviewers noted that the game involves driving around and solving puzzles, but suggested that it could benefit from more action-oriented elements and clearer guidance. Overall, while the game has potential and interesting features, it currently feels underdeveloped and could use significant improvements.
- “Unique gameplay, with a satisfying presentation containing retro aesthetics and music (which is fantastic).”
- “The gameplay is very straightforward and simple in execution but sprawling and secretive in its discovery, having you explore and steal light from dimming lamp posts with your seemingly magical high beams while watching your energy closely, which can only be recharged by the glowing white trees that stand out in the darkness.”
- “The mechanics are unique and make it fun interacting with the world.”
- “The gameplay is somewhat pointless feeling as you just drive around large areas feeling lost.”
- “There is no explanation to the mechanics, and driving around in circles hoping to find some indication of what you're supposed to do is laughably tactless.”
- “I love the look of the game, like the soundtrack but the gameplay is terrible; the game is obtuse for the sake of being obtuse. To top it all off, the Steam overlay doesn't work while in-game, and the game doesn't work with PS4 controllers. Just avoid it, not worth the time it takes to play.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game's story is currently minimal and lacks depth, primarily revolving around the quest to find the sun, with players expressing hope for future development and richer narrative elements. While the atmosphere is praised, many reviewers feel that the plot and puzzles are poorly integrated and hidden, detracting from the overall experience. As the game is still in early access, there are expectations for improvements and expansions to the storyline in future updates.
- “The developer, creator of the puzzle-platformer 10000 Amps, apparently has some pretty ambiguous ideas for where the story is headed in the future of Night Shift and is enlisting your help to ensure it's further shaped into something great with the addition of story cinemas and lots of new plot, new levels, as well as full Steam integration for controller support, achievements, cards and the like.”
- “Hopefully the developer can tweak the gameplay a little to make it a bit easier, but they are working on the story which will make it feel more like a living world.”
- “Anyways, the music is good when it is playing, I like how the character is driving in a car, and although the story is incomplete it is very interesting.”
- “And while the game's atmosphere is thick and rich like a seven-layer chocolate cake, the story is more like a single chocolate chip.”
- “There really isn’t a story written up for the game at the moment, beyond the basic idea that 'the sun has disappeared, go try to find and save it by solving puzzles.'”
- “The big downer on this one is it really lacks a story, which is what it needs to stay interesting.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its richness and surreal quality, enhanced by an engaging soundtrack and well-crafted sprites, although some elements, like the ground design, fall short. While many players find the atmosphere captivating and a major draw, others feel it can be overshadowed by frustrating controls and lack of narrative clarity. Overall, the game presents a unique and intriguing atmosphere that invites players to immerse themselves, despite its early access status and some gameplay issues.
- “This game has a wonderful atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “Night Shift is a very atmospheric and surreal puzzle game.”
- “But this is a game about driving at night and the atmosphere is great; it's a major draw, and this lets you experience it.”
- “The maker of the game can create a mean, powerful atmosphere, and the sprites are immaculate and perfect for the tone, save for the ground, which is depressingly dull and brown.”
- “I was rather engrossed in the atmosphere and completely perplexed as to what was going on.”
- “[i]night shift[/i] already has an attractively old-school and fully realized atmosphere, but in its current form lacks any narrative as to what you're doing or where you are, which, while effective in its mysterious and strange nature, is exactly why it's in early access.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers minimal replayability, with most players indicating that a single playthrough is sufficient and lacks incentives for additional runs.
- “Apart from the one playthrough you will do, there's basically next to no replay value.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and branching paths makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users found the emotional impact of the game lacking, feeling emotionally flat and underwhelmed by the audiovisual elements, which contributed to a sense of frustration with the puzzle execution.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating, particularly when it involves timing challenges like hitting enemy ghost cars, which can lead to a tedious and aggravating experience.
- “This makes hitting the enemy ghost cars and other puzzles that rely upon timing your flash a teeth-grindingly grotesque experience.”