Night Stones

About

Night Stones is a single player open world role playing game. It was developed by Advance Nine and was released on November 11, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

You awake in Mythica, a cozy island where magical stones change day to night. Explore winding paths or venture into the wilds with your trusty glider and sailboat. To return home, you must befriend quirky townsfolk, discover hidden treasures, master magic, and face enemies in clever puzzle combat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews

story43 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Night Stones is a charming and cozy adventure game with beautiful graphics and a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The puzzles are engaging and well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult, making it accessible for players of all ages.
The game offers a relaxing exploration experience, with a whimsical story and quirky characters that add to its charm.

The game is quite short, typically taking around 3-4 hours to complete, which some players feel does not justify the price point.
The camera controls can be frustrating, often leading to awkward angles that make navigation and platforming more difficult.
There is a lack of depth in the gameplay mechanics, with many features feeling underutilized and the world feeling somewhat empty after initial exploration.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The game's story is generally described as simple and predictable, with many players noting that they could foresee major plot twists early on. However, despite its straightforwardness, the narrative is often praised for its charm, heartwarming moments, and engaging dialogue, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience. While some players wished for more depth and complexity, the cozy atmosphere and beautiful art style enhance the storytelling, making it a delightful adventure for many.
- “The story is simple, yet engaging and heartwarming.”
- “Nightstones is a fantastic game that combines a beautiful story, fun gameplay, and a world you’ll love exploring.”
- “The engaging gameplay and heartfelt story add depth to the experience, making each moment enjoyable.”
- “All due respect to Ryan, but the story is laughably bad.”
- “The major 'twist' of the story is obvious within the first 15 minutes of gameplay.”
- “The story is also simple, and its climax is predictable that you'll figure out extremely quickly.”
gameplay
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
The gameplay is generally praised for its smooth controls, engaging mechanics, and charming design, though it is often described as simple and lacking depth, with many puzzles being easy and the overall experience relatively short (around 2-4 hours). While the game draws inspiration from titles like "Zelda: Breath of the Wild" and "A Short Hike," it introduces unique elements such as a day/night mechanic and various traversal options, though some players feel these mechanics could have been utilized more effectively. Overall, the game offers a cozy and enjoyable experience, but many reviewers express a desire for more content and complexity to fully explore its potential.
- “The fluid gameplay, coupled with some nice puzzles, makes for an enjoyable journey.”
- “Nightstones is a fantastic game that combines a beautiful story, fun gameplay, and a world you’ll love exploring.”
- “It was clearly heavily inspired by Zelda: Breath of the Wild (the glider and climbing mechanics are direct copies), but unlike BotW, you have no agency.”
- “The major 'twist' of the story is obvious within the first 15 minutes of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is well-designed, mixing exploring and puzzles in a way that’s exciting and never boring.”
music
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
25%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional connection to the story. While some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, many appreciated its ability to create a cozy vibe and complement the gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music is honestly some of the best I’ve heard in a game—it’s calming yet adventurous, a perfect soundtrack that really amplifies the cozy vibe.”
- “The environment plus the amazing music really makes me feel captured in this world like the main protagonist, and I did not want to stop playing.”
- “I loved the art and the music, and the story was simple but surprisingly touching :)”
- “The music got a bit repetitive, so I'm hoping that the developers can maybe make it play a few more tracks so that they rotate around.”
- “If the camera/mouse issue can be fixed, a music rotation put in, and maybe some hints for folks that are lost, Night Stones can become one heck of an enjoyable cozy adventure.”
- “Sitting AFK, the music adjusts to a slower tempo and uses fewer instruments.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
35%
9%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning art style, vibrant landscapes, and charming character designs, creating an immersive and cozy atmosphere. Many players noted the visuals are well-crafted and enhance the overall experience, even on lower settings, while a few expressed a desire for improvement in character design. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for players.
- “The graphics are stunning, with gorgeous landscapes and great use of light and shadow that make the world feel real.”
- “The graphics are beautifully crafted, creating an immersive world that's a joy to explore.”
- “From the first moments, I was drawn in by the vibrant colorful landscape and enchanting art style.”
- “The graphics could be improved; maybe that's for Nightstones 2. I really wasn't a fan of this low poly style, as it just felt off when looking at it. The environments looked better than the characters.”
- “The graphics are pretty but not demanding, which makes it really difficult to decide if I want to play the game on my TV or Steam Deck.”
- “Graphics?”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, featuring touching moments and meaningful themes such as hope and bravery. Players appreciate the simple yet engaging story, complemented by beautiful art and calming music that enhances the overall experience. Many reviews highlight specific emotional moments, particularly a poignant side quest about a father and son, which resonates deeply with players.
- “I loved the art and the music, and the story was simple but surprisingly touching :)”
- “The main character’s journey is full of touching moments, meaningful choices, and themes like hope and bravery.”
- “The music is also incredible—calm and emotional, it matches every part of the game perfectly and helps you connect with the story.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the funny dialogue and quirky character interactions that encourage exploration and engagement with NPCs. Reviewers highlight the clever writing and amusing themes, noting that the humor is both enjoyable and non-cringy, contributing to an overall delightful experience.
- “Funny enough that it prompted me to speak with every NPC, even ones that did not have quest markers, to make sure I heard all the quips this game had to offer.”
- “He loves reading all of the character conversations and finds the jokes hilarious!”
- “The writing is cute but also seems to have a great sense of humor; I got a chuckle out of the passive-aggressive road sign encountered early on.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its cozy and relaxing qualities, reminiscent of "A Short Hike." Players appreciate the delightful music and attention to detail, which contribute to a charming experience that enhances the storytelling and overall vibe.
- “Night Stones is a delightful experience reminiscent of 'A Short Hike.' This charming game is brimming with beautiful little details that create a truly cozy atmosphere.”
- “A great atmosphere and vibe if you just want to relax and enjoy a nice story with better dialogue than most AAA games.”
- “Achieves the same cozy and relaxing atmosphere as 'A Short Hike.'”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game exhibits some stability issues, including bugs and a camera system that can lead to motion sickness, particularly due to its automatic adjustments. However, it performs well on platforms like Steam Deck and Linux, showcasing the developer's impressive effort for a first release.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck/Linux.”
- “And it runs great on a Steam Deck!”
- “The constant automatically adjusting camera angle can cause some motion sickness, and being able to move it with the mouse was kind of buggy.”
- “A little buggy, and sometimes the forced perspective can work against you, but this is a sincerely impressive first game for a single developer.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time. While some appreciate the gameplay mechanics, such as the camera angles, the lack of a map contributes to a tedious experience. Overall, the grinding can detract from enjoyment, though some still express a desire to revisit the game.
- “I would love it if it was turned into a farming sim, lol. Ahem... anyway, get it, it's amazing and I will definitely play it again.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Without a map, it's just too tedious. The camera is revolving around the character, which is a great feature for general gameplay, but it makes grinding feel even more frustrating.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is primarily optimized for controller use, providing a fun and visually appealing experience; however, players have reported occasional stuttering issues, particularly on the Steam Deck, where the game seems to pause briefly during loading.
- “Basically, only play this game with a controller as it seems to be optimized for that.”
- “It's fun to play and looks good, but it has some weird stuttering (not a reduction in frame rate, but it feels like the game pauses for a quarter or half second here and there while things load), which is especially noticeable on my Steam Deck.”