Nights of Azure

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 419 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Nights of Azure Game Cover
"It may not be the best hack ‘n’ slash game on the market, but Nights of Azure does enough right to warrant checking it out."
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In "Nights of Azure," explore a gothic-inspired world where demons have taken over at night. As protagonist Arnice, a holy knight, you must fight off these creatures while also protecting your friend and potential sacrifice, Lilysse. The game features fast-paced action-RPG combat with a focus on forming strategic bonds with other characters to enhance abilities and defeat challenging bosses.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 419 reviews
story86 positive mentions
grinding30 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, often described as one of the best in an action game.
  • Combat mechanics are enjoyable and allow for a variety of playstyles, with the Servan system adding depth and strategy to battles.
  • The character interactions, particularly the relationship between the two main characters, are charming and well-developed, providing a strong emotional core to the story.
  • The port suffers from technical issues, including poor controller support, occasional major slowdowns, and a lack of customizable key bindings.
  • The story is often criticized for being generic and lacking depth, with many characters feeling flat and underdeveloped.
  • Gameplay can become repetitive, with a grindy nature towards the end, and some players find the difficulty to be inconsistent, especially in boss fights.
  • story358 mentions

    The story of the game is generally viewed as mediocre, with a focus on a yuri relationship that some players found charming while others deemed shallow and clichéd. While the main narrative revolves around themes of love and sacrifice, it often lacks depth and memorable twists, leading to mixed feelings about character development and engagement. Overall, the game offers a straightforward plot that may appeal to fans of the genre but may disappoint those seeking a more intricate or compelling storyline.

    • “The story is very interesting and appealing to me personally: debating or not to turn against the world for love is very powerful and seeing the girls proclaim how much they care for each other on multiple occasions is very sweet and horribly sad that Arnice has to protect her best friend and watch her sacrifice herself.”
    • “Overall: a superb touching, sad story with a very unexpected epilogue alongside a great soundtrack and character designs makes up for the few cons I experienced in this game.”
    • “The storytelling of this game is fantastic as far as I have gone, I have seen a lot of games and their storyboards, but they were just half-assed compared to this, not only do you listen to the characters, you can almost feel like they have a soul, and that takes some real skills to do.”
    • “Unfortunately, the story is rubbish; it focuses way too much on this yuri nonsense. I guess they had to attract the otaku crowd in somehow for the easy money, but most people won't give a damn about the story. You play this just to kill time by button mashing to kill enemies; it's a chill game for the most part, really, like all Gust games in a way.”
    • “The story is incredibly lackluster. The characters are dumb, the story is a bad ripoff of FF10, the way you spend your days is dumb, the chapter progression forces you to do side quests and makes no sense.”
    • “The story and characters are shallow and boring as hell. This game may be lacking in a lot of areas; the animation in the cutscenes isn't really anything to boast about, and the story isn't too satisfying.”
  • gameplay157 mentions

    The gameplay in "Nights of Azure" is a mixed bag, featuring a third-person hack-and-slash style that some players find enjoyable due to its variety of mechanics, including the summoning of "servans" and demon transformations. However, many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of combat and a lack of depth in mechanics, leading to a feeling of mediocrity over time. While the game offers some interesting ideas and solid RPG elements, it ultimately struggles to stand out in a crowded genre, with some players recommending alternatives for a more engaging experience.

    • “The gameplay is one of the strongest factors of this game in my humble opinion.”
    • “It is quite enjoyable and varied, with numerous servants, abilities, transformations, and different items that can completely change the gameplay.”
    • “But ARPG-wise, you get some pretty solid battle mechanics here with variability like combos, servans (summoned monsters that follow you around that you can control via issued commands and a 'burst' command - which executes their special move), weapons that you can change during combat, etc. Graphics and music both help keep you engaged.”
    • “The gameplay gets very repetitive very fast.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive as other reviews suggested and I never really got super into side quests.”
    • “As far as action RPGs go, Nights of Azure doesn't really stand out at all; the only special thing about the game is its 'servan' mechanic, but even that has been done better in other games with more focus on summoning.”
  • music129 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the standout features, often describing it as the best they've heard in an action game. The soundtrack is noted for its emotional depth, fitting well with the game's narrative and enhancing immersion, while also showcasing a variety of styles, including symphonic rock and classical elements. Overall, the music is considered a significant asset that elevates the gaming experience, making it worth experiencing for players.

    • “The soundtrack is wonderful and truly conveys emotions during crucial moments, being one of the aspects that greatly helped me stay immersed in the game's universe.”
    • “The music here invoked memories of Castlevania, with symphonic rock taking the place of most of the fights, or just plain classical in certain places that go amazingly with the settings.”
    • “Music is disproportionately good.”
    • “Very lush music and atmosphere wasted on significantly missed potential.”
    • “The best thing about it so far is probably the soundtrack; as for the rest, I'm just not quite sure. The combat itself feels shallow and unchallenging, the servan mechanic makes it feel like the game would just play by itself.”
    • “Music is decent, but all of them don't have much replay value.”
  • graphics85 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, particularly for a title released on PS4, with many reviewers noting that they feel more akin to PS3 visuals. While the environments and character designs can be appealing, they often lack variety and depth, leading to a somewhat forgettable aesthetic. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the unique art style and overall atmosphere, suggesting that the visuals, while not groundbreaking, still contribute positively to the game's experience.

    • “The general style of the designs, the aesthetics, in this game, look very appealing, at least to me.”
    • “I am fond of the visuals and atmosphere of this game; the music tracks are lovely.”
    • “The game looks rather good, has good artwork and music, and runs smoothly.”
    • “The graphics are dated, but it didn't bother me that much.”
    • “This game doesn't just have bad graphics; it has bad physics in the hair and how anything works.”
    • “A PS4 game with PS3-like graphics?”
  • grinding30 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it necessary to level up adequately for tougher challenges, particularly before the final boss, others feel that the game can be completed without extensive grinding unless aiming for 100% completion. Many reviews highlight the grindy nature of character progression and leveling, especially in the end game, which can be tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. Players who enjoy grinding and equipment hunting may find satisfaction, but those seeking a more streamlined experience might be disappointed.

    • “But that’s it, in terms of positives because I was quite bothered by the 'not-very-helpful' in-game map, the nightmarish task of sorting the items, the grindy character progression (even when I’m the type of person that would attempt to do all of the side quests), and the unskippable/slow start.”
    • “Nights of Azure is a repetitive grinding hack and slash without much to bring to the table except the Servans system, which wasn't really executed that well.”
    • “The game is also very grindy for a game that is very short.”
  • character development26 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs, particularly that of Arnice, are praised for their beauty and aesthetic appeal, many reviewers feel that the characters themselves lack depth and engaging personalities. The story and emotional elements are appreciated, but overall, the development of characters does not meet the expectations set by their appealing designs.

    • “Overall: a superb touching, sad story with a very unexpected epilogue alongside a great soundtrack and character designs makes up for the few cons I experienced in this game.”
    • “Not the best in the world but really enjoyed the story, the character design (Arnice has such a great design to her), the fun characters, the cute love story, the soundtrack (probably one of the best game OSTs I've ever heard), and even the hack and slash gameplay was fun for me.”
    • “Beautiful, beautiful character design by Yoshiku.”
    • “Character model is good, but as a whole they lack character development and personalities are boring.”
    • “The character designs fit with the characters, but they lack depth and growth throughout the game.”
    • “While the character designs are visually appealing, the overall development feels shallow and uninspired.”
  • optimization20 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting smooth performance even on older hardware, while others criticize it as a poorly optimized PC port with issues related to controller input. Overall, opinions vary significantly, suggesting that while some players experience no major problems, others find the optimization lacking.

    • “I am surprised it runs smoothly on my 'okay' computer.”
    • “The game actually runs smoothly on my old PC (AMD Phenom II X4 955 from 2009, GeForce 650 Ti).”
    • “There's no issue with optimization; anything graphic-related and the rest.”
    • “Poorly optimized PC port.”
    • “Junk game barely optimized for PC and PC controllers.”
    • “I would recommend this to anyone to pick up on sale simply because of the poor controller input and optimization in general.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its lush visuals and lovely music, creating a comfy and inviting experience reminiscent of atelier games. However, some reviewers feel that the potential of this atmosphere is not fully realized, leaving them uncertain about its overall impact.

    • “I am fond of the visuals and atmosphere of this game; the music tracks are lovely.”
    • “Artwise, the game looks great and it has a pretty good atmosphere.”
    • “Very lush music and atmosphere wasted on significantly missed potential.”
    • “I'm not sure what to make of the 'atmosphere' of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is quite comfy, like an atelier game, with which it shares company.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as both hilarious and awkward, with some users finding it amusing, particularly in relation to screen positioning and certain comedic moments. However, the humor can be inconsistent and may not always enhance the gameplay experience, leading some players to feel overwhelmed. Overall, while there are funny elements, they may not be universally appreciated.

    • “Hilarious and awful.”
    • “Some funny moments in there, but ultimately, I fell out over trying to keep up with it.”
    • “While a bit funny due to how it is linked to the screen positioning, it’s not as useful, but still may be worth it in certain cases.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to the game's story, highlighting its superbly touching and sad narrative, complemented by an unexpected epilogue and a great soundtrack. Despite some criticisms regarding plot polish and a potentially confusing battle system, the overall emotional impact and character designs leave a lasting impression.

    • “I can't even remember the last time I felt this emotional for a game's story.”
    • “Overall: a superb touching, sad story with a very unexpected epilogue alongside a great soundtrack and character designs makes up for the few cons I experienced in this game.”
    • “Graphics are good, your wife is beautiful (main point!), plots aren't so polished but it's still touching.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it fun and easy to revisit, others criticize the lack of depth in the story and characters, leading to a perception of limited replay value. The music is noted as decent, but it does not significantly enhance the game's longevity.

    • “Fun game, easy to play, and has great replayability.”
    • “Music is decent, but all of them don't have much replay value.”
    • “[Writing lets the setup down; story devolves into being a generic JRPG affair; side characters are static and bland; too easy, almost frustratingly so; not enough replay value]”
  • stability2 mentions

    The stability of the update has been questioned, with some users choosing to avoid it due to persistent glitches affecting DirectX 10 games at launch.

    • “Some people opted out of the update due to glitches with DX10 games on its first release.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

Buy Nights of Azure

Play time

20hMedian play time
16hAverage play time
7-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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