NIGHTSLINK
- August 24, 2021
- noiseminded
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"NIGHTSLINK is a single-player Horror Adventure game with PS1-era graphics and a unique atmosphere. As a deliveryperson, you must record and transport audio tapes to an apartment building's strange inhabitants while uncovering the truth of a world consumed by horror and isolation. Despite its short playtime, NIGHTSLINK's eerie imagery and mysteries will linger long after."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- NIGHTSLINK features a captivating atmosphere with its retro PS1-style graphics and eerie sound design, creating a unique and unsettling experience.
- The game offers a surreal narrative that encourages players to interpret the story in their own way, leaving them with lingering questions and thoughts.
- Despite its short length, the game effectively builds tension and mood, making it a memorable experience for fans of atmospheric horror.
- The gameplay is very simplistic and repetitive, primarily involving delivering cassette tapes with little variation or depth.
- Many players found the story underdeveloped and vague, leading to frustration over the lack of clear explanations or conclusions.
- At its price point, some reviewers felt that the short duration of the game (around 20-30 minutes) did not justify the cost, making it feel overpriced for the experience offered.
- story35 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by its vagueness and minimalism, often requiring players to interpret the narrative themselves as they navigate a decaying apartment block delivering tapes. While some find the lack of a clear plot enriching and thought-provoking, others feel it leaves much to be desired, resulting in a mix of intrigue and frustration. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a unique experience that evokes a haunting atmosphere, encouraging personal interpretation and exploration.
“The story unfolds and reveals itself in a most interesting way as you go through a delivery route each night.”
“Although its linear campaign takes only 20 minutes to complete, its story will potentially occupy hours of your mind long after you've uninstalled it.”
“We are so used to being spoon-fed every tidbit of information, and that makes the obscurity of Nightslink's plot its most profound trait; second only to the fact that no matter what your interpretation, you're not wrong.”
“No story.”
“The plot is more ordinary, and the writing feels more cliché.”
“Story-wise, there's almost nothing to go on, and I mean that literally.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently described as eerie, surreal, and deeply immersive, effectively creating a sense of loneliness and dread through its dark visuals and haunting sound design. Many reviewers appreciate the nostalgic PS1-style graphics, which enhance the unsettling mood, while others note that the short playtime does not detract from the impactful atmosphere. Overall, it is praised for its ability to evoke strong emotions and a gripping sense of unease, making it a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric horror.
“Yes, it's barely 20 minutes long, but in that short space of time they have crafted an incredible mood and atmosphere.”
“The highlight is the atmosphere, a combination of the moody soundscape and mysterious world.”
“This game has a brilliant balance between eerie atmosphere and vague story.”
“Didn't really get it and the atmosphere it was praised for didn't manifest for me.”
“Nightslink has nothing but boring repetitive tasks and some eerie atmosphere.”
“Even though you are performing such a mundane task - it is shrouded in so much shadow and denuded to such a vague perspective where I feel guilty and as if I am somehow responsible for the dread and despair that permeates the atmosphere of this title.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their nostalgic PS1 aesthetic, effectively blending retro chunky visuals with a gritty, atmospheric design that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of unease and nostalgia, likening its visual style to a dreamlike, dystopian landscape reminiscent of classic horror influences. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's immersive and eerie atmosphere.
“The visual design is much like Paratopic: retro chunky graphics mixed in with a sort of fuzzy filter to it, which to me looked pretty good and I won’t ever complain about this, I don’t think.”
“I love the PS1-style graphics and think it adds to the creepiness perfectly.”
“Nightslink is a short atmospheric horror walking simulator that is adorned with gritty PS1-style graphics.”
“What I do remember though is the feeling that the game gave me, evoking the paratopic vibe with crunchy PlayStation 1 graphics and driving around on a motorcycle with vague storytelling.”
“It does nail the aesthetic it goes for, but to me it doesn't fully tickle that part of my brain that loves this type of game.”
“The widescreen format and grainy field of vision award it a special aesthetic feel, almost as if I were interacting with one of those old cassettes I am delivering.”
- music12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as droning and ominous, effectively enhancing the Lovecraftian horror atmosphere while also featuring a retro aesthetic. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout element, praising its immersive quality and ability to complement the game's visuals and overall experience. Overall, the music is considered a significant and enjoyable aspect of the game, contributing to its eerie and engaging ambiance.
“Beautifully made, with a spot-on retro aesthetic and unsettling music, this is exactly the kind of game to cozy up with on a rainy night.”
“The music (credited to Valter Abreu) is a highlight.”
“Amazing art style, amazing sound and music, very immersive and pretty scary!”
“The game’s music is droning and ominous, tipping over into a John Carpenter rhythm as the credits begin to roll.”
“While exploring the apartment complex, you can hear people listening to music, talking, and babies crying through the closed doors.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a simplistic walking simulator focused on delivering audio cassettes, with minimal interaction and mechanics beyond clicking on objects in the environment. Players can expect a short experience, roughly 30 minutes long, that emphasizes story over gameplay variety, drawing comparisons to similar titles like Paratopic. Overall, the gameplay is described as repetitive and lacking depth, making the price feel high for the limited content offered.
“The gameplay itself is simple... you deliver audio cassettes to a number of apartments in a building, and then you go and make more cassettes.”
“Not much context needed because of this game's brevity and about 30 minutes of gameplay if you play through it twice.”
“The gameplay section is more of the same as Paratopic; you walk around and mostly click on things in your environment, which includes only doors and tapes, aside from really short motorcycle riding sections. It also must be completed in one session.”
“It's shorter, the gameplay is less varied, the art is less sophisticated, the plot is more ordinary, and the writing feels more cliché.”
“It's purely a surreal atmospheric walking sim with no mechanics beyond looking at a list and delivering cassette tapes.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, primarily appealing to those who enjoy atmospheric experiences and uncovering implied lore. Players can revisit to discover easter eggs and explore different dialogue options, but overall, the replay value is modest.
“There are some easter eggs to uncover, and there's a bit of replay value in exploring bits of dialogue and certain opportunities that you may have missed on your first time through.”
“The game offers a unique experience with each playthrough, encouraging players to make different choices and discover new outcomes.”
“With multiple endings and various paths to take, the replayability factor is high, making each session feel fresh and engaging.”
“Worth it if you are okay with an atmospheric game that has a small amount of replay value and more implied lore than explicitly stated.”
“There are some easter eggs to uncover, and there's a bit of replay value in exploring bits of dialogue and a certain opportunity that you may have missed on your first time through.”
