NUTS

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 859 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
NUTS Game Cover
Busting a nut-based mystery such as this one involves two parts: clever thinking and intuition. NUTS is a beautiful game, in aesthetic, design and atmosphere
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"NUTS" is a game where you play as a rookie field researcher, tasked with tracking the movements of a mysterious group of squirrels in Melmoth Forest. During the day, place cameras to capture their behavior, and at night, analyze the footage to uncover puzzling patterns and routes. With full voice acting, bold visuals, and immersive sound effects, "NUTS" offers an engaging and unique gameplay experience.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 859 reviews
story148 positive mentions
grinding26 negative mentions
  • Unique and charming art style that enhances the gameplay experience.
  • Engaging and relaxing gameplay loop centered around tracking squirrels.
  • Intriguing story with a quirky premise that keeps players invested.
  • Very short playtime (2-4 hours) that may not justify the price point.
  • The story leaves many questions unanswered and feels incomplete.
  • Repetitive gameplay mechanics that can become tedious over time.
  • story441 mentions

    The story of "Nuts" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging and intriguing at first, but ultimately feeling let down by its abrupt and unresolved ending. While the game presents a charming narrative about environmental themes and squirrel tracking, it often leaves plot threads hanging and lacks depth, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction. Overall, the visuals and gameplay mechanics are praised, but the narrative's execution and conclusion leave much to be desired.

    • “The squirrels are more intelligent than you think they are, and the whole story serves as a well-wrapped metaphor about the interaction between humanity and the natural world.”
    • “This game has a somewhat melancholy but also heartwarming story.”
    • “The story was well told, with lots of nice thematic touches.”
    • “The story ends in a nonsensical way; it's clearly rushed, and there's no way that it was someone's artistic vision for an ending.”
    • “The main story, what happens to the other characters, and the whole purpose of the first two-thirds of the game just get flushed down the drain.”
    • “Unfortunately, the story is not able to carry the game.”
  • gameplay319 mentions

    The gameplay of "Nuts" features a unique surveillance mechanic where players track squirrels using cameras, creating an engaging core loop that is both simple and intuitive. However, many reviewers noted that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with a playtime of only 2-4 hours, which some felt did not justify the price. While the art style and atmosphere received praise, the overall execution of the gameplay mechanics left some players wanting more variety and complexity.

    • “The gameplay is way more fun than it looks and the story is a perfect length.”
    • “A gorgeous little adventure with a satisfying gameplay loop!”
    • “I loved the gameplay, first off: having to track these squirrels by placing cameras and reviewing footage was unique and compelling.”
    • “I really wanted to like this, but honestly the gameplay is so boring that I just can't.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely repetitive and gets boring really fast.”
    • “There is only 6 short 'missions' (different locations with some tasks to do), the gameplay is almost the same on all of them and gameplay-wise it never actually evolves.”
  • graphics216 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, which enhances gameplay and creates an engaging atmosphere. Many reviewers appreciate the vibrant color schemes and minimalist design, although some note that the visuals can be hard on the eyes or lead to performance issues on certain hardware. Overall, the aesthetic is seen as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm, despite some criticisms regarding optimization and repetitiveness in gameplay.

    • “Loved the aesthetic and use of colours, with minimalistic visuals that are still beautiful.”
    • “The clean, minimalist aesthetic is super cool, and each level's palettes feel just right.”
    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, the visuals, the sounds, the music, all just drew me in!”
    • “Graphics were great but got boring at level 4.”
    • “Honestly, the graphics don't really change in low or ultra settings, but there are some parts of the game that make my 1050ti cry, especially the swamp location (fps drops to 20fps).”
    • “I also want to point out that the system requirements for such a graphically simple game are not acceptable.”
  • atmosphere63 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Nuts" is widely praised for its unique blend of beauty and eeriness, enhanced by minimalist ambient music and sound design that creates a relaxing yet foreboding experience. Reviewers highlight the game's charming visuals and world-building, comparing its atmospheric qualities to titles like "Firewatch" and noting its ability to evoke a sense of intrigue and immersion. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for players who appreciate atmospheric storytelling and design.

    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, the visuals, the sounds, the music, all just drew me in!”
    • “Really enjoyed the game; they did a great job of creating an atmosphere that captures the beauty and eeriness of very old forests.”
    • “This game hooked me right out of the bat with its relaxing atmosphere, sound design, and general feel with its unique art style.”
    • “I struggle to call Nuts good; I experienced 4 apparent soft-locks in the 3 hours it took to beat it, alongside a dozen other collision and movement bugs, but there was an indisputable charm to the game and its atmosphere.”
    • “I would recommend buying it on sale for the atmosphere alone if you liked Firewatch.”
    • “The sounds of the forest, and the minimalist ambient music, also work well to build up an atmosphere.”
  • music60 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its ability to create a captivating atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its beautiful, minimalist composition that enhances both the whimsical and foreboding elements of the gameplay. While some found certain tracks to feel out of place or overly intense, the overall sound design, including ambient sounds and voice acting, contributes to a cohesive and immersive experience. The soundtrack is often described as top-notch, effectively capturing the spirit of the setting and leaving a lasting emotional impact on players.

    • “The stylized graphics, subtle but well composed reactive music, wonderfully written story with charming voice acting, the stellar gameplay... all of it was a fantastic time.”
    • “Without spoiling anything about the plot, the music really makes some masterful atmospheres, sometimes relaxing and sometimes foreboding.”
    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, the visuals, the sounds, the music, all just drew me in!”
    • “The rather mysterious music and setting will make you think that something is going to happen, but unfortunately nothing ever does.”
    • “I understand that there is a mysterious theme here, but some moments did not connect with me musically.”
    • “[spoiler]There are two consecutive mysteries going on in the game, what's going on with the company you're working for, and what's going on with the squirrels, and neither of those mysteries get solved. You just get a credit scene with ill-fitting indie music playing[/spoiler] as opposed to the player character becoming a squirrel and having the X-Files theme play, which would've been awesome.”
  • grinding30 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious, particularly due to repetitive tasks like camera placement and backtracking, which can disrupt pacing and lead to frustration. While some players appreciate the unique gameplay mechanics and find enjoyment in solving puzzles, many feel that the experience becomes monotonous over time, especially as the game progresses. Overall, the game is seen as short and respectful of players' time, but its execution can feel lacking and overly repetitive.

    • “Pacing is slow but not tedious.”
    • “It is incredibly tedious to always go back to your caravan and then cross the swamps that slows you down in loop.”
    • “This game is by its nature very tedious.”
    • “The camera surveillance/tracking gameplay gets tedious after a while and while the story was going in an interesting direction that I wanted to see the end of, at the end I found it to be not worth the effort.”
  • emotional22 mentions

    The game features a touching and heartwarming story that evokes a range of emotions, with some players finding it deeply resonant and even tear-inducing by the end. While the narrative offers engaging insights into the protagonist's life and fosters a connection to nature, some players felt a lack of emotional investment due to limited character interaction. Overall, the experience is described as pleasant and wholesome, with a quirky premise that ultimately leads to a meaningful emotional connection.

    • “This game has a somewhat melancholy but also heartwarming story.”
    • “You get tidbits of Nina's life when she was in your shoes years ago, and it's honestly really touching to see how empathetic she is of the natural world.”
    • “Honestly, the ending made me cry.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    The game is generally considered to have low replayability, as it is designed for a single playthrough with static environments and predictable puzzles. While there are some collectibles and achievements that may encourage a second playthrough, most players feel that once the solutions are known, there is little incentive to revisit the game. Overall, it is described as a short experience that may not justify its price for those seeking lasting engagement.

    • “I don't think it is massively replayable because the world is pretty static and you'll know where everything is the next time around, but I think I will be messing around with it again to find easter eggs and get the last two achievements.”
    • “But unfortunately also very short, and I can't see that there is much replay value in the chapters.”
    • “Nuts' soundtrack brilliantly captures the spirit of the setting, and the camera mechanic is fun - the way each level expands or alters the idea feels very natural, though you can solve most of the puzzles through exploration/brute force; in that regard, there's basically zero replayability once you know the solutions to each level.”
    • “There are some collectibles dotted throughout which expand on the story, but beyond that there isn't much replayability as the squirrels follow the same exact route each game.”
    • “A cute and not unenjoyable experience, but overall dreadfully short with little to no replay value.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The game's optimization is inconsistent, with some levels experiencing significant performance issues, dropping to as low as 15-20 fps, particularly in the swamp area. While most levels run smoothly at 60+ fps, players have noted minor glitches, such as getting stuck or going out of bounds, but these are not widespread. Overall, the graphics do not show much difference between low and ultra settings, which may contribute to the performance struggles on lower-end hardware.

    • “Overall a very cute game, very little glitchiness in terms of going out of bounds or getting stuck, and no other notable performance issues.”
    • “Honestly, the graphics don't really change in low or ultra settings, but there are some parts of the game that make my 1050ti cry, especially the swamp location (fps drops to 20fps).”
    • “Overall, the game has very little glitchiness, with only minor performance issues in specific areas.”
    • “Besides that, performance is really bad in some levels (15 fps frequently), in most levels it's fine though (60+ fps).”
    • “Graphics and optimization: honestly, the graphics don't really change in low or ultra settings, but there are some parts of the game that make my 1050ti cry, especially the swamp location (fps drops to 20 fps).”
    • “The second con is performance.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as both goofy and hauntingly hilarious, with well-paced chapters that integrate story beats seamlessly into gameplay, resulting in amusing payoffs. Players find the concept of squirrel photography amusingly absurd, and the dialogue is compared favorably to the witty and poignant exchanges in "Firewatch," highlighting the game's ability to blend humor with emotional depth.

    • “Somehow both goofy and hauntingly hilarious.”
    • “The chapters are well paced, and the story beats are mixed in seamlessly with the gameplay, leading to some hilarious payoffs.”
    • “Compare the funny and moving conversations in Firewatch between Henry and Delilah with the expository phone calls you get in Nuts.”
  • stability8 mentions

    User reviews on stability are mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with no glitches or bugs, others highlight persistent issues that detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. This inconsistency suggests that stability may vary significantly between different users' experiences.

    • “The main reason I can't recommend this, however, is it still buggy.”
    • “Not to mention the polish — it is so rare that I but I never had a single problem nor noticed any glitches/bugs at all.”
    • “Glitches.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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