Parry Nightmare

About

Parry Nightmare is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by KAKUKAKU GAMES and was released on March 21, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Parry Nightmare" is an action-packed game where defensive skills are key. Parry attacks to weaken enemies, heal yourself, and fill your special move gauge. Charge up Honno-chan with power-ups from defeated foes and collect light to banish the nightmare. Can you make it through the night and see the dawn?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

music16 positive mentions

The game features a simple yet enjoyable parry mechanic that keeps players engaged and challenged.
The art style and music are charming and well-executed, enhancing the overall experience.
Despite its short length, the game delivers intense gameplay and a relatable story that resonates with players.

The game suffers from balancing issues, particularly with certain power-ups and a significant difficulty spike in the final level.
Some design choices, such as a large HUD and audio oversights, can detract from the gameplay experience.
The short length may leave some players wanting more content, as it can be completed quickly.

music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
21%
9%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its engaging and fun score, particularly praising the contributions of artists like Emi Evans and Osamu Kubota. The soundtrack is described as a standout feature that complements the charming art style and enhances the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the combination of delightful music and cute visuals creates an enjoyable atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The highlight for me was the soundtrack, especially with Emi Evans singing the ending theme.”
- “The art and music in this game are wonderful.”
- “I would buy this just for Osamu Kubota's music alone.”
- “The art style is very cute and the music is a bop all around, and the story is simple but relatable for a lot of our generation - that being dealing with both trauma and just not being able to sleep well.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
31%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by a short duration and a simple yet enjoyable core mechanic centered around parrying, which is both forgiving and challenging. While the art style and music are praised, players feel the gameplay could be enhanced with additional features like a dash button and improved indicators for boss mechanics. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation for the "buddy" and "parry heaven" genre fusion, though some mechanics could benefit from further refinement.
- “A short and sweet debut of the 'buddy' and 'parry heaven' genre fusion, combining a charming art style and snazzy soundtrack with tense, parry-based horde survival gameplay.”
- “The art and the music are amazing and the actual parry mechanic is very forgiving but still a challenge.”
- “The core parry mechanic is really solid, so I would've loved to see the gameplay around it get expanded more.”
- “It makes gameplay feel a lot slower than it should be.”
- “That's true of the simple gameplay as well, though I think it could've benefited from a dash button for just a bit more engagement.”
- “Short gameplay but has a solid core mechanic, just parry.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The story is described as relatable and earnest, effectively conveyed through concise flavor text that balances seriousness and levity, often with a comedic touch. While the narrative is simple and not deeply complex, it resonates with players, particularly regarding themes of trauma and sleeplessness. Overall, the engaging story, combined with appealing art and music, enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable for those focused on completing the narrative.
- “The story and accompanying flavor text is quite relatable and handles the theme with an appropriate balance of seriousness and levity, with a dash of comedy.”
- “The story between levels was fun to tease out and it was an interesting way to shed light on the main character little by little.”
- “The story is able to get itself across in the span of a few dozen bits of flavor text, and the writing and premise are earnest to the point of feeling (at least partly) autobiographical.”
- “Story so far is relatable, nothing deep.”
- “The art style is very cute and the music is a bop all around, and the story is simple but relatable for a lot of our generation - that being dealing with both trauma and just not being able to sleep well.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
56%
11%
The graphics are characterized by a charming and cute art style that complements the game's quirky visuals and engaging soundtrack. While the visuals serve as a backdrop for the gameplay, they are appreciated for their appeal, despite the narrative being somewhat simplistic and the main character lacking depth. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, enhancing the experience of its unique genre fusion.
- “A short and sweet debut of the 'buddy' and 'parry heaven' genre fusion, combining a charming art style and snazzy soundtrack with tense, parry-based horde survival gameplay.”
- “Loved the art style, great music, semi-simple mechanics.”
- “The art style is very cute and the music is a bop all around, and the story is simple but relatable for a lot of our generation - that being dealing with both trauma and just not being able to sleep well.”
- “It's not cathartic... it's not really a character study (the main character is such a typical office lady it becomes nonspecific)... it gives the game an excuse for its kooky visuals, and that's about it.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with certain gameplay elements, particularly during the school nightmare stage, which detracts from the overall emotional experience. While the game's background music and premise are praised for their potential, many feel it ultimately falls short of delivering the emotional impact they anticipated.
- “Despite the killer background music and evocative premise, it doesn't reach the emotional highs I expected.”