Vigil: The Longest Night

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Vigil: The Longest Night is a single player role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Glass Heart Games and was released on October 14, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Vigil: The Longest Night" is a Metroidvania-style side-scroller reminiscent of classics like "Salt and Sanctuary" and "Castlevania." In this game, players join protagonist Leila in her quest to protect her town, battle dark creatures, and uncover sinister plots. With a vast array of weapons, arcane abilities, and throwable items, players can customize their combat style to suit their preferences and the specific challenges they face. Exploration, complex combat, and a dark narrative await in this engaging adventure.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,364 reviews

story203 positive mentions

grinding35 negative mentions

Gorgeous art style and atmosphere that evokes a dark, gothic fantasy.
Engaging combat system with a variety of weapons and skill trees that allow for different playstyles.
Rich exploration with many secrets, hidden areas, and side quests that enhance the overall experience.

Poorly designed quest system with points of no return that can lock players out of content without warning.
Clunky controls and mechanics, particularly with the dash and input responsiveness.
Inconsistent difficulty, with many bosses being too easy and lacking challenge compared to optional bosses.

story
807 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The story of "Vigil: The Longest Night" is a complex blend of cosmic horror and dark fantasy, drawing inspiration from titles like Bloodborne and Dark Souls. While it features intriguing themes and multiple endings, many players find the narrative difficult to follow due to vague quest descriptions, points of no return that can lock players out of content, and a lack of clear guidance in the quest system. Overall, the storytelling is engaging for those willing to piece together its fragmented lore, but it suffers from translation issues and a convoluted presentation that can detract from the experience.
- “Her mission to uncover the truth behind the eternal night quickly transforms into a descent through a realm of cosmic horror, grotesque creatures, and shattered faith.”
- “Instead of spelling out the lore, the game allows the player to piece together its mythology through fragmented dialogue, cryptic notes, and environmental storytelling.”
- “The story touches on themes of loss, faith, and the cyclical nature of corruption, with each discovery adding another layer to the tragic tapestry of the world.”
- “The story is convoluted and not really sure what happened even after completing the game.”
- “The story is very confusing and unclear, also I'm not a fan of this type of 'quests' in a metroidvania, especially since it locks you out of certain quests early in the game.”
- “The points of no return in the story make no effort to identify themselves as such, leaving you with several failed quests as a result.”
gameplay
317 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
6%
The gameplay of "Vigil: The Longest Night" is a blend of metroidvania exploration and souls-like combat, praised for its fluid mechanics, diverse weapon options, and engaging atmosphere. While many players appreciate the depth and customization available, some criticize the pacing, clunky controls, and a save system that can feel punishing. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience for fans of the genre, though it may frustrate those seeking a more polished or innovative gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay draws heavily from both classic and modern inspirations, borrowing the exploratory freedom of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and the unforgiving combat rhythm of Dark Souls.”
- “The gameplay is very fluid and enjoyable, to the point where I actually enjoyed it more than I did Salt and Sanctuary.”
- “Vigil provides a good mix of tried-and-true gameplay via the metroidvania style with an aesthetic and story that is both creepy and compelling.”
- “Gameplay feels like an afterthought.”
- “It has moments of brilliance buried beneath layers of tedium, poor pacing, and baffling mechanical decisions that feel designed more to frustrate than challenge.”
- “Poor gameplay mechanics resulting in getting scorned for exploration.”
graphics
314 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its unique art style that blends dark gothic aesthetics with hand-drawn 2D visuals, creating an immersive atmosphere. While some found the visuals stunning and reminiscent of titles like Bloodborne and Salt and Sanctuary, others noted inconsistencies and occasional graphical issues that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game's art direction and atmospheric design are highlighted as standout features, contributing significantly to its appeal within the metroidvania genre.
- “What separates Vigil from its inspirations is its gothic-horror aesthetic, which permeates every facet of the experience.”
- “The art direction is striking, rendered in hand-drawn 2D visuals with a painterly depth that gives the illusion of three-dimensional space.”
- “The graphics chosen for this game help set the bleak tone for this world covered in eternal night.”
- “The game had potential but in the end it was too clunky and the art style was kind of jarring.”
- “The visuals suck.”
- “The graphics are kind of washed out and not very detailed.”
music
313 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
40%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its haunting melodies and emotional depth that align well with the gameplay. Composed by Jouni Valjakka, the soundtrack features a mix of somber and intense tracks that elevate combat and exploration, although some players noted issues with repetitiveness and occasional mismatches between music and environment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The music, composed by Jouni Valjakka, mirrors this tension with somber melodies that swell into dark crescendos during combat, reinforcing the emotional weight of Leila’s journey.”
- “The soundtrack fits the gameplay like a puzzle piece.”
- “The music is captivating, the gameplay is incredible and it really supports different playstyles.”
- “The music is way too loud in certain areas and sometimes the game does not know when to play and when to stop the music.”
- “The music can get repetitive, plays non-stop in specific areas.”
- “Not all of them were a hit - I found the music in the forest to be a bit too over the top for me and highly repetitive, and several of the boss soundtracks were not very memorable.”
atmosphere
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The atmosphere of "Vigil: The Longest Night" is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, blending gothic horror with a sense of beauty and dread. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional art direction, atmospheric soundtrack, and the ability to evoke feelings of melancholy and unease, making it a standout in the metroidvania genre. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its greatest strength, effectively enhancing exploration and storytelling while drawing comparisons to titles like Bloodborne.
- “What defines Vigil is not just its mechanics, but its atmosphere—an oppressive fusion of beauty and dread that feels both mythic and personal, like a nightmare you can’t wake from but don’t want to leave.”
- “Ultimately, Vigil: The Longest Night is a dark gem in the modern indie landscape—a game that pays homage to its inspirations while forging its own identity through atmosphere, tone, and artistry.”
- “The sense of melancholy, reinforced by subdued writing and mournful visuals, makes Vigil one of the few modern metroidvania games that captures true horror through atmosphere rather than spectacle.”
- “Devs really did a fantastic job setting up a very oppressive atmosphere from the get-go and that's sustained for the entirety of the game, especially the very last dungeon.”
- “The biggest strength of this game is the art style and the atmosphere.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
5%
92%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with many describing it as tedious due to long load times, unclear quest tracking, and repetitive enemy encounters. While some appreciate the need for grinding to progress, others feel it detracts from the enjoyment, particularly with the manual saving system that resets progress upon death. The lack of meaningful rewards and the slow combat further contribute to a sense of frustration, making exploration and questing feel more like a chore than an engaging experience.
- “Wasn't too grindy and there are some great Steam guides for the collectible achievements.”
- “Navigating questlines becomes a tedious chore, not because of clever puzzle design or intriguing choices, but because of unclear NPC tracking and sluggish screen-to-screen load times (yes, even on an SSD).”
- “You either kill enemies in one or two hits, or you hack away at them for so long that it gets tedious, and you start skipping that enemy type whenever you see them.”
- “The lack of voice acting really does start to get tedious and does break the immersion somewhat; the story ends up being very shallow, which is a bit of a disappointment as it had so much potential.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
Overall, the game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting a smooth experience free of major crashes or glitches, while others highlight persistent bugs, particularly in quests and animations. Many users noted improvements since launch, but still encountered minor issues that detracted from gameplay. While some players found the game enjoyable despite these bugs, others felt that the instability significantly impacted their experience.
- “In my 21 hours of playtime, I experienced no game crashes, broken quests, or odd glitches.”
- “All of the quests I got are doable and not buggy at all.”
- “As for the game, I got this game for the Steam Deck and it runs great except for one rainy area.”
- “I hate to finally settle on this opinion, but the janky/buggy map stops me from recommending it.”
- “I try to get into this game but it is just too buggy and janky.”
- “Lots of visual glitches, sound effects glitches, and quests breaking (had 2 glitch out and were not able to be completed) which while some are ignorable, others when encountered just feel awful to experience.”
replayability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
53%
11%
The game offers significant replayability through multiple endings, diverse weapon types, and various combat approaches, including distinct playstyles and skill trees. While some players noted a lack of depth in character building, the inclusion of NG+ modes and optional bosses enhances replay value. Overall, it is regarded as a well-rounded action platformer with ample opportunities for varied gameplay experiences.
- “The inclusion of multiple endings adds replayability, as does the variety of weapon types and combat approaches.”
- “Good amount of replayability considering you have 4 distinct playstyles (swords, axes, knives, bows).”
- “The inclusion of skill trees for the different weapon types is a nice way to diversify gameplay and add replayability as well.”
- “One is the difficulty of bosses which is not as trying and frustrating as some other soulsborne metroidvania platformers like Grime, Ender Lilies, etc., but offers immense replayability due to the vast variety of weapons, armors, accessories, and magics.”
- “Just lacked some depth; the story could be longer and have more replay value, like Salt and Sanctuary.”
- “So the game has zero replay value.”
optimization
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
36%
29%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on many systems and offers solid performance at higher resolutions, players report occasional stuttering, hit detection issues, and platforming quirks that can disrupt gameplay. Some users experienced significant performance drops in specific areas, while others noted that the game feels less polished compared to AAA titles. Despite these issues, many still found the exploration and combat mechanics engaging, suggesting that with further optimization, the experience could be greatly improved.
- “The world is fairly large, so there is no shortage of exploration. The abilities you acquire to traverse and even some combat abilities make traversal an incredible performance.”
- “Very well optimized at 4K/60 fps, at least for my i7 9750 with 16 GB RAM and GeForce 2070 Super card.”
- “Overall a stellar metroidvania experience, lots of stuff to explore. Performance was solid; I only had one serious FPS drop in the flooded area boss arena, beyond that no crashes at all.”
- “Poorly optimized, visually horrible, bad controls, awful gameplay. If you die, you lose all progress instead of simply starting from a checkpoint like any metroidvania. It feels like a 90's game.”
- “The performance is also spotty, especially for the recommended specs.”
- “I do hope they address the occasional stuttering that occurs; it seems to happen no matter what resolution I set it at.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a powerful musical score that enhances the tension of the protagonist's journey, though its subtlety may leave some players feeling disconnected from the narrative. While the game successfully intertwines challenging combat and evocative world-building, it struggles with emotional investment due to a lack of direct closure and a plot twist that undermines earlier connections to characters. Overall, players may find moments of emotional resonance, but the experience can feel mechanically repetitive and emotionally detached, particularly as the story progresses.
- “The music, composed by Jouni Valjakka, mirrors this tension with somber melodies that swell into dark crescendos during combat, reinforcing the emotional weight of Leila’s journey.”
- “Few games manage to blend challenging combat, evocative world-building, and genuine emotional weight with such confidence.”
- “All of this is wrapped up in a plot that might not be winning any awards, but still has enough intricacy and emotional weight to keep a player invested.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
Character development in the game is noted for its complexity and variety, featuring a range of well-designed characters and enemies that enhance the immersive experience. However, some players feel that the resolution of the plot twist undermines emotional investment by introducing less relatable characters with weaker development. Overall, while the art style and character designs are praised, the narrative's execution may detract from the depth of character engagement.
- “Rather complex, a lot of character development, lots of content and multiple endings.”
- “The world and character designs are fantastic and really draw you into the grim experience of the longest night.”
- “Great character designs and backgrounds.”
- “Finally, the resolution of the plot twist breaks any emotional investment into the world and its characters you established during the prologue - instead offering 'new', less likable characters with even sketchier writing and character development.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The humor in the game is inconsistent, with some players finding amusing moments in bugs and quirky animations, while others feel the mix of dark themes and cheesy jokes can be jarring. Although there are funny easter eggs, the overall tone shifts between serious and humorous, which may detract from the experience for some.
- “There are some bugs here and there; I got to use a bow with the moveset of the sword, and it was funny.”
- “+ funny easter eggs”
- “Writing seems to go from trying to be dark, serious, and foreboding to having weird jokes and cheesy humor, which can get very jarring given the setting.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy has been criticized for being intrusive, with frequent ads and overwhelming visual clutter that detracts from gameplay, making it difficult for players to focus on the action.
- “The constant barrage of ads makes it nearly impossible to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it often forces players to choose between grinding for hours or paying to progress.”
- “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to fully experience the game without spending extra.”

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78%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews

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25h Median play time

23h Average play time

20-30h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Vigil: The Longest Night is a role playing game with horror theme.

Vigil: The Longest Night is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 23 hours playing Vigil: The Longest Night.

Vigil: The Longest Night was released on October 14, 2020.

Vigil: The Longest Night was developed by Glass Heart Games.

Vigil: The Longest Night has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Vigil: The Longest Night is a single player game.

Similar games include Afterimage, The Last Faith, Salt and Sanctuary, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, Asterigos Curse of the Stars and others.

Vigil: The Longest Night

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