White Night

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 156 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
White Night Game Cover
White Night stands as one of the best executed and most emotional games in the past few years, with outstanding game-character-player relation and a disturbing and frightening setting
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In White Night, a survival horror game set in the 1930s, players explore a haunted mansion while avoiding darkness, which poses a constant threat. The game features puzzle-solving and incorporates lighting and shadows to create tension and atmosphere. Players control a man seeking help after a car accident and must uncover the mansion's secrets while contending with the supernatural.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 156 reviews
story46 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique black and white art style that enhances the noir atmosphere and creates a genuinely creepy experience.
  • The combination of resource management, such as limited matches, and the tension of navigating through darkness adds to the overall suspense and challenge.
  • The narrative is intriguing, with well-written lore and a compelling story that keeps players engaged throughout the game.
  • Gameplay can be frustrating due to clunky controls and fixed camera angles that often lead to cheap deaths and disorientation.
  • The save system is poorly designed, requiring players to manually save at specific points, which can result in significant loss of progress after dying.
  • Some puzzles can feel tedious and overly reliant on trial and error, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • story132 mentions

    The story of "White Night" is a blend of intriguing themes such as mental illness and family ties, set against a 1930s noir backdrop, with much of the narrative conveyed through collectible notes and diary entries. While many players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and plot twists, some find the story predictable and the gameplay mechanics frustrating, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game is recommended for those who enjoy narrative-driven horror experiences.

    • “If you are a fan of horror games in the style of the old Resident Evil or Silent Hill, where an intriguing story comes first, then this game is for you.”
    • “White Night is atmospheric horror done right, with gorgeous noir graphics and moody jazz music, featuring a story that is startlingly violent and oppressive in its portrayal of mental illness and inherited family trauma.”
    • “The story really draws you in and I enjoyed piecing everything together (much like Layers of Fear).”
    • “The story is mostly told through notes, but damn, they're really interesting to read.”
    • “The depression era stuff felt tacked on and did not bear any direct relevance to the rest of the story.”
    • “The story isn't all that impressive and the gameplay causes as much headaches as it does fun.”
  • gameplay87 mentions

    The gameplay of "White Night" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its frustrating mechanics, such as abrupt camera changes, limited saves, and a reliance on trial-and-error that can lead to tedious repetition. While the unique light/dark mechanics and atmospheric art style are praised, they often clash with the gameplay, resulting in a challenging experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Ultimately, the game is seen as more of a visual and narrative achievement than a mechanically sound one, leaving players divided on its merits.

    • “The gameplay mechanic is very interesting, with darkness being a danger, light being scarce, and light sources being limited.”
    • “The game does more than enough differently within the horror genre to stand out...the eye-catching stylized black and white art style, the noir setting, the light and shade puzzles, the actual main game mechanics of matches / electric lamps, the stealth games of cat and mouse with the ghosts, the novel system of saving involving illuminated couches, on top of all that it's hugely atmospheric....everything that it brings to the genre is high quality, some of it even feels fresh.”
    • “The puzzles for the most part are simple enough given either a little bit of thought or a little trial and error and the mechanics of light and shadow that often accompany them never feel gimmicky or too out of place.”
    • “Unfortunately, gameplay is a little bit janky; changes between cameras are abrupt and can really throw you off.”
    • “The gameplay, camera angles, and visual style often fight with each other, resulting in many confusing and frustrating moments where you get lost and end up running into a ghost, losing progress.”
    • “No matter how gorgeous the graphics are and how well-made the atmosphere is, the gameplay is easily one of the worst I've ever experienced playing a horror game.”
  • graphics77 mentions

    The graphics of "White Night" are widely praised for their stunning black-and-white art style, which effectively captures a film noir aesthetic and enhances the game's atmospheric horror elements. While many reviewers appreciate the unique visuals and their contribution to immersion, some note that the artistic choices can hinder gameplay, particularly in terms of visibility and control. Overall, the game's graphics stand out as a memorable feature, though they may not compensate for gameplay shortcomings.

    • “This game is beautiful and well written; it's a horror story set in 1930's America with a film noir aesthetic and fixed camera angles.”
    • “The art style is the true standout in this affair, offering a very distinct feel to the game.”
    • “White night is atmospheric horror done right, with gorgeous noir graphics and moody jazz music, featuring a story that is startlingly violent and oppressive in its portrayal of mental illness and inherited family trauma.”
    • “I was originally drawn to 'White Night' based on its unique art style, so I guess I’m partially to blame for the cruddy experience I ended up having; I should know by now that visuals don’t make for a good game.”
    • “Another case where the graphics are a gimmick and they forgot about the gameplay.”
    • “No matter how gorgeous the graphics are and how well-made the atmosphere is, the gameplay is easily one of the worst I've ever experienced playing a horror game.”
  • atmosphere57 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of noir and horror elements, enhanced by striking black and white visuals, moody jazz music, and a chilling narrative that explores themes of mental illness and family trauma. While many players appreciate the immersive and suspenseful environment, some criticize gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall tension, leading to moments of frustration. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, effectively creating a haunting and engaging experience.

    • “It's got terrific atmosphere, style and somehow manages to mash up two genres in a way that feels organic - noir and horror - I'm not sure I've seen this done before but the devs have done it so well here.”
    • “White Night is atmospheric horror done right, with gorgeous noir graphics and moody jazz music, featuring a story that is startlingly violent and oppressive in its portrayal of mental illness and inherited family trauma.”
    • “The game’s biggest problem is that by the first quarter of the game you lose the tension and foreboding atmosphere and instead become jaded by the ridiculous ghosts, exploration, controls, and overuse of blood splatters.”
    • “No matter how gorgeous the graphics are and how well-made the atmosphere is, the gameplay is easily one of the worst I've ever experienced playing a horror game.”
    • “The atmosphere it provides is incredibly convincing and genuinely unsettling, right up until the time that the perceived threat becomes a reality and things take a nosedive.”
  • music28 mentions

    The music in the game has been widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and storytelling, with many reviewers highlighting the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and effective sound design that contribute to the immersive experience. Notable mentions include moody jazz tracks and the use of classical pieces like "Clair de Lune," which elevate the game's aesthetic and emotional impact. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, complementing the visuals and gameplay, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.

    • “Great soundtrack, storytelling, and atmosphere meet in this heavily stylized horror adventure.”
    • “Immersion delivered by visuals, sound, and music make this game unforgettable.”
    • “The music is phenomenal, and the art direction is incredible.”
    • “The music, puzzles, and general systems of the game were all top notch.”
    • “Your headlights illuminate billboards along the road with the game's credits while a mournful jazz song plays.”
    • “Right from the start, it was clear that the control would be exhausting with these constantly changing camera angles, but the music, the darkness, the mystery, it draws you in.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game for its tedious repetition, particularly due to poorly placed checkpoints that force them to replay earlier sections after dying. The combination of fixed camera angles and obscured visibility leads to frustrating encounters, diminishing the game's atmospheric tension and making the experience feel like a drawn-out trial and error process. Overall, while the pacing starts strong, it ultimately suffers from excessive grinding in later stages.

    • “Later, you find yourself in a room similarly flooded with ghosts in which you are likely to die, and again the save system proves itself your real enemy: the last manual save is not in the previous room, but two rooms before, so you must play through the first easy room (which on repetition rapidly becomes tedious) before being allowed to re-attempt the one that killed you.”
    • “The fixed camera angles and darkness sound like excellent horror game mechanics on paper, but as you continually run into obstacles you can't see, get insta-killed by enemies that you can't see, and respawn in fixed checkpoints that are rare and poorly placed, the atmospheric tension completely drains away as you replay the same tedious sections.”
    • “The game is paced mostly well, but about two-thirds of the way through the game it was starting to drag on and sections just seemed like tedious trial and error.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by hilarious dialogue and absurd descriptions that often lead to laughter, making it a great choice for "let's play" videos. While some players noted issues with grammar, the overall silliness and unexpected comedic moments contribute to an entertaining experience.

    • “I will say that playing this game would be hilarious fodder for a 'let's play' video, simply because of the dialogue and written pieces that you pick up along the way.”
    • “He would spout random, weird descriptions of things that were just downright silly and instead of being afraid I was sitting there laughing.”
    • “Funny... I can cut the heads off zombies with machetes and chainsaws but I can't play this... a real shame!!!”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game is reported to have significant stability issues, including frequent bugs and freezing during loading screens, which can detract from the overall experience. While some players still recommend it for its narrative, many advise against purchasing at full price due to these persistent problems.

    • “It feels very buggy at times and totally takes you out of the story. Despite this, I would still recommend it to those who really like narrative-driven games.”
    • “I cannot possibly recommend buying at full price for such a buggy game, though.”
    • “If, like me, the game freezes on the loading screen when you try to play it, use the below website and run it on your NVIDIA graphics card, not your integrated one.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players report that the game evokes a strong emotional response, often creating a sense of unease through its dark atmosphere and ambiguous threats. Many consider it one of the most emotionally impactful games in recent years, highlighting the deep connection between characters and players within a haunting and disturbing environment.

    • “This game made me feel consistently uneasy, mainly because the lack of light in various aspects made my brain wonder rather than be underwhelmed by monsters, ghosts, or enemies that could be identified.”
    • “White Night stands as one of the best executed and most emotional games in the past few years, with outstanding game-character-player relations and a disturbing and frightening setting.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability, with players noting that while there are achievements to pursue, the lack of engaging content and control issues detract from the experience. Many reviewers highlight that the game does not offer enough incentive to replay, primarily due to its uninteresting story and frustrating mechanics.

    • “Not a ton of replayability, but plenty of achievements for those who care.”
    • “Cheap deaths due to darkness and camera, lack of replay value other than finding notes.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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