Night in the Woods

I think it’s fair to say that we as a species have a propensity to judge. Be it ourselves, others, or even video games we find it very easy to make snap assessments as to the merits or flaws of this, that and the other. Whilst this trait serves an essential purpose in how we function it is also the source of untold misery and if I’ve learnt one thing from my life it’s the value of giving things the benefit of the doubt sometimes. I have my lapses for sure, more than I’d like to be honest, and so I offer this; I’m sorry Night in the Woods, I judged you, or rather, I misjudged you.

I saw you in the steam listings, flaunting your overwhelmingly positive reviews. I saw all your YT LPs, accruing your indie street-cred with your insufferable army of shrill marketers. But needing something new to play I gave you a try and sure enough less than 24 hours after having finished I’m here composing a rather sickly and gushing retrospective of our time together.

Night in the Woods is an adventure game without all but the most rudimentary of puzzles and mini-games to overcome. The 9 or so hours to finish consist largely of basic running, jumping and talking, the first two acting as a bridge to the latter. It’s no walking simulator but Night in the Woods is certainly not interested in challenge, instead carrying you from scene to scene in a pleasant briskness, immersing you in its autumnal melancholia and tale of young misfits.

Our protagonist is 20 year old Mae Borowski, a recent college dropout who has returned to her home of Possum Springs to take up her post as a full time NEET, hanging out with old friends, taking part in criminal acts and playing bass badly, or well, if your hand-eye co-ordination isn’t as mind-bogglingly inept as mine.

Whilst the setup isn’t all that exciting on the surface it does allow for its characters to present the full range of their personalities. Often in stories that depict war or some other crisis its characters can be limited to reacting, to acting in accordance with the demands of events and having to bury much of their nuance as the situation rarely allows room for it. Night in the Woods takes the crucial step of establishing its characters in more relatable surroundings before propelling them into the story’s more dramatic events.

That’s not to say there isn’t drama to be had before events come to a head. Night in the Woods has some of the best writing in characterising the challenges faced by an unremarkable quotidian existence. The staggering boredom, the pressure of financial commitments and family, the regrets of missed opportunity are all examined with a balance of charm, humour and sensitivity that is far from easy to get right. Mae’s interactions are full with relatable themes and give each character a real sense of depth and history rather than existing as a mere plot device or conduit for exposition.

There is an abundance of personality throughout and for all the uses of ‘noone’ (the solution to which involves garrote wire) and US millennial slang, Night in the Woods is consistently funny, weaving lots of levity into, but never at the expense of, it’s more emotionally charged scenes. It understands when to be funny and when to be serious and that is no short achievement in the medium that struggles to grapple with either.

This personality extends beyond the writing to the art, music and animations. One can take or leave it with regards to aesthetic appeal alone but it is nonetheless consistent with the tone of the story, enhancing the experience as opposed to ever feeling at odds with it. The blowing of leaves, the steady stream of cars and the children running around breathe extra life into the world and there are lots of goofy animations to enjoy as Mae goes about her daily routine.

With regards to Mae herself she is a delightful car crash of personality traits. Charming yet goofy, smart yet immature our heroine finds herself caught between her carefree past and the often harsh adult world she has been relatively insulated from. The first pangs of genuine existential torment stand before her and watching this tension play out between her, her family and her friends is what resonates most.

These small character moments stand out in how well they depict the varied compromises and miseries that accompany the everyday whilst celebrating those small mercies and relationships that try to ease these burdens. The writing here has insight and warmth, never stinting from acknowledging uncomfortable truths. Everyone struggles, yet those struggles are unique and specific to the individual; Night in the Woods understands this complex inner life that is often the space between us, that which others can certainly understand but never truly know or fully appreciate.

If all this gives the impression of being overly worthy then it is without intention. Night in the Woods very much has humour as its heart, but it is that which lies beneath it that raises the experience beyond the merely enjoyable into the realms of the most excellent. It's a story about characters who possess actual character, a story that has thematic substance and is genuinely funny. Such things are rare enough in any medium that purports to tell a story, so when one appears in the narrative wilderness that is most video games I feel encouraged to throw my metaphorical bra at it.