juncore 最近的评测

(Part of a class)

Night in the Woods is an adventure game that follows Mae Borowski, a college dropout struggling to find her identity amidst crippling mental illness and the slowly declining people of a slowly declining hometown. While she holds off on making decision by messing around in her hometown, she rekindles old friendships and finds closure to a new mystery that threatens the townspeople. This game realistically portrays existential anxiety and the economic decline of Industrial Era small towns in a way that touches the soul. I would recommend this game to anyone who struggles with their own identity, lacks motivation to continue their lives, or just wants to relive the nostalgia of late adolescence.

The plot is mostly linear; all players eventually follow the same storyline, but the player can choose to talk to as many townspeople as they like, and be rewarded with lots of insight into each person's private life. Unlike most protagonists, Mae is unpopular, and rightly so -- when she was younger, she beat a peer with a baseball bat in a dissociative haze. However, depending on the player, Mae can repair her relationships with her old friends and family, as well as form new friendships with other townspeople who appreciate her presence. A curious and kindhearted player will be rewarded at the end with a town whose image of her has greatly changed. Though her penchant for mischief remains, many townspeople see her as a good-hearted and caring young adult, instead of quick-tempered like before.

Although the game is primarily in the adventure genre, the player can also play several small minigames that supplement the main exploration-based gameplay. Usually, the player controls Mae, who can walk and jump her way to new areas, and interact with anything interesting with the touch of a key. The player can also play bass in a band in a mini-rhythm game, shoplift from various stores by Red Light Green Light-ing their stolen object into a pocket, or stay at home and play Demontower -- a surprisingly robust game within a game that calls to mind other classic roguelikes like The Binding of Isaac. These minigames act as rewards for exploring in the main area, and the player can safely try again as many times as they like without greatly impacting the plot.

Nostalgia is the game's aesthetic, which is reflected in everything from the sensory experience to the speed at which the game moves. It visually resembles a picture book, and reminds me of classic illustrators like Richard Scarry and Maurice Sendak. The unique soundtrack is very good at invoking nostalgia, not just with the calming background music of downtown Possum Springs, but also the garage band teenage grit of the rhythm game songs. The plot doesn't advance until Mae talks to certain characters, which leaves her with plenty of time to explore to their heart's content. Overall, the game feels like a childhood chapter book that players can read/play at their own pace.

The game is relatively new, with its expansion Weird Autumn only released just last year. However, its impact on its players is already apparent. Critics praised the game on its realistic portrayal of mental illness and the depiction of an American small town with crumbling infrastructure. Players who related intensely to Mae's various crises found the validation and courage they needed to seek help. As someone who very nearly dropped out of college in her second year, I found Mae's experience to be both a reassurance and a warning. Ultimately, I was inspired by the game to keep going, no matter the hardship, and to find happiness in the small things and good people around me.

In my years of playing games, I can safely say that Night in the Woods is my favorite game of all time. Within minutes of beginning play, I found myself intensely invested in a hometown that was not mine, friends I had never met, and a protagonist I found both lovable and aggravating. Playing the game was a great reprieve from my normal anxiety-induced mental turmoil, and I finished it with a new appreciation for life's joys and sorrows.