NIGHTSLINK Reviews

A short but intriguing and gripping experience. The highlight is the atmosphere, a combination of the moody soundscape and mysterious world. Very satisfying to prod just a bit outside the main path and find pieces of the story lying just beneath the surface. Given what I've already discovered and the fact I'm still missing a secret achievement, I have a feeling this is a game I'll continue to think about and replay for a while.

I found myself enjoying this game even though the story itself is really vague and requires the player to come up with their own ideas. Even the beginning of the game just throws you with no explanation (not as though that's necessary). Knocking on doors (some of them more than once) does give you more of the storyline and gist of just what kind of post apocalyptic world the game is set in. Still, a lot of it is purposefully left vague. I love the PS1-style graphics and think it adds to the creepiness perfectly. I also really enjoyed the slightly robotic and creepy voices used in the game. The game is meant to be really short (and it is really short, each run is less than thirty minutes), but I experienced no bugs or issues while playing the game. I really didn't have any issues with the game. It offers both window and volume control settings. For those that need it, the game does not have a vsync option. Overall, I did really like this game (though I still would like to know what a "nightslink" really is and what is on those tapes!!). For such a short game, the price does seem a bit high ($3.99 for 30 minutes of gameplay). But, I think for those that love the weird and strange along with PS1 graphics, this game is definitely worth it. Also, there is no jumpscares, so this game is perfect for those that want a more casual horror game.

Even the post apocalypse needs music. Story: You play as a Nightslink. You're tasked with delivering cassette tapes to the residents of a decrepit apartment building, but each passing day, you question what you're actually delivering to the people that live there. Nightslink is one of those games where you will walk away with a different interpretation of the story than other people. It's a very surreal tale and is very clearly inspired by the game Paratopic which I'm a very big fan of. Even though it looks like a knock off on the surface, I do highly suggest playing it, cause it very clearly has a different approach to the way it tells it's story. I would go into detail of what I felt the story meant, but honestly this game is incredibly short, roughly 20 minutes long, I do highly suggest just playing and experiencing the story yourself. As me going over the scenes would spoil some of the sequences in the game. Graphics: I'm a sucker for the PS1 aesthetic and I checked this out purely because of that. However I do have to say that I felt the game was a little too simple for my tastes. You explore the same building for the entire duration and it doesn't change much, when you come back another day. It only has a major shift in how it looks in the final moments, but by then you know you're in the home stretch. It does nail the aesthetic it goes for, but to me it doesn't fully tickle that part of my brain that loves this type of games. I wish maybe that you would go to a different building each day, but I kind of understand why it was done the way it was done. Audio: I do think the audio design is one of Nightslinks strong suites. Of course a game about dealing illegal cassettes tapes should have good audio and it definitely has some really nice audio design. The score is very foreboding and when things get unsettling, the score helps build it up to something grand. I also loved the sound design as a whole. While exploring the apartment complex you can hear people listening to music, talking and babies crying through the closed doors. It definitely adds to the tone of the game and I really appreciate it. Gameplay: There's not much gameplay to speak of. You walk to a door, knock and give a tape, then you go home and make more tapes. That's all you do until the game ends, it's a very simplistic game, but it's more about the story than the gameplay. I will say though the game does have a few moments that are hidden behind a path you wouldn't normally go through, so there's definitely more to see once you go through the game once. Verdict: If you liked Paratopic, you will like Nighslink. it's not afraid to show that it's inspired by that game, but it tries to do something of it's own and I appreciate it. It's a very intriguing and creepy game and I had fun exploring it's post apocalyptic world and I really am interested in seeing more from the developer in the future. Final Rating: 8/10 Pros: + Intriguing story + Really good score + Tons of cool hidden story paths Cons: - The apartment isn't visually all too interesting - Maybe a bit too short If you liked this review please consider joining https://steamcommunity.com/groups/completingthebacklog and https://steamcommunity.com/groups/ImperialReviews

A very well-made game for the de-make PS1 horror genre, but the buyer should be aware that they are paying for a 15 minute one-shot game. It's purely a surreal atmospheric walking sim with no mechanics beyond looking at a list and delivering cassette tapes. A well-spent 15 minutes, but depending on your budget that might not mean a well-spent $4. An audio file of the credits track would have been a nice bonus and might have justified the price IMO. If we're being completely honest this game is well overpriced for what you get, but if you're interested in something short and interesting, NIGHTSLINK's got both of those things. Maybe wait for a sale.

$5.95 might be peanuts for a game, but even this little obscure indie gem will feel like a rort after it ends in 20 minutes. These micro allegorical experiments are fantastic and serve a purpose in the gaming world. Nightslink is very well crafted in that mould. But, despite feeling odd saying this, $5.95 is not justifiable for the experience.

Little lovecraftian jewel that knows how to create a very interesting world and story. Leaves you wanting more. Excellent music. PS: we need a sequel NOW! PSS: very short game around 20/25 minutes Gameplay : [url=https://youtu.be/j6Mqqvoy_i0[/url]

Props to Noiseminded for the work that went into this - no indie game is easy to develop. It's a short, surreal, moody experience that I'd probably recommend if I had to judge it on its own. Here's the thing, though: I really CAN'T judge Nightslink on its own. Comparing it to Paratopic is unavoidable because there are too many glaring similarities. (Retro PS1 style, analog horror, crumbling apartment complexes, strangers smoking in hallways, processed vocals, nighttime driving sequences, smuggling tapes like drugs, etc.) In other words, if you're reviewing a game that's basically "Paratopic, but different," the only approach is "Okay, how does it stand up to Paratopic?" Unfortunately, it didn't wow me on that front. It's shorter, the gameplay is less varied, the art is less sophisticated, the plot is more ordinary, and the writing feels more cliché. I would gladly play another Noiseminded game; I just hope they find the confidence to pursue something more original! Nightslink would have held my interest much better if it weren't trying to be something that already exists.

You're basically a deliveryman in a post-apocalyptic and eerily quiet world in [i]NIGHTSLINK[/i]. Not much context needed because of this game's brevity and about 30 minutes of gameplay if you play through it twice. As someone who regularly has surreal dreams, and those bordering on nightmares are only so because of this impossible feeling of intense anxiety and dread. [i]NIGHTSLINK[/i] is a little like that; a lot of uncertainty and a sprinkling of dread, and lovecraftian horror. I think [i]NIGHTSLINK's[/i] strength is prevalent in its sound design, because some parts of it genuinely live up to the phrase "piercing silence". Quite literally. And because I'm a sucker for retro/PSx styles in modern indie games, I have to praise that too. Just the right amount of unsettling and darkness, and the sound design helps sell the disconcerting atmosphere. I won't try to pretend there's any story, or at least that there's any need to try and decipher the hypothetical story to make this game "better", I think it's good as-is and the lack of context just makes it all the more harrowing. Don't get me wrong though, it does a terrific job hinting at its worldbuilding, which I absolutely love. Regarding price, if you've got an hour or so to kill and about $4 to spare, why not? It's an experience, that's for sure. Worth it? Definitely. Worth the $4 pricetag? Depends. Either way, [i]I[/i] think it's worth the $4 despite the short experience, if that's any consolation. Overall, I'm looking forward to more stuff by the dev! I really enjoyed [i]NIGHTSLINK[/i] and its worldbuilding in such a short time, and I hope you will too.

I found the game interesting and wish there was more. Price was a little high.

Similar to Jessica Harvey's [url=https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198024812228/recommended/897030?snr=1_5_9__402]Paratopic[/url], [u]Nightslink[/u] is a PS1 demake where you deliver cassette tapes in an abandoned fever dream. At first, the style and format of this plot reminded me so much of Harvey's own demake that I thought it might pervert into plagiarism, but I am glad to report that is not the case. Two months after the release of [u]Paratopic[/u] and it seems like developer [u]Noiseminded[/u] and their stellar Audio and SFX editor [u]Valter Abreu[/u] decided to expand on this particular horror niche for the better! This demake is short but it is worth the price. The mood is intense, and it delivers such a strange experience which ends on a terrifying cliffhanger - an omen I hope develops into a companion plot, or a sequel. Despite only being able to explore a few locations, [u]Nightslink[/u] feels like it could unwrap into a rich and other-wordly universe filled with strange men and inexplicable creatures. Here, you play the [i]nightslink[/i], a weird entity that records and delivers cassette tapes to an undisclosed apartment floor. Even though you are performing such a mundane task - it is shrouded in so much shadow and denuded to such a vague perspective where I feel guilty and as if I am somehow responsible for the dread and despair that permeates the atmosphere of this title. The widescreen format and grainy field of vision award it a special aesthetic feel, almost as if I were interacting with one of those old cassettes I am delivering. A single sitting experience - [u]Nightslink[/u] is a companion for people who love strange and mysterious games. Be wary that this game does not really care for your understanding. A lot is left unexplained and under the cover of darkness - you roam a post-apocalyptic inner city without much answer, the characters seem to speak in riddles, and often times directly to the player. C. Wright Mills used to say that one important task of sociology was to 'make the familiar strange' in order to deconstruct roles and norms we take for granted, and prioritize or rearrange societal values - y'know, to figure out what is important. Well, I am unsure if [u]Nightslink[/u] bears any important role beyond its surreal experience, but it sure succeeded to defamiliarize me. I hope more games of this style and substance keep developing.