Nocturnal
Nocturnal is a new action and platform game from the Swiss development team Sunnyside Games, which has recently been available for PC and all home devices. The game’s story revolves around the soldier Ardeshir, who defected from his army and returned to his island Nahran after a poisonous mist spread there, causing the death and transformation of everyone he encountered. In this adventure, Ardeshir tries to save his island and search for his lost sister in the midst of these events. The game’s story was interesting, especially because of the unique designs of its environment, which made us wait to know more about the game’s world and its characters, but unfortunately the game did not focus on the narrative aspect, which was very rare . There are plenty of messages you can look for while exploring to get a better idea of the game world, but unfortunately even these messages don’t clarify many details.
Graphics and Art Direction
The game offers very nice cartoon graphics and as already mentioned, the designs of the environments are interesting. Even the characters you will meet, non-playable characters and enemies, have unique designs despite their simplicity. The art direction brings a unique aesthetic to the characters’ movements and special effects, and a range of exciting tunes heard during battles will accompany you throughout the experience.
Gameplay Mechanics
As far as the gaming experience is concerned, the game is very simple and offers one button to attack with the sword and another to jump and a third button to dodge attacks from enemies. The basic game mechanic that sets Nocturnal apart from other games is your ability to light fire in your sword by striking a source of fire, and you have a certain amount of time before the fire and the need goes out. To rekindle it, the entire game was built around this mechanic. Use your naked sword to defeat enemies requiring a greater number of attacks. There is a type of enemy that only exists in the mist, and this type is immune to normal sword attacks. Even the puzzles in the game are related to this skill and require lighting fires in torches. To open doors or clear fog from the room, this mechanic has also been used wonderfully in solving some side puzzles, where you can use fire to burn elements in the environment that hide a clue to the puzzle’s solution.
Challenges and Battles
The game offers a series of challenges as you jump between platforms where fog can chase you or the environment around you collapses. These challenges typically require you to keep the fire burning in your sword to light the torches that open the path before you. Battles are simple and require you to recognize the attack pattern of enemies in order to know how to deal with them. The confrontations in the mist are exciting as you try to monitor your sword’s fire meter to reignite the fire before it goes out, with the need to watch out for the enemies and their attacks. When the fire goes out, you have a few seconds to light the sword before the mist kills you. The game offers many challenges that give you a limited number to choose from. From sources of fire to ignite the sword, which requires defeating enemies as quickly as possible, the game also features a limited number of boss encounters that are superbly designed, and the difficulty is generally average, neither leaning toward constant challenge nor to excessive lightness.
Shortcomings and Conclusion
The game’s main problem is its brevity, as it is an experience that we completed in just two and a half hours. As mentioned, the narrative aspect was largely neglected, and it seems that the desire to keep the experience short was the main reason for this. The other downside is some of the battles where enemies attack you from all sides. It was annoyingly unbalanced. After you finish the game, you may want to play it again in speed run mode to try and finish it as quickly as possible, but otherwise the value of replaying the experience is non-existent. Nocturnal is a beautiful experience that just presented an idea and built on it in an excellent and polished way, but it has a flaw. The main thing is the brevity and lack of storytelling that their world deserves.
Pros of Nocturnal PC Game
- Unique and interesting environment designs
- Cartoon graphics with a unique art direction
- Exciting tunes during battles
- Innovative game mechanic of lighting fire in the sword
- Challenging platforming and puzzle-solving
- Superbly designed boss encounters
Cons of Nocturnal PC Game
- Neglected narrative aspect with lack of storytelling
- Short gameplay duration (completed in two and a half hours)
- Unbalanced battles with enemies attacking from all sides
- Limited replay value
Nocturnal is a new action and platform game from the Swiss development team Sunnyside Games. The game offers unique and interesting environment designs, with cartoon graphics and a unique art direction that adds to the aesthetic appeal. The exciting tunes heard during battles enhance the overall gaming experience.
The game introduces an innovative mechanic where players can light fire in their sword, which becomes the central element of gameplay. This mechanic is used in combat, puzzle-solving, and platforming challenges, adding depth to the gameplay. The boss encounters are superbly designed and provide an enjoyable level of difficulty.
However, the game falls short in terms of its narrative aspect. The storytelling is neglected, leaving players wanting more details and a deeper understanding of the game world and characters. Additionally, the brevity of the gameplay is a drawback, with the experience being completed in just two and a half hours. Some battles also suffer from unbalanced enemy attacks, which can be frustrating for players.
Furthermore, the game lacks replay value, as there is little incentive to play through the experience again after completion. While Nocturnal presents an excellent and polished idea, its main flaw lies in its brevity and lack of storytelling, which prevents it from fully realizing its potential.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Nocturnal PC Game
1. What is Nocturnal PC Game?
Nocturnal is an action and platform game developed by Sunnyside Games. It revolves around the story of Ardeshir, a soldier who returns to his island after a poisonous mist spreads, causing death and transformation. Ardeshir embarks on a mission to save his island and find his lost sister.
2. What are the graphics like in Nocturnal PC Game?
Nocturnal offers visually appealing cartoon graphics with unique designs for environments, characters, and special effects. The art direction adds a distinct aesthetic to the game’s movements and visuals, accompanied by exciting tunes during battles.
3. How is the gameplay in Nocturnal PC Game?
The gameplay in Nocturnal is simple and intuitive. Players have one button to attack with a sword, another to jump, and a third to dodge enemy attacks. A unique game mechanic allows players to light their sword on fire by striking a source of fire, which plays a crucial role in combat and puzzle-solving.
4. What challenges can I expect in Nocturnal PC Game?
Nocturnal offers a series of platforming challenges where players must navigate through collapsing environments and avoid chasing fog. Battles require players to recognize enemy attack patterns and manage their sword’s fire meter to reignite it before it goes out. The game also features boss encounters and various puzzles related to the fire-lighting mechanic.
5. How long is the gameplay experience in Nocturnal PC Game?
Nocturnal is a relatively short experience, with an average completion time of around two and a half hours. The game’s focus is more on gameplay mechanics rather than a lengthy narrative. However, players may choose to replay the game in speed run mode for a faster completion time.
