Night in the Woods
About Night in the Woods 🌃
Steam Tags: Story Rich, Adventure, Atmospheric, Stylized
System: Windows / Mac / Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Android
Developer | Publisher: Camp Santo // Panic
Price: US $19.99
Release Date: Feb 21, 2017
Time to Play: ~ 9-10 hours (according to How Long to Beat)
Steam Description: NIGHT IN THE WOODS is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet and lots to do across a lush, vibrant world.
You may especially enjoy this if you like:
fantastical-realism, grounding heavy topics in playful visuals and story
exploration and conversations as primary game mechanics
coming-of-age stories with touches of existential dread
Why Night in the Woods? 💜
I’m really looking forward to this one because neither Joel or I have played it: but I’ve been told by many dear friends that this is a game that’s impacted their lives deeply. From what I’ve been told, I’m looking forward to discussing lots of really poignant themes and enjoy the really fun artwork!
Content Warnings & Notes ⚠
The game is rated T. ****Click the toggle (on the left) to get a little more detail.
Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Drug Reference, Language, Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
Throughout our discussion, we will be touching on various heavy topics (to varying degrees) — discussions of class struggle, depression, anxiety, abuse, and suicide, to name a few.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, in need of immediate intervention, and based in the US, please visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or call/text 988. You can also visit https://www.takethis.org/mental-health-resources/.
As with any game or discussion, if you have a particular concern or would like more detailed clarification, please don’t hesitate investigate it further or reach out to me at jenny@geeksandgrounds.com for further explanation (spoiler full or spoiler free, however you prefer)!
Geeks & Grounds Timeline / Important Dates 📅
Please note that this timeline is a general breakdown and suggestion for if you’d like to stay on track to finish the game by the time we have our monthly hangout! Feel free to play at your own pace: play in one big session, or even break it up further into smaller bits.
Dates Section Play Until… Podcast Discussion Release Date Est Time (Mainline) August 29 - Sept 2 Part 1: Home Again Start of Part 2 September 3rd ~1-2 hrs Sept 3 - 9 Part 2: Weird Autumn Start of Part 3 September 10 ~3 hrs Sept 10 - 16 Part 3: The Long Fall Start of Part 4 September 17 ~3 hours Sept 17 - 24 Part 4: The End of Everything & Epilogue Finish the game! September 24 ~1-2 hours
🥳🥳🥳Monthly Hangout: September 28th at 3pm PST! 🥳🥳🥳
Reflection & Discussion Questions
Reflection & Discussion Questions
We’ll be focusing on some larger questions, as well as trying to dig into what the narrative of the story more explicitly outlines. Here are some example questions that we’ll reflect on throughout our playthrough:
What type of place did you grow up in? Rural, suburb, city…a mix of multiple types of places? And, as an adult, have you ever gone back home? If so, what was that like?
How does the game help develop our understanding of Mae as a person? Consider the mechanics used, what characters say to (and about) her, and how she interacts with the world.
Mae’s return home shakes up a few folks around town (notably, her friend, Bea, and her parents). Why do you think this is the case?
What do you think is the significance of ghosts and ghost stories in the game?
[more questions to come as we play!]
