Goodnight Universe

An intriguing premise of a game, that felt let-down by its limitations, and ultimately by the story-telling. From the beginning this game really drew me in. The concept of a [spoiler] psychic baby, whose burgeoning powers [/spoiler] brought up questions about how they fit into their family was one that was really great. And the game itself has a beautiful opening sequence, that promises a compelling story about life and death. And ultimately, while I see what they were going for with it, and can see those representations of life and death, they failed to land emotionally. (Mid game spoiler) [spoiler] Very quickly we begin to have questions posed to us, the player, embodying this baby. Why are we hyper-intelligent? Do we even belong here? These questions are heightened with the threat of some sort of corporation that seems to know something about us, and threatens our position in the family. [/spoiler] (Late game spoiler) [spoiler] It's really a disappointment to then be whisked away from our family, and spend the majority of the remainder of the game in a facility of this corporation, specifically in the care of the billionaire kid-at-heart. [/spoiler] (mid-late game spoiler) [spoiler] The characters in the baby's life (our mother, father, and sister) often end up feeling as thin as the cardboard cutouts presented to this late-game self. We were meant to have formed an emotional attachment of some sort to them in the time we spend in the early game, and at least learn a little bit about them. But the sister's "genius" really just feels like a convenient tool to advance the plot; our concerned mother over-the-top only to introduce conflict, and the bumbling father a cog to keep things turning, and fill a role. I really struggled to feel individual affection for the characters, outside of their shape as a generic place of belonging. I leave room for that to land as a thematic point, but given that we become willing to sacrifice all for the sake of this family once we discover our true nature, I think there should have been more investment. [/spoiler] (Mid game spoiler/end game speculation) [spoiler] There is an exception to this, though. I really connected with when the mother talked about her rocky relationship with her father, and how her then-newborn son (presumably us) nearly died. I really expected this to be a critical point on which the story hinged. At the time I didn't understand our "introduction" point into the narrative, and I thought the final resolution would ultimately be that it had been the grandfather's intervention that saved his grandson, that somehow our presence saved the deathly-ill child, or perhaps even that we had replaced him, to give a healthy child to his daughter. Ultimately none of that happened. [/spoiler] (Plot speculation, end game spoiler) [spoiler] I also thought possibly that all of the story we'd experienced had been a grand, sci-fi novel that had been left by our grandfather, one that perhaps we couldn't be certain if he had lived or not, but ultimately a token to remember him by, as he had to leave. That wasn't the case either. [/spoiler] I think the plot just didn't feel like it ever came together in a way that emotionally resonated in the way that the first game from the developers did. Even [spoiler] our heroic moment of self-sacrifice [/spoiler], that I was so excited for, just didn't land as I'd hoped it would. It felt like the plot played it safe, much of the time, rather than taking a big emotional risk. It's a shame, because I do think that all the elements were there for the game to soar, but I think it would've had to take a different direction. The gameplay mechanics itself are similar to that of the first game from this developer, Before Your Eyes, and I think the mechanics worked fine. I do believe that in the first game, they felt a lot newer and more interesting to play with, whereas here they feel a little more familiar, but functionally they are unique from other games, and I like that. I also emphasize again here, that I really adored the design of the game itself. I thought the environments were unique, full, and pretty. The design choices for each of the characters made them feel individual, and I liked that a lot. Ultimately, I felt like the game's let-down was its story and themes. I wish they'd taken a stronger opinion on a theme they wanted to hammer home, even a simple one, and really worked harder to see that come through in the story. As it stands, the theme of [spoiler] "Humans sure are weird, but also they're good [/spoiler] didn't feel satisfying. If you enjoyed the first game using these mechanics, this one might be worth checking out, but on its own I'm just not sure I'd recommend it. Maybe when I do another run I will feel differently.

i will always and forever play every game these developers make oh my GOD. if you liked Before Your Eyes u better play this and if you don't know what that is u better play them both

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ didn’t think this game would hit me like that tbh. Goodnight Universe is actually such a weird but beautiful experience. the story, the characters, the vibe, and especially how it makes you feel connected to Isaac just hits different. At first, “psychic baby gameplay” sounds kinda goofy 😭 but it somehow works SO well. the emotional parts feel real, and I actually cared way more than I expected. gameplay is super simple, but that’s kinda the point. you’re not here for sweaty combat or complex mechanics. it’s more about the story, the mood, and the feelings. I laughed, got attached, and yeah… it lowkey broke me a few times. Beautiful game, beautiful story. this one’s gonna stick with me ❤️

Unfassbar Starke Story ,bitte mehr

Plot twist makes you burst out crying in less than 1 second.

I've been sitting here trying to think how to describe my experience playing this game, yet I cannot find words that I feel that do it justice. It is simply a game about love and appreciation to human kind. It was truly an experience I enjoyed every second of it. The characters are amazing and have great chemistry and the soundtrack is incredible. Even though the plot was simple, it is strengthen by the clever narrator and perspectives it challenges. The immersion this game has with the camera tracking feature is a nice way to divert from other games and elevates the experience. If you've played and enjoyed Before Your Eyes, this is a must play too. Same goes the other way around, play both.

It made me cry but was one of the best experiences I've had from playing a game.