Wishlist Wednesday: Night in the Woods

In this weekly feature, I share game titles from my various gaming wishlists. I share screenshots and video from the developer, talk about my expectations, and generally just ramble about why the title made it onto my list in the first place. This week's choice is Night in the Woods by Infinite Fall.

THE STATS

Name: Night in the Woods
Developer: Infinite Fall (Twitter)
Publisher: Finji
Release Date: February 21, 2017
Genres: Adventure
Wishlist Location: Steam

MEDIA FROM NIGHTINTHEWOODS.COM

(Newsletter subscribers click here to view embedded video.)

WHY I WANT IT

It's described as "an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character." If that isn't a magical equation for me, I don't know what is! I love adventure games in general, I love getting to explore a game world, I'm a sucker for a good story, and depth in characters is masterful to behold in games, books, and movies.

The indented paragraphs after this bold text have a potentially uncomfortable subject for sensitive individuals. Skip over them if you're one such person and please rest assured you won't miss anything important to this entry. 

I have wanted this game since its release over 3 years ago, and I had intended to write about it sooner than this -- but then... then August 2019 happened. Allegations were made against one of the co-creators, Alec Holowka (probably best known prior to this game by his work on Aquaria and Crayon Physics Deluxe). The next day the Infinite Fall team cut ties with Alec, supported by the publisher, Finji. Later that month, Alec took his own life. His sister commented that Alec had been battling mood and personality disorders through his life and was a victim of abuse. It was a very controversial subject for a while, and I didn't want to bring it up in my blog and cause discomfort for any readers.

(If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please reach out -- there are people who care! You can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US), Crisis Services Canada (CA), Samaritans (UK), or Lifeline (AUS). If you are outside of these regions, check this list for a hotline in your country.)

But I mention the game now because it's been 9 months and we've all been dealing with a LOT of change in our everyday lives. Life-threatening illness has been rampant all over the globe, and I think it's good to know that games like Night in the Woods exist which explore individuals and their stories and how those stories all interconnect while darkness is looming. I've read countless personal stories and comments about how this game really spoke to people and pulled them out of their rough patches.

That's the kind of game I want people to talk about and share right now, and that's why it's on my wishlist -- and should be on yours, too.

If that isn't enough to pique your interest, then this probably isn't your genre -- and that's okay! Check back next week for another title and let me know what you think of my selection!