Developer: HugePixel
Publisher: HugePixel
Platforms: PC, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Restless Night – Review
Restless Night falls into the niche of indie games trying to emulate an arcade experience at home, either through gameplay or visuals. This game actually manages both pretty well, coming darn close to having that full retro appeal that many seek for – though it also suffers from the drawback you’d expect from such an experience. This is mainly due to the fact that there isn’t much content to actually explore. Still, we’d say HugePixel’s newest release is worth a look.
Story
If you’re playing games for their deep plot, you’ve not come to the right place. Restless Night doesn’t even offer you a smidge of context before throwing you in the thick of it; unless you count the one screen of text that the game opens with as its story. The only thing that’s clear is that you’re some sort of survivor besieged by zombies, and other nasties, that are intent on taking your life. Since you’re armed with your trusty magnum, however, they’ll have a hard time actually getting to you.
Graphics
Restless Night has a very stylized look to it, with not that much detail. The pixelated visuals are extremely reminiscent of old arcade games – which is the point of course – though how small the screen is can be a bit vexing at times. Especially in handheld mode, this is huge irritation. The colors pop off the screen nicely, and the blood that will soon be splattering off the screen stands out against dark backgrounds. An interesting warped effect is also used to give the impression you’re playing on a curved screen like the ones you would find in an arcade, as opposed to the flat screens of modern consoles or computers. Sadly, there’s not a lot of variety when looking at the different maps.
Sound
In terms of music, this game won’t disappoint even the most hardcore rock fanatics. It’s only fitting that the soundtrack you slay horde after horde of the undead to is pretty hard. The sound effects of Restless Night once again remind us of old arcade machines, only serving as a cherry on top of this nostalgic ice cream sundae. Since there is no plot nor actual narration, don’t expect any voice acting.
Gameplay
Restless Night is an arcade shooter with deceptively simple controls. All you need to do is move around and aim, as even your gun fires at its own at a steady pace. The game sends hordes of zombies and other mutants after you, which you will need to outlive in order to progress, with the game getting steadily harder as you go. There are two modes to enjoy, a normal one which is divided into levels you’ll need to clear, and an arcade mode that has you try to survive as long as possible for a timed record.
One hit does not mean death in this game as you do have a plentiful health bar to chip away at. To further aid you in your quest to survive are a whole array of different power-ups the game spawns randomly on the map. You only have a limited amount of time to pick them up before they disappear, though if you can manage it, they’ll be a great help. Some are permanent, such as HP upgrades, but temporary speed boosts or shields are also pretty nifty. Even better is the grenade, which clears all enemies from the entire map. This one in particular is handy in later levels.
If you do happen to die, the game does allow you to restart the level. Even if you quit the game entirely, there’s a save function. This is one of the major differences between Restless Night and an actual arcade game, though it’s definitely a change for the better.
Conclusion
While Restless Night doesn’t offer a ton of content, it is a rather fun romp if you enjoy this genre. And; since the price is not too high either, you can’t fault the game for not having a ton of extracurriculars. Overall, not a bad game if you know what you’re bargaining for. We advise this one to be played in short bursts in-between bigger titles, to enjoy it to the fullest.
Restless Night - Review,
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