It feels silly to announce this in writing, but I can proudly say that my wife and I are pregnant with our first child. Am I excited? of course. Am I scared too? surely. When Goodnight Universe came to me, I couldn’t resist the subject matter and felt I had to give it a try.
Admittedly, Goodnight Universe is a somewhat far removed experience from reality as far as its little protagonist is concerned, but it hits so many of the right beats in crafting an engaging, sometimes tear-jerking story that ultimately feels more effective in getting its message across.
That said, Goodnight Universe isn’t so much a game in the traditional sense as it is an interactive experience that relies very little on skill or reaction, or even choice and outcome. I’m looking forward to some of these related challenges in the future, but I have no doubt that what we have here is something that everyone can connect with and relate to on some level.
Six months later
Players control a boy named Isaac, and the story centers around him when he is six months old. Isaac does have an adult monologue, but at first he seems like a normal baby raised by normal babies. But it soon becomes clear that things could not be more different.
Isaac has special abilities such as telekinesis, which allows him to move objects, and telepathy, which allows him to read the thoughts and minds of those around him. As you can imagine, not only is an ordinary family dealing with life’s regular challenges here, and certainly pushed to their limits, but there are also some dark forces at work in the form of a technology company that wants to get its hands on Isaac in order to harness and study these powers.
Credit: Skybound Games
There’s quite a bit going on, but the less I say the better. That being said, Goodnight Universe does a lot of things right as far as its core themes are concerned, and it’s hard not to like it. Although the story can feel strange and chaotic at times, it never loses sight of the underlying themes of family, love, and the general growing pains that come with raising children at this stage of life. There are a lot of regular moments early on in the story that are observed to be very well written and even better acted thanks to the generally great voice acting, which honestly left me a little choked up.
Credit: Skybound Games
Overall, Goodnight Universe isn’t very long. It will take about 4-5 hours to complete. You can also make certain choices about how you respond to situations and questions, but these choices only affect that particular moment and do not determine the final outcome of the story. Either way, it’s a great, heartfelt ride that you won’t soon forget.
trade toys
As far as gameplay goes, Goodnight Universe doesn’t have a lot to offer. When playing with a controller, you can look around and sometimes tilt the left stick up or down to indicate a positive or negative reaction to the situation, respectively. Your inner monologue presents questions with multiple answers and you can choose one.
Apart from that, Isaac can also use his special abilities to manipulate the environment. This is done by holding down R2 or the right trigger and flicking the right stick left or right. Isaac can also read the minds of others by simply looking at them and holding down R2 or the right trigger and tilting the left stick in a certain direction to find the sweet spot.
The most exciting parts of Goodnight Universe are in these moments that rely on Isaac’s use of his abilities, which are rarely difficult, but make for some fascinating and occasionally tense moments, especially towards the end of the story.
Credit: Skybound Games
While playing with a controller isn’t the most exhilarating experience, it’s worth noting that Goodnight Universe can also be played with your PC’s webcam. Support for the Switch 2 camera is in the works, but PC users can also use the webcam in place of a traditional controller for certain controls and mechanics. I understand that input from traditional controllers is still required, but I think this is a very nice way to incorporate and implement these mechanisms. Unfortunately, the PlayStation 5 version of Goodnight Universe doesn’t have camera support, so I can’t talk more about it.
I wish the Goodnight Universe could always give us a little more to do, but there’s no denying that it makes sense. Apart from your unique powers, you are still a baby, so observing situations like this seems more natural and understandable. Still, the short running time allows these mechanics to get through without feeling stale or bland.
look at the part
I simply love the art style of Goonight Universe. The more stylized approach to both character design and the broader environment includes an impressive level of detail. Even while Isaac uses his special abilities, you, the player, are treated to a strange series of tapestry colors and patterns that, while random, strangely encapsulate the feeling of wielding a set of powers that you don’t yet fully understand.
Credit: Skybound Games
There’s also some great sound design here, in the way the game responds to certain scenarios and prompts you when and where to use your powers. I mentioned how great the voice acting was overall, but I also wanted to take the time to give a big shout out to the soundtrack, which is full of dark, emotional songs that complement the game’s warmer moments well.
final thoughts
While the gameplay can feel basic and minimal at times, Goodnight Universe stands out from other games when it comes to narrative structure and emotional storytelling. Despite its short running time, it is incredibly well-paced and challenges players to engage and understand the game on a deeper level. It’s very accessible thanks to the great script and voice performances.
I’d love to try out the webcam controls, but there’s no doubt that the team at Nice Dream has virtually mastered the concept of taking unique, outlandish ideas and applying relatable human elements to deliver the ultimate gut punch.
4 stars (out of 5)
Highlights: An incredibly well-written, heart-breaking story. Unique art style. great score
Highlight: Very minimal and basic gameplay experience
Developer: Nice Dream
Publisher: Skybound Games
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Windows PC
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on a PlayStation 5 Pro using an activation code provided by the publisher.
A featured header image is also provided by the publisher.
