Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods is a narrative adventure about Mae Borowski, who drops out of college and returns to her hometown of Possum Springs. In the former mining town she meets old friends, explores familiar streets and notices that her home has changed.

The story combines everyday encounters and quirky humor with personal crises and a mystery that slowly unfolds.

Night in the Woods came out on PC on Feb 21, 2017. The European PlayStation 4 version followed on Feb 28, 2017, the Xbox One version on Dec 13, 2017 and Nintendo Switch on Feb 1, 2018.

An iOS version came out in September 2021. Since Dec 13, 2022, there has also been a native PS5 version. It runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.

The adventure is available on PC with Windows, macOS and Linux, and on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and iOS. The PS5 version is a standalone technical port and not simply the PS4 version running via backward compatibility.

On Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox One version runs via backward compatibility. A separate native Xbox Series version is not part of the offer.

Players explore Possum Springs from a two-dimensional view, talk to residents and make decisions about how Mae spends her days. Climbing, jumping and discovering hidden paths are part of it, as are conversations in shops, on the street and in her friends' apartments.

The story develops from encounters and the activities you choose. Fast combat or elaborate role-playing stats are not the focus.

The free update Weird Autumn is part of the game and not a separately purchasable sequel.

Three soundtrack albums are sold separately on Steam: Volume I, Volume II and Volume III. They contain music for the game and are not new playable chapters.

Steam lists the minimum requirements for Windows as an Intel i5 quad-core processor, 4 GB RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics and 8 GB of free storage space.

The original technical list starts with Windows 7. However, today's Steam client requires Windows 10 or newer. For macOS and Linux, separate minimum specs are listed in the store.

Mae returns to her parents without a degree. She hopes to pick up her old way of life again, but friends, families and the town have changed.

Her observations and reactions shape the tone of the game. Themes such as disorientation, belonging and dealing with one's own expectations are at the centre of her story.

Possum Springs once depended on mining. Closed businesses and new economic uncertainty shape the town, while its residents try to carry on with everyday life.

Streets, rooftops, shops and meeting places can be revisited throughout the story. Changes stand out especially, because Mae knows many places from her childhood.

After her return, Mae meets Gregg, Bea and Angus, among others. The friendships have changed in her absence and follow different expectations for their shared future.

Who spends time with whom shapes some conversations and experiences. This gives the characters room for their own problems and stories, rather than just providing hints about the main plot.

Conversations are a central game element. You choose answers, learn different perspectives and spend individual days in different ways.

Not every choice changes the outcome of the story. Often it is about which side of the town and which friendship receives more attention.

Mae can walk through streets, visit houses and shops, jump onto rooftops and walk along power lines. Away from the main paths, there are additional encounters and small discoveries.

Recurring activities include playing bass. Such moments lighten everyday life and at the same time strengthen the bond with the characters.

Music accompanies both calm city walks and oppressive scenes. In playable band rehearsals, Mae plays bass, while key sequences must be hit in rhythm.

The pieces were composed by Alec Holowka, among others. The extensive soundtrack is also available as three albums.

The beginning feels like a return to a familiar everyday life. As the days pass, the observations become stranger, and darker events emerge behind the conversations.

Humour, autumn colours and stylised animal characters contrast with themes such as fear, loss and the decline of a small town. The story can be followed without prior knowledge.

Weird Autumn is a free revised version of Night in the Woods. It bundles improvements and additional small content within the original game.

On current platforms, Weird Autumn is included in the base game. No separate expansion needs to be purchased.

On Steam, English and Japanese are available for menus and subtitles. A German text version is not listed there.

The German Nintendo and PlayStation product listing does not mean the game itself offers German text. The PlayStation version lists English as its on-screen language.

Night in the Woods is a single-player adventure. The character moves sideways through the environment, interacts with people and objects, and jumps over obstacles.

The story does not require precise combat moves. The focus is on conversations, exploration and occasional rhythm or skill-based sequences.