Neverending Nightmares: Terror with a Message

Neverending Nightmares offers a breath of fresh air in a genre dominated by experiences like Slender: The Arrival and Amnesia: The Dark Descent.  This side-scrolling game combines hand-drawn aesthetics, unsettling atmosphere, and sparse but terrifying jump scares. 





(I decided not to include a video review of this game.  That said, you are welcome to watch the first episode of my blind Let's Play—it'll give you a good idea of what to expect from Neverending Nightmares.)

If you watched the video, you know developer Matt Gilgenbach came through on his Kickstarter promises by delivering a terrifying game.  The beginning of this review will focus on the negative, but that's only because I enjoyed this experience so much that I'd like to get the bad stuff out of the way.  Don't worry: I'll be brief. 

One of my issues with Neverending Nightmares arises in what I consider to be lazy storytelling. Although I enjoy abstract and cryptic plot-lines, I couldn't remember the name of the hero's sister after finishing my first playthrough.  Considering that Thomas and Gabby are the only two characters in the game, you would hope I'd be able to tell you a bit more about them than I actually can.  (I know they're siblings, and I know Thomas is older than her, but that's pretty much it.)  Secondly, the story occasionally sacrifices depth for shallow creepiness.  Sure, I thought the lecture in the asylum was creepy—but did it reveal anything about the protagonist?  Not really.  That said, the story does have one thing in its favor: multiple endings establish this game as one with high replayability. 

One of the game's references to mental illness.

Secondly, even though Infinitap Games claims Neverending Nightmares seeks 
"to promote a greater understanding of mental illness," I rarely felt as though the game actually discussed this.  While one of the endings delves into this theme, it is easy to miss if you play without first reading up on the backstory behind Neverending Nightmares. The goal was commendable; it's too bad the implementation wasn't there. 


My complaints, though valid, pale in comparison to the many positive qualities of Neverending Nightmares.  Some people might be concerned about the simplistic gameplay—over a period of two to four hours (depending whether or not you choose to find all the endings), you will do nothing but walk, run, and interact with maybe a dozen objects.  I admit this sounds tedious, but in reality the game's simplicity results in a sort of streamlined horror:my limited options heightened the tension because I knew I would be unable to hide or fight back.

Not that the tension needs heightening.  This game possesses an incredible atmosphere, dark and dense and forbidding. The atmospheric tension starts with a unique art style: the black and white dichotomy creates a sparseness that elevates the few colors in Neverending Nightmares.  My pulse spiked whenever I saw the vivid redness of blood, and I grew paranoid when I discovered a yellow candle.  An under-appreciated aspect of the art lies in its incorporation of shadow.  Dynamic shadows based on light sources swerve and flicker around Thomas, and thin lines of blackness darken rooms.

Blood and shadows.  I'm petrified.

Of course no creepy atmosphere would be complete without audio, and I'm happy to say that both the music and the sound design are well done.  One of the Kickstarter rewards for Neverending Nightmares allowed backers to create a sound that would appear in game, and the variety of these sounds helps make this experience even more nerve-wracking.  Additionally, all of the audio is specially crafted for headphones.  The way certain sounds only register in one ear or the other kept convincing me that there was someone behind me.

While the jump scares don't quite match up to the superb atmosphere, they still frightened me.  Some of these scares are traditional: expect to be chased by several humanoid monsters.  That said, there are plenty of unexpected surprises as well.  I won't mention them here, but rest assured that you will be jumping at many different moments.  (Now that I think about it, I guess you shouldn't rest assured.)

Is there something in the closet?  I could tell you...but this is more fun.

Ultimately, Neverending Nightmares is horror with a message.  If you are willing to spend fifteen dollars on a two to four hour game, you'll discover a beautiful, terrifying experience.  Like me, you may be left wanting to know more about Thomas and Gabby...but nonetheless, I recommend fans of the horror genre pick up this indie title.

GREAT

+Powerful, creepy atmosphere
+Simple but engaging gameplay
+Excellent art and sound design
+High replayability

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-Story could use some fleshing out

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this game from the developer.

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