Neverending Nightmares

Release Date: September 26, 2014

Adventure, horror, 2D, crowdfunding, indie games, experimental/artistic, singleplayer

7.1

OpenCritic

77%

Steam

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Original independent adventure game, maintained in the convention of psychological horror. Infinitap Games team is responsible for its creation and the story was inspired by real life experiences of the studio boss and his fight with severe depression. In the game, we play as Thomas, who can't break out of a nightmare dream and, trapped in his mind, moves from nightmare to nightmare, facing his fears and the monsters lurking around him.

Videos and Screens

[1:22] Neverending Nightmares trailer

7.1

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 48% of Critics. There are 26 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Destructoid: 7 / 10 by Nic Rowen

I admire the sheer artistic bravery of Matt Gilgenbach. It isn't often that a game developer will tear his heart out and lay it down for everyone to see. Despite its flaws, Neverending Nightmares offers a striking and unforgettable horror experience, combined with an uncomfortably intimate look into the true torment of mental illness. However, its lack of content and uneven pacing prevent it from being the classic it feels like it could have been.

Full Review

Digital Chumps: 7.4 / 10 by Eric Layman

Neverending Nightmares revels in tension and survives through conservation of its primal resource. Unfolding it exposes a weird paradox; a game that actively campaigns against a traditional desire to play it, and yet seeks to capture attention all the same. What Neverending Nightmares sacrifices in playability, however, it gains raw and relatable emotion.

Full Review

GamingTrend: 55 / 100 by John Farrell

Neverending Nightmares is suffused with dread, from its haunting soundtrack to its (mostly) stylistic artistry, but it fails to deliver a compelling experience. Despite its short run-time, the game often feels like it is dragging, tense buildups of tension becoming overladen with monotony. A true horror fan will thank themselves for looking this title up, but when comparing its price point to its quality, it's difficult to think of who would be thankful they played through the game.

Full Review

77%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mostly Positive (1,950)

STEAM

Neverending Nightmares Description

Neverending Nightmares is an adventure game in the convention of psychological horror, developed by Matt Gilgenbach and his independent studio Infinitap Games. The plot of the game was inspired by the personal experience of the author, who after the financial fiasco of his previous production, Retro/Grade, fell into severe depression. The creation of the title was supported by a successful crowdfunding campaign on the Kickstarter website.

The game is a metaphorical story about the fight against depression and mental disorders. During the game we play the role of someone called Thomas, who is relieved to wake up from a nightmare only to realize that the dream is not over, and the nightmare that haunts him still lasts. Trapped in the trap of his own mind, the hero moves from nightmare to nightmare, confronting his own fears and the terrifying monsters lurking in his life.

The extensive plot of the game is non-linear and is divided into different threads, which are shaped depending on the player's actions. The natural consequence of this non-linearity is also three alternative endings. The atmosphere of the game is saturated with a heavy, even brutal atmosphere, dominated by black and white, lit only by the candle flame. Practically the only vivid color we see during the game is blood red, which is overflowing quite a lot throughout the story. The user interface has been reduced to a minimum in order to further increase the player's immersion in the presented world.

Gilgenbach's production is inspired by such cult titles as Amnesia or the Silent Hill series. The original Neverending Nightmares graphic design is worth emphasizing. The game consists entirely of two-dimensional hand-drawn scenes inspired by the work of the American writer and illustrator Edward Gorey. The atmosphere of horror is intensified by the atmospheric dark-ambient soundtrack by Skyler McGlothlin. The artistic value of the game was appreciated, among others, at the E3 2014 fair with a nomination for the title of the most interesting production of the event.

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Last updated on August 14, 2015