Night In The Woods: Do You Always Have A Choice?

An analysis of Night In The Woods, which is definitely one of my favourite games now.
Most narrative games are driven by the choices of the player, but most of the choices in Night In The Woods seem inconsequential. This video essay analyses how NITW uses familiar gaming conventions and mechanics to explore the very nature of choice in a universe that doesn't care.

Thanks for watching! I spent a particularly long time editing this one. Wanted to do some more creative transitions given the graphic style of the game.
If you have any thoughts on the ideas in this video, or just your interpretation of the film in general, please leave them down in the comments. :)
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[chileanywayssso]

Near the end of the game when Mae confronts the strange Eldritch monster and says "I want it to hurt!" after being told that her life and and friendships are insignificant really stuck with me. It reminded me about something my teacher once said, that it's better to leave this life as a battered and bruised individual and putting up a fight. I'm really glad I picked up this game, there are a lot of themes that I can relate to, especially because I'm getting to that age where I have responsibilities and have to make drastic decisions.

[ZinkerBanana]

Going to the left thingy. Mindblow. Didn't really think about that

[connerrobles-emery]

Mae's conversation about shapes stuck out as a moment of brilliance in a game not comprised of such moments. I still think about it, though I haven't played the game in months. I can't believe I never made the connection between shapes and constellations, nor have I seen it mentioned elsewhere. Same with the movement going left. Thank you for making this. It's wonderful.

[UniQueLyEviL]

"The universe might not care about us, but we care about each other"
So gooood

[HeavyEyed]

Incredible video, been binge watching a ton of NITW content recently and this is easily the best one I've seen, really hammered in what makes this game so special, also helps that the editing is very on point. What makes me love this game even more is people get completely different things out of their experience (and not just because of the choices made) and they're all just as valid as each other, it speaks on soo many personal levels it's sure to hit everyone at least somewhere. Good stuff!

[omfgpainkillers]

Oh my god... The whole "moving left" thing was kind of brilliant!

[MegaChickenfish]

I hadn't realized how those themes all tied together until now. _Wow._ The whole optimistic nihilism of it all reminds me a bit of Rick and Morty. "Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs everywhere, _everybody's gonna die._ Come watch TV?" The universe doesn't care about us, _but we care about each other, _ and as long as we give that meaning, it HAS meaning. I also think to The Last Of Us's DLC. "There are a million ways we could have died today, and a million more we could die tomorrow. But we fight, for every moment we get to spend with each other."

[theonlybingledingle]

I’m 22, a college dropout, numerous mental health complications, troubled path, a dead close friend, among other things ….. so you can imagine the toll this game had on me.


In all seriousness, my partner for awhile has been pushing me to play it. After awhile, I finally gave it a shot. Loved every single second and loved every character, so very much. I’m a little mad I was stubborn to give it a shot, but I’m so, so happy I did. It holds a comforting spot in my heart, Mae especially, and Bea. This is a game where I wish so desperately to play for the first time over again. Beautiful video.

[NautilusLink]

Such a great video about a great game! Also really loved the editing, congrats!

[VitroTheAlien]

funny thing is, my first instinct when I came out of the house was to move right until I hit a literal road block

[Brazenbrew]

The time you put into editing this video payed off, because it looks phenomenal!

[neptune]

This specific belief about existentialism is my jam and I can't believe I missed how ingrained it was in the story! This is the reason why I was always so annoyed with the people who complain about nothing we do having any significance to the Universe. When did the Universe's opinion matter so much?

[OrangeLightnings]

I love that you call out the juxtaposition between Mae claiming you always have a choice, and the total non-choice you have in that moment as a player. There is no cosmic significance to our choices, how could there be? But the choices we make in the relationships we have, can be significant to us.

I ran into this video because my analytics reported a bunch of people were suddenly coming to my channel from here. Just want to say, your editing is exceptional. I'd love to see you do more games, but just keep covering what's interesting to you!

[yldikoo]

NITW was and still is my comfort game..I would appreciate all of the little details that changed very much the game..the conversations seem so familiar but cool..it's so normal?? I can't really explain..they aren't way too full of adventure or mythical stuff..it's just like a story..and the art is so calming, it's not too complicated or too colorful..it's beautiful, even the characters' stories and personalities are unique..and mysterious.. everything in it mixed up amazing and gorgeous, even the secret cult kinda gives you a vibe that "dude.. it's so bizzare..but might've happened irl" and yeah..(if I did grammatical mistakes then oh well too bad)

[ryanheemann]

I thought NitW dragged a little with its plot and gameplay pacing in the middle...but I'm so glad I pushed through that and finished it. The last 25% was fantastic and has stuck with me in a way that few games do. Few games are able to tell a story that says something true on an individual level (relationships, mental health, God), but also on a societal level (small town decay in the Trump era). The fact that this game does both so well, with great art and great writing, make it one of a kind. Anyway, i love hearing others' thoughts on it as well, keep up the great work!

[IanAnimatesBagels]

"The universe doesn't care about us so we have to care about eachother"

Fuck, dude

[michelebentz]

I enjoyed your discussion of this really interesting title - especially the symbolic value of the visual techniques. The story and character development are probably the game's greatest strengths. For me, however, the soundtrack is what made this a nostalgic experience that will stay with me for a long time.

[lavandulalurker]

“At the end of everything hold on to anything” that quote gives me chills every time I read it

[shepherdden]

Sounds a bit like Camus' "should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?"

[ShinGallon]

Coming back to this game now, in 2020, knowing what happened with Alec, the game hits differently now. But I still love it. It's such an important game and I genuinely care about the characters so much. I'd noticed the "moving left" thing in one playthrough (I think I went through the whole game 5-6 times when I first got it, then twice again when the Weird Autumn update dropped) but the symbolism in that design choice didn't occur to me until now.