![A child in a pink dress holding hands a duck plushie next to a man with a beard and glasses lighting a cigarette. On the right hand side in large, white text it says "THE NIGHT IS GREY".](https://www.thumbculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TC_The-Night-is-Grey-1024x597.png)
Alone in a forest and surrounded by wolves, Graham stumbles upon an abandoned home and a young girl. They need each other to survive the night and make it back to civilisation. Reminiscent of a psychological thriller, The Night is Grey is a point-and-click adventure game from Whalestork Interactive.
Currently available on Steam, you can grab The Night is Grey for £13.99
Do I want to go down the scary cave or face a pack of wolves?
![Graham is in a rustic cabin leaning against a table setting and a lit fireplace.](https://www.thumbculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1281490_20241024221902_1.png)
Gameplay
Upon starting The Night is Grey, you find yourself in the middle of the woods surrounded by wolves. After a quick escape, Graham finds himself at an old wooden lodge where he meets a young girl named Hannah. Abandoned by her mother, Graham feels it is necessary to lead this girl to safety, hoping to take her to her grandparents where they will hopefully find the girl’s mother.
As you get closer to freedom, you uncover more about Hannah and her life as well as the darkness that lurks in Graham’s history.
I have played far too many games where a grumpy old man takes a young girl under his wing as a father figure and I have had my heart broken too many times by the trope. It is the approach to this trope and its diverging narrative that makes this game so interesting. It takes something you know and keeps you on your toes by changing odd moments until it builds into something bigger.
![Two people in a dimly lit, underground bunker with overgrown foliage and a hanging light.](https://www.thumbculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1281490_20241028214429_1.png)
As a point and click game, controlling Graham through the world isn’t difficult. The puzzles, on the other hand, are a different story.
Puzzles
There are a range of puzzles from sequences, to finding items and even dialogue focused challenges. Never at any point did it feel like I had already done a puzzle two chapters earlier which I think is quite impressive.
Despite the variation, some of the puzzles do require quite a bit of legwork such as going back on yourself to get the different elements needed to open a door or get a lift working. If you’re not a fan of puzzle games then you’re definitely looking in the wrong place.
Some of the logic based puzzles are really difficult but, thankfully, they’re not constant. Just as I was about to get fed up of being stuck, The Night is Grey threw a simple puzzle in my direction and balanced out the overall difficulty of the game. I’m also really grateful that they decided to add hints to certain puzzles. The spacebar was my best friend and my hero at many points during the game.
![Night scene with labeled cabin, mailbox, firewood pile, and paths under a starry sky.](https://www.thumbculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1281490_20241024215404_1.png)
Whilst I didn’t struggle much, there is one puzzle that I was glad to see the back of. There is a section in the third chapter of the game that is essentially a maze. You have a lantern which only has a limited amount of oil and you have to make your way through the darkness to carry on with the level. It was honestly one of the only low points for me because it felt never ending and it stressed me out.
Graphics & Audio
There are two different types of art style going on in The Night Is Grey. One of them is a fully rendered panoramic background whilst the other is the hand drawn characters that move through the scenery effortlessly. Whilst beautiful, the designs of the characters give me uncanny valley vibes. There’s something about them that just seems off but in a way that is fitting to the story.
![A rustic cabin interior with a fireplace, wooden furniture, and a child standing near the hearth.](https://www.thumbculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1281490_20241024220126_1.png)
Beyond building atmosphere, there isn’t too much to say about the audio. The characters do not have full voiceovers and will only giggle or sigh depending on the situation. It can be a little off putting at times, especially when compared to the vast majority of modern games.
Longevity
With the potentially triggering nature of the story, The Night is Grey is not the sort of game that you want to play over and over again. That is to it’s credit as well. The end of this game leaves you feeling an odd sort of way, carrying on that uncomfortable feeling right past those final credits.
It’s story is short and you could probably get through it in one sitting if you’re good at puzzles.
![Three wolves in a shaded forest at night.](https://www.thumbculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1281490_20241024215610_1.png)
There’s definitely opportunity to go back and replay a game but you wouldn’t come out of a good thriller movie and immediately go back to watch it again. You’d take time to digest and appreciate it, which is exactly what you should do with The Night is Grey.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, The Night Is Grey is an exploration of Graham and his past with allusions to cruelty, death and other triggering topics. The tone is set throughout the game and is definitely not suitable to younger audiences. That being said, it is a really well written story that is presented in a careful yet enticing way.
When I found out that this was Whalestork’s first game I was shocked. There are many newly released games from established developers that have their flaws yet Whalestork have hit a home run on their first chance to bat. The story doesn’t give you a second to catch your breath with constant twists yet isn’t overbearing in its delivery. It’s an addition to my Steam library that I’m very grateful to have.
As such, it is a very easy decision to give The Night Is Grey the Thumb Culture Gold Award. I’m very excited to see what this team does next!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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