Table of Contents
Nivalis Nights has long been on many gamers’ wishlists. The cyberpunk world, a small noodle bar, the decor, and the plethora of characters all suggest it would be a cozy game to play. But PC Gamer’s Lauren Morton has a different story to tell after playing it.
(Image credit: Ion Lands)
Read More: Arc Raiders Tracks of the Beast Guide: Where to Find a Bully and Skulker
Tag on Steam “relaxing”, experience on playing something else
Popular tags for this game on Steam include: Cyberpunk, Simulation, Life Sim, Management, and Relaxing. So, at first glance, it looks like a quiet life sim about running a shop.
Lauren herself is a fan of cozy games and jokingly calls herself the “Chief Cozy Officer.” She says this game also turned out to be the opposite of what she expected. The first few hours were more restless than relaxing.
Read More: Arc Raiders To the Skies Quest Guide: How to Repair the Gondola Prototype
The beginning is deliberately heavy.
The game’s lead writer, Thomas Welsh, stated clearly that the initial pressure was deliberately maintained. According to him, Nivalis has no player deaths, no gunfights, and no boss fights, yet it wouldn’t be accurate to call it cozy. Life in a cyberpunk world shouldn’t be stress-free from the start.
He imagined urgent notifications coming in from every app on his phone, one after another. The gist of his point was that if you want peace in this city, you have to earn it. For some, becoming rich can lead to a quiet farm life, while for others, success can mean something else. Even being a failure in business can still complete your story.
(Image credit: Ion Lands)
Lauren’s Experience: Save the Noodle Bar or Complete the Quest?
Lauren raised this issue in her review. She was bombarded with dozens of quests within the first few days of the game. The problem was that keeping the Rose Noodle Bar out of harm’s way was so difficult that she didn’t have time to start any of the quests.
The quest log on the right side of the screen was always full. Quest markers jostled for space on the compass above. A digital assistant robot popped up intermittently, offering new tasks and directions. Furthermore, there were constant pop-ups about running out of supplies or not getting the waiter’s pay because you had no money.
Read More: WoW: Forever Started as a 4-Dungeon Pitch and Grew to 9, Says Blizzard Dev
The world is such that comfort is a privilege
Lauren believes Welsh has a point. In a capitalist world where debts extend across generations and bureaucracies prevent everyone from escaping the yoke of corporations, it would be strange to feel at ease. When you reach the affluent areas, the difference becomes even more apparent: living comfortably is actually a privilege.
So is the game cozy or not?
The question here is, can a game experience be cozy even when the world is harsh? Lauren herself doesn’t have a definitive answer. She believes the word “cozy” means something different to everyone. It includes cozy horror and cute-looking roguelikes. She disagrees with the idea that cozy games can’t be challenging or skill-demanding. Even in farm sims, people min-max a lot.
Nivalis Nights definitely has the things that cozy game lovers will love:
- Decoration and shop management
- A beautiful visual world, even if life there is bad
- A wide range of character stories and superb voice acting, sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartwarming
- A little romance
Read More: WoW: Forever Started as a 4-Dungeon Pitch and Grew to 9, Says Blizzard Dev
Our opinion
Despite all this, the initial chaos can’t be ignored. Therefore, Nivalis Nights will likely be one of those games where being “cozy” depends entirely on your endurance. If you’re used to multitasking and can handle a bit of struggle for the story and characters, this game can be a lot of fun. But if you’re looking for a calming experience the moment you open the game, the first few hours might be a bit frustrating.
The meaning is clear: if you want comfort in this city, you will have to pay a price for it.
