Goosebumps Dead of Night Review
"Book of Spooks"
Campaign
This is the latest adaptation of Goosebumps into a game format, and the concept does largely work. That being said, this has numerous issues that hold it back from being a solid game. I want to start by saying this is an ok sort of experience. I think it would be really good for the younger ones out there that are fans of the books, or enjoy those Hello Neighbor type games that have been releasing recently. It has a decent narrative structure set across three areas and features some moments of light puzzle solving.
It was actually a fairly fun time that I had, but there are some problems here. It’s not the longest game which is typically fine, and while I don’t normally note this it is a bit up there cost wise for what you get here. It’s a straight play, there’s no replay value or any extra content to it which is disappointing since the core mechanics are sort of ripe for that in my opinion. As mentioned, there are three acts to it.
The first is in the house where Jack Black is once again RL Stine in the form of a typewriter. Great to have him in there doing voice over work, I was certainly surprised by the appearance. That aside, you’re trying to collect pages in the house while sneaking away from various ghouls. The second act is where you’re in a greenhouse of sorts trying to make a cure. The final area is based around tesla coils and is more puzzle oriented.
Again, this isn’t bad for the younger ones out there, it has some slight complexity though generally is a good challenge for them to tackle. The narrative was alright, it was engaging and this is largely linear so no one would really get lost while working through it. There are some cinematic moments in this, and the story does feel conclusive which is nice as a standalone release. It’s great as a one off time, and general expansion of this series in a Goosebumps game format.
Gameplay
This is a first person game where you’re moving around typically hiding or using the environment to fend off foes. It was fun and clever in how you hide. There are many unique structures you can hide in, and tons of items to throw around while looking for things. The puzzles were engaging, varied and unique. It felt like a part of the Goosebumps universe which I’m sure fans will enjoy. My biggest issue with the game is that it is constantly screen tearing the entire time through. This wrecks the actually fairly detailed world and vibrant visuals.
I also found the AI to not be very bright, getting stuck a number of times on things. There were other small bugs, and at times the checkpoints could have been better. The Xbox Achievements are super easy, so I was basically throwing myself into every creature and that was also kind of fun. There are some creepy foes in this one out to get you such as witches, a clown and even a werewolf. Again, examples as there are more out there. I think with a bit more polish this could have been really well set up for the target audience.
It is a bit simplistic, and not too lengthy to playthrough. Still, it has its moments and neat mechanics. I think the team behind this has a lot of potential, but clearly more time was needed. On the Xbox version you it has a strange titling and even the Unity display instead of an image picture in the library. Its small things like that which kind of add up and show that this perhaps a bit rushed. Which is a shame, as they have some good potential with this one.
The Conclusion
Goosebumps Dead of Night was ok, but it does have a number of performance issues and smaller bugs that make this feel less polished than it should have been. I found this engaging, and had fun playing through it. I think the target audience will enjoy it, but just don’t expect any replay value or even a very lengthy time with it.
I think they could have easily put together a small mode using the hide and seek mechanics, that would have been a nice extra for this package. This is still a decent time, just being held back by some minor elements of play. Again, the potential for fun within that younger audience is there.
It captures the books in terms of gameplay well and has some cool spooky moments and or jump scares. I think it would still be fine for the younger ones, tapping into that Hello Neighbor style of play well. It is narrative driven so you’re unlikely to get lost, and I definitely think it’s appropriate for almost anyone. Another note is that it’s great they were able to get Jack Black in to reprise his role, great catch.
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Goosebumps Dead of Night Review on Xbox One X
Review Code Provided by Team Critical Hit
Rating Overall: 4.8
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