Mass Effect Devs Blast Nightingale for "Excessive Openness"

Inflexion Games, the studio behind the crafting survival game Nightingale, is implementing substantial changes based on player feedback and the developers' own assessment. This follows the game's early access launch and focuses on addressing core gameplay issues.

Former Mass Effect Developers Address Nightingale's Shortcomings

Summer Update to Revamp Nightingale

A recent YouTube video featuring Inflexion Games' Aaryn Flynn and Neil Thomson revealed dissatisfaction with Nightingale's current state. Low player numbers and overall negative sentiment prompted the announcement of a major update slated for the end of summer. While quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes have been implemented since the February release (including a much-requested offline mode), the team aims to refine the core experience.

The developers acknowledge that the game's open-world design, while offering freedom, has inadvertently created a lack of direction. Thomson describes the game as "almost too open world," leading to unclear progression and repetitive gameplay loops.

The upcoming update will introduce more structured progression, clearer goals, and improved realm designs to address the feeling of repetitiveness. Flynn emphasizes the need for players to better understand their progression and the unique aspects of each realm. Further adjustments to core gameplay mechanics are also under consideration, including increased build limits for more elaborate structures. Teasers of this new content are promised in the coming weeks.

Despite currently holding "Mixed" reviews on Steam, positive reviews are increasing, with approximately 68% of recent reviews being positive. The developers express gratitude for player feedback and are actively working to improve the game based on this input. Flynn concludes by stating that while further refinement is needed, the upcoming update represents a significant step forward.

Game8 shares similar concerns regarding Nightingale's lack of guidance and overly complex systems. For a more detailed perspective, check out our full review.