Nightingale is \"Too Open World\" According to Ex-Mass Effect Devs

Inflexion Games, the studio behind the crafting survival game Nightingale, is making significant changes based on player feedback and the developers' own assessment. This follows the game's early access launch in February.

Former Mass Effect Developers Address Nightingale's Shortcomings

Summer Update Promises Major Overhaul

In a recent YouTube video, Inflexion Games' Aaryn Flynn and Neil Thomson acknowledged dissatisfaction with Nightingale's current state, citing player numbers and overall reception as areas needing improvement. A major update, slated for the end of summer, aims to rectify these issues. While initial efforts focused on quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes—including the addition of a highly requested offline mode—this update targets the game's core structure.

The developers identified the game's open-world design as potentially too expansive and lacking in direction. Thomson described the experience as "almost too open world, too self-motivated in terms of goal-setting." The upcoming update will introduce clearer progression, defined objectives, and improved realm design to address player feedback regarding repetitive environments.

Increased Structure and Refined Core Mechanics

The team plans to enhance the player's sense of progress and understanding of in-game mechanics. Flynn emphasized the need for "more structure to the overall experience," including better communication of player capabilities and distinct differences between the game's various realms. Further adjustments to core gameplay elements are also under consideration. The update will also include increased build limits for more ambitious player constructions. Previews of these changes are expected in the coming weeks.

Despite currently holding "Mixed" reviews on Steam, Nightingale is seeing a rise in positive player feedback, with approximately 68% of recent reviews being positive. The developers expressed appreciation for the community's support and ongoing feedback. They are confident that the upcoming update will significantly improve the overall player experience.

This sentiment is echoed by other reviews, which often cite a lack of guidance and overly complex crafting systems.