Developer: We Are Fuzzy
Publisher: We Are Fuzzy
Reviewed on: PC
Code Received.
Sleep Tight is a blend of twin-stick shooting and base building wrapped up in a colorful, whimsical aesthetic. The presentation is simple, but the shooting feels good and there’s enough upgrades and characters to unlock to keep things interesting. So while the packaging may be a little bare-bones, what’s inside is satisfying, as well as challenging.
The setup is simple: You, as a child, have to build defenses to protect yourself from the waves of monsters that attack at night. You have guns that you can use to shoot the monsters, but as the nights progress it becomes clear that you need some extra help. You can build walls and turrets, unlock shields and power boosts, and many other upgrades that make the nights a little easier. All of these things fit into the game’s childlike aesthetic, so walls are actually built out of couch cushions and the guns shoot NERF darts.
Each morning you earn some Suns, which is the game’s main currency. You can spend them on things like defenses, ammo, shields, and things like that. You also collect Research Points from the monsters you kill, which you use to upgrades and to unlock new abilities. While there are a few upgrades that increase the number of Suns you get after each wave, the number never gets very high. Clearly this was designed as a way to force you to be frugal with you with them, however, it can lead to moments where you feel like you aren’t making any progress.
Everything costs at least one Sun. Need ammo? That’s a Sun. Need to repair your damaged wall? That’s a Sun. Want an over-shield? That’s three Suns. Even the upgrades you spend Research Points on also require at least one Sun to acquire. On top of that the game forces you to spend all of your Suns before you can move on to the next wave, so you can’t even stockpile them to get that big upgrade you want. It would have been nice to slowly increase the number of Suns you get over time or at least allow you to bank ones you don’t want to spend every day. As it stands, this currency system borders the line between forcing you to make tough choices and forcing you to grind. I guess you just hope you don’t have to spend all your Suns on ammo and repairs three nights in a row.
The shooting feels very responsive in Sleep Tight. Your characters moves around the play area quickly and smoothly, and your shots typically hit their mark. While the enemy AI is nothing spectacular, it is satisfying to mow down a huge waves of enemies and collect all their Research Points. Each weapon also feels unique and powerful, which is an important feeling to have because new weapons don’t come cheap. Placing defenses can be a little finicky, and you can’t move them once their placed, but once you get the feel for it you’ll be making forts in no time.
In the end, Sleep Tight isn’t without it’s issues. While the feel of the shooting and variety of the upgrades is spot on, the way you progress feels a little strict. A few tweaks to the way you collect or spend Suns could have gone a long way to alleviate this. However, if you are prepared to spend a little time grinding, especially at the beginning, there’s a solid twin-stick shooter here. Combine that with the lighthearted “monsters under by bed” theme and Sleep Tight should prove to be a fun romp for the whole family.
