Review: Mists of Noyah for PS5

There are countless games that come with big promises, only to leave us with unmet expectations once they hit the shelves. In the gaming industry, it’s crucial to back up claims with results, and I’ve seen firsthand the disappointment that follows when developers don’t quite hit the mark. Take “No Man’s Sky,” for instance. While it’s a fantastic game now, on release day, it was a whole different story. I eagerly jumped in, fueled by anticipation, only to feel let down. Although Hello Games managed to turn things around and create something extraordinary, which deserves high praise, their initial stumble serves as a cautionary tale for other developers. Today, we’re diving into “Mists of Noyah” on the PS5. On paper, it seems like it could redefine its genre. As we’ll uncover, though, it falls into the trap of not quite living up to the excitement.

Imagine a game that fuses the crafting mechanics of “Terraria” with the thrill of a roguelike Metroidvania, encouraging exploration and offering a fresh experience with each playthrough. Sounds like a dream game, right? Unfortunately, Mists of Noyah, which promises just that, seems more like an unfinished project rather than a groundbreaking title.

Upon starting Mists of Noyah and reaching the character selection screen, I was thrilled to explore what this game would offer. It’s built around defending your village against night-time creatures, with daylight reserved for gathering resources and building defenses. I envisioned a game where I’d be racing against time, carefully balancing exploration with the safety of my settlers. But as soon as I was dropped into a forest, my excitement waned.

The game kicks off without any tutorial, which might be intended to immerse players in its world by letting them figure things out themselves. I typically don’t mind this approach, provided there’s a basic onboarding process that introduces controls and objectives. However, in this case, it just felt like someone had skipped writing the guide entirely.

Quickly figuring out the controls, I found myself hopping across platforms, battling foes, and collecting resources — all without a clear purpose. On my own, I discerned that I should be chopping trees and mining rocks. I even completed my first quest, crafting wooden armor. Much of it was achieved through trial and error with the menus. Still, when I met an untimely death and was returned to the forest, having to start anew with only the knowledge I’d gathered the hard way, I felt lost.

Combat became trickier at night as enemies grew stronger, making my initial weaponry practically useless. My strategy devolved into avoiding foes altogether as I desperately sought the village I assumed I should have located earlier. After a few frustrating attempts, I eventually stumbled upon it, only to be met with new layers of confusion.

The village felt just as half-baked as the rest of the game. Vendors offered various goods but without any explanations or dialogue to clarify their purpose. Many items in their inventories were a mystery, making it challenging to know where best to spend my gold. Then there was the fairy who prompted me to attempt a dungeon run. Opting for an easy level, I was swiftly defeated in battle by the first creature I encountered.

Turning my attention to the various biomes available, I realized they were essentially reskinned versions of the initial woodland area, just with a dash of desert or arctic scenery. The shifts between landscapes were abrupt and without much coherence, leaving me even more confused about my objectives. The combat was passable, and the environments had some charm, but nothing motivated me to continue. The day-night cycles, though a neat concept, felt like an additional burden when I barely understood my purpose.

Throughout the game, a timer ticks away, indicating the time before darkness falls and your village faces attacks. This could work well if everything else in the game clicked together, but in this context, it felt counterproductive. The clock doesn’t pause while you’re trying to decipher menus or read quests, which, in a game like this, disrupts your immersion. As I attempted to navigate a lengthy story scroll, I suddenly realized that I was losing precious time, risking my character’s safety for the sake of keeping up with the narrative. An auto-pause feature was sorely needed but absent, hinting more at oversights than deliberate game design choices.

Mists of Noyah appears to be a missed opportunity for what could have been a captivating world. It showcases a plot that barely exists in a setting you struggle to care about due to a lack of direction. It’s as if it was pushed out of the nest too soon, leaving players with a product that feels like it needed more attention from its creators. Why should gamers invest in something that the developers didn’t seem committed to finishing? It’s a pity because the visuals are enticing. In British parlance, it’s “all fur coat and no knickers.” Strong foundational elements could have steered this title toward a different, more favorable trajectory.

Had Mists of Noyah been in Early Access, I’d have a more forgiving perspective, recognizing it as a work in progress. However, asking players to spend £8.00 on an incomplete experience feels a bit dismissive. For context, the PS4/5 version I reviewed is far cheaper than the nearly doubled price on Steam. The disparity is troublesome given the considerable time between these releases, making the console ports feel like a rushed effort to cash in on an unfinished game.

Overall, skipping Mists of Noyah wouldn’t be a terrible choice. Despite its potential, you’re left with a confusing shadow of a game that, while brimming with possibilities, ultimately misses the mark. It doesn’t feel ready for a final release on any platform, let alone as a port from an older PC version. Your money would be better spent elsewhere.