Originally released back in 2016, My Night Job is a quirky retro-feeling action game with an idiosyncratic sense of humour and a curious, yet somewhat familiar gameplay loop for fans of the horror genre. Nearly a decade later it is back with remastered visuals and a few little quality of life additions, and is quite a captivating little title especially in short bursts, making it perfect fodder for the Nintendo Switch, if the rather odd action clicks for you and grabs you by the proverbial ghoulies.
After playing for about an hour, it finally clicked with my brain as to what My Night Job reminded me of. Imagine if you will a weird amalgam of Dead Rising and Choplifter, all wrapped up in a 2D 1980s horror aesthetic that recalls Maniac Mansion. If that sounds weird enough as it is, once you start playing there are so many kooky touches within the dilapidated house ‘o horrors setting so as to be almost overwhelming.
The aforementioned gameplay loop involves two aspects: rescuing survivors from the belly of a monster-infested building, against the clock, by accompanying them to the safety of a helicopter evacuation, and ensuring that said monsters do not destroy the building. As things become more frantic, rooms within the property become overrun with creeps who then jump up and down in unison with the aim of literally collapsing the floor and effectively destroying that area.
An on-screen map tells you which rooms are in the most critical state of ongoing destruction, so you end up having to prioritise those areas first, which can become a bit like spinning plates. You are not helped by the fact that despite looking fairly linear on the map, the mansion is deceptively labyrinthine and some areas can only be accessed by going round the houses a little bit, so to speak.
Your character is pretty vulnerable and it is also a game over if your energy bar gets depleted, but you get plenty of weaponry to work with to ensure the survival of both yourself and the oddball menagerie of stranded survivors. Along the way you can use myriad pieces of scenery as weapons, ranging from smashing furniture over zombie cranium, to flying around with a chainsaw that slices through anything in your path. All of the weapons have a limited shelf life before they break. Additional power ups are handed out by the rescue chopper when you drop off certain survivors, such as a nurse who essentially grants an extra life once you are felled.
While this all sounds like a jolly old time, My Night Job does become quite repetitive, quickly, once you have seen all of the enemy types and explored the entire house and seen all of the (admittedly beautifully drawn) denizens and depths it offers. Things are also a little hamstrung by the sheer amount of things going on, onscreen, especially at times when there are a full mob of enemies all leaping up and down to try and bring the house down. Collision detection and hitboxes sometimes feel a bit weird, and you will find yourself overwhelmed and in situations where your weapons are simply not achieving their aim and you get your ass kicked in quick fashion.
For all of its flaws, I still have some love for My Night Job, as it is genuinely funny and rendered in an aesthetic that just oozes charm and likeability. Despite the other games I have mentioned this one really does stand on its own as a unique experience that has the potential “just one more go” appeal, leaderboard and achievement access (including achievements that actually grant in-game buffs – a cool touch). It won’t be for everyone, but if you fancy something a bit odd and like the influences I have laid out, then give it a whirl.
