The End Is Nigh

 Switch
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. God is a Geek
    Dec 14, 2017
    70
    Despite being a fun, challenging platformer, The End is Nigh is too similar to Super Meat Boy and the comparison does it no favours whatsoever. It does work very well on Switch though, especially in handheld mode.
  2. Video Chums
    Dec 10, 2017
    68
    If Super Meat Boy is Edmund McMillen's gold medal then The End Is Nigh receives a bronze at best. With repetitive gameplay and unintuitive progression, you won't be missing out on much by not playing this 2D platformer.

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best Switch Game of 2017
70
#70 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
84
#84 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 52
  3. Negative: 6 out of 52
  1. jeffbizloc
    Oct 8, 2018
    4
    I usually enjoy platformers but didn't get too far with The End is Nigh.

    Pros: - Controls were good Cons: - Atmosphere was too    I usually enjoy platformers but didn't get too far with The End is Nigh.

    Pros:
    - Controls were good

    Cons:
    - Atmosphere was too minimalist for me
    - Game was too difficult for me
    - Had to go through entire chapters again to get to a certain stage    … Full Review »
  2. LuccaSSC
    Jan 2, 2018
    7
    Despite being a fun, challenging platformer, The End is Nigh is too similar to Super Meat Boy and the comparison does it no favoursDespite being a fun, challenging platformer, The End is Nigh is too similar to Super Meat Boy and the comparison does it no favours whatsoever. It does work very well on Switch though, especially in handheld mode.… Full Review »
  3. TheFlannelFox
    Dec 14, 2017
    9
    When Ash, the only survivor after the apocalypse and YouTuber begins a live stream, Oh no! A tragic error breaks his gear. Without anythingWhen Ash, the only survivor after the apocalypse and YouTuber begins a live stream, Oh no! A tragic error breaks his gear. Without anything else to do he decides it’s time to make a friend from scratch, which in true Ed McMillen macabre fashion, means he will be collecting body parts in order to do so. Grab a heart, a head, and a body to frankenstein yourself a brand new amigo.

    With that in mind grab that pro controller because you have quite the platforming challenge ahead of you. Leaving the nest, you walk through a tutorial showing you the basic mechanics of the game. In that time meeting some funny little characters, which actually made me laugh out loud.

    Dying to play
    Each screen is a contained scene, unlike most platformers where the camera follows you, it lays out your challenge and you have to break it down into little micro moments in order to venture to the next screen. In each new screen you collect a tumor, which can be used later to open up new parts of the game. After you get the tumor you, make it off screen which saves the tumor capture, because if you die, the challenge restarts. All of the enemies are back to their original position, the tumor must be recaptured, and you still must hook hop your way to victory.

    Meating Expectations
    A Lot of people have been comparing The End is Nigh to Super Meat Boy. While it does have quite a bit of similarities. Like the Fast re-entry after death, the incredible difficulty, and the cute yet creepy aesthetic...which feels like it takes place in the same universe as Meatboy. Mechanically the games are quite different. Ash, like meatboy feels great to control and his movements are very finely tuned, as they must be for such a precisely difficult platformer, however he cannot wall slide or wall jump. Instead he can hang on to little hooks on the wall, jump out from them, or pull them down to reveal new sections of each level. Furthermore, pressing RZ, propels Ash downward which is used swimming quickly through toxic water or plummeting at hawk like speeds to smash through stone barriers, opening new areas to explore. Having some amazing secrets to discover The End is Nigh is a bit of a metroidvania. Learning new abilities, using new objects, and collecting enough souls, opens up new creepy caverns to explore.

    We’re in RETRO-grade
    Throughout the game you collect NES-Like cartridges that contain mini games, which you can warp back to the beginning stage, which ironically is named the end. In order to play them on your little tube television. These little 8-bit challenges are punny throw backs to classics. However, the gameplay of The End is Nigh is retro by it’s very nature...this is not a game that you will beat in two hours or casually play through while also catching up on some netflix series. Each challenge brings with it many lives lost. Each life getting a little further and further, learning how to solve each gruesome puzzle. Eventually you will reach a light bulb moment, when you figure out how to reach that level’s tumor and get to the exit. Followed by the realization that now you actually have to do it.

    Verdict
    If you are a fan of Edmund’s games such as I am, then you already are aware of the extreme difficulty. Well The End is Nigh will certainly not disappoint you. Like Super Meatboy and The Binding of Issac, there are moments when you want to pull your hair out, followed by immense satisfaction when getting past a difficult challenge. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then maybe this isn’t for you, because this is a high difficulty twitch response adventure that requires everything you’ve got. However, if looking back on the number of deaths you've died and watching that number grow exponentially makes you laugh and jump back into action. Then The End is Nigh is certainly the game for you. Already tried and testing platforming mechanics mixed with new and innovative puzzles. Make a fresh, funny, and fantastic addition to your Switch library.

    Be sure to watch my video review at YouTube channel TheFlannelFox,

    See ya next time Switchers!    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »