Not Tonight 2

Effective political satire seems more difficult the more bizarre real life gets, and this game places itself in a position of commenting on a strange time in American history with stranger humor. The effectiveness of Not Tonight 2 will come off differently for players with different senses of what should or shouldn't be made fun of. Some of this lies in generational humor, like one character’s joke about only being able to get work from apps like Bouncr despite having an Ivy League degree, or in subcultural “in-jokes," like the nerdy city full of wizards vs. knights drama. There are also a few levels where you play as a factory worker directing chickens (who hand off IDs and have an "exclusive" guest list the same way humans do) to their impending transformation to food. This type of gallows humor has the potential to be a negative influence on younger players, so keep this in mind when considering this title’s appropriateness for younger teens.

As far as gameplay goes, this title’s biggest success shows itself as the player gets acquainted with the BouncR app gig mini-games. Each level takes place over the course of a night, with players checking everything from IDs to masks to dress codes to special passwords. It may sound strange to those who have never understood the appeal of the off-base simulators that have grown in popularity in recent years, like Bee Simulator or Job Simulator, but there's something enthralling about this gig work simulator that will keep players coming back for more. Not Tonight 2 takes mundane work and turns it into a game by adding familiar elements like puzzles or timed mechanics. It also takes a potentially mundane story about working gigs to fund a cross-country road trip and turns it into a surrealist adventure -- highlighted by interactions with mysterious club owners as well as with various apocalyptic and supernatural settings. What results is a unique game pulling inspiration from multiple genres and spotlighting a diverse in-game cast and team of creators.