Explore Hell and Party with Satan in Night School’s “Afterparty”

Only a week before the arrival of COVID-19 and the sudden shutdowns it caused, I made a snap decision to invest in a Nintendo Switch. I’m not sure whether this was simply coincidence or if some cosmic force was telling me I was going to have a lot of spare time on my hands, but either way, I’m very glad I made the investment.

Like many others, I’ve been spending a lot of time with a number of games in the past few weeks. Among those that I’ve been playing is a sweet little indie title called “Afterparty,” a single-player adventure from Night School Studio that landed on Switch on March 6th. 

“Afterparty” tells the story of best friends Milo and Lola, recently deceased and arrived in Hell, which unexpectedly resembles a college town, filled with bars, parties, and other hangouts for demons and the deceased. With no clue as to how they died, the two embark on a journey to try to return to the land of the living. But to do so, they must face a challenge: to outparty and outdrink Satan himself.

At moments raunchy and offensive, at others touching and heartfelt, the story that “Afterparty” tells is wholly original and captivating. The way the story is told is equally unique, unfolding through a string of conversations and interactions between the two main characters as well as the large cast of demons and monsters they encounter along the way. 

In these conversations, you are given choices as to what Milo and Lola’s responses are. As you do, you in turn shape the personalities of the characters and affect the outcome of the story, which can result in one of numerous possible endings. In between these conversations are a handful of mini-games and challenges, such as beer pong, shot competitions, or dance-offs, that balance out the very narrative gameplay and add in some welcome variation.

The game is truly a wild ride, and the comedy, both through the writing and the voice acting from the cast, is sharp and punchy. Not only this, but the design of Hell itself is fully realized and a blast to explore. Only costing $15 and with multiple endings offering more trips back through the game, “Afterparty” is a great way to kill some time on quarantine, and a blast for anyone looking for some comedy to balance out the seriousness of our situation.