Night in the Woods has been praised as one of the best story-driven video games around since its initial release in 2017. The emotional single-player adventure soon garnered a dedicated fanbase due to a provoking mystery that unfolds throughout the story, an endearing cast of characters, and nuanced, relatable writing, that does an amazing job of addressing mental health struggles.
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You take control of a young adult named Mae who's recently returned to the quaint town of Possum Springs after suddenly leaving college. Feeling lost in place, she soon gets reacquainted with her home and old friends, and discovers just how much has changed in the time she's been away. It's a story that will pull at your heartstrings. At the center of Night in the Woods is the longing for the nostalgia of easier days, the desire for purpose, and the comfort of forgetting the rest of the world with those you hold closest for just a little while. Needless to say, Night in the Woods features some wonderfully memorable quotes.
Updated on December 19, 2022 by Casey Foot: We thought we’d update this list to include more quotes to look out for on your journey through Possum Springs. As it’s a narrative-driven game, there’s lots of dialogue for you to uncover, and there might even be some here that you missed. Talking to each NPC (sometimes even multiple times) is definitely worthwhile if you want to experience everything the game has to offer.
15 ‘The Woods Will Never Be The Same, Man. I Changed Them.’
This quote is said by Mae after she breaks a log alongside Gregg, leading to a heart-to-heart between the two characters. Although they only made a small difference to the woods by breaking the log, Mae and Gregg have left a mark, changing the woods forever.
This philosophy can be applied to other things outside this situation, as even small changes we make can have larger impacts than we might realize. As Mae says, although she doesn’t have the power to make a huge difference, she can still make changes that contribute to the world around her.
14 ‘If Anyone’s Gonna Ruin Your Night, Mae, It Really Should Be You.’
Depending on the dialogue options you pick at the party in the woods, Gregg can say this line to Mae if she initially says she won’t speak to Cole. Although a minor piece of dialogue in the game, Gregg’s humorous words ring true, as you shouldn’t let what other people think of you ruin your night.
Rather than letting what others are doing or saying bother you, you should focus on yourself - even if it means you make mistakes sometimes. While this appears to be a throwaway line, it’s especially applicable to Mae, as others in town have preconceived ideas about her because of what she did in high school.
13 ‘Some Night I Will Catch A Bus Out To The West Coast / And Burn Their Silicon City / To The Ground.’
Selmers is a character you speak to regularly, and she has a new poem to offer Mae each time they see each other. Her poems are often humorous, covering topics such as entering ‘the juice zone’ and having cold pizza for breakfast.
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Because of their previous interactions, Mae tells Bea that Selmers writes ‘really funny dorky short poems’ - but when you go to see her at the poetry society, they’re shocked by her poem ‘There's No Reception in Possum Springs.’ It discusses capitalism and the lack of opportunities in Possum Springs, inspired by Selmers’ experiences. This line from the end of the poem is particularly impactful, as it shows Selmers’ anger towards her situation, in comparison to those in the city who take their privilege for granted.
12 ‘She’s Really A Nice Person, Even If She Doesn’t Know It.’
Mae befriends Lori while exploring Possum Springs - the two become fast friends and hang out on the train tracks, with Lori telling Mae about her love for horror movies and her plan to make her own movie one day. After Mae is found unconscious and taken back to the church, Lori wishes for Mae to be okay, saying that Mae’s a nice person, despite her not knowing this herself.
This is a touching moment that shows that Mae has made a difference in Lori’s life, becoming a positive influence on her. Although Mae can be hard on herself sometimes, she has lots of positive qualities that others see. As this quote shows, you can make a big difference in someone’s life without realizing you’re doing so, just by sharing your kindness.
11 ‘Gregg’s My Corner.’
Angus and Gregg are an example of opposites attracting, as Angus’ quiet personality complements Gregg’s more outgoing one, making them a well-balanced couple. In this quote, Angus perfectly summarizes their relationship, as he compares Gregg to a safe place - in this context, a secluded corner at a party.
Even when Angus does things that are outside his comfort zone, he’s able to have confidence simply by knowing that Gregg is there to support him. From this one line, we’re able to tell a lot about their relationship, and the sweet way that they’re able to help one another.
10 'My Entire Life Feels Like Running After Something That Keeps Moving Away Into The Distance, While I Stay In The Same Place.'
Spoken by the lovable but rather cynical Bea, this quote carries a considerable amount of weight in Night in the Woods and within a lot of lives in general. There are often many times in life when you seem to be working towards an impossible dream while watching others meet theirs. It's frustrating and can often feel like you are chasing something that can never be caught.
This quote is perfect for Bea and gives her that moment of vulnerability that lies underneath her cold attitude thanks to the damage in her past.
9 'I Want To Grow Giant And Pick You All Up And Carry You Somewhere Safe.'
Mae is a rather energetic personality but one that seems to carry a considerable amount of hurt and self-depreciation within herself. Such a past has brought both players and Mae to realize just how fond and loyal she is to her friends, which is encapsulated within this quote.
It's one of those quotes that just seems to sum up a character perfectly. All her loyalty and love is poured out into this line and many will understand her frustration with being unable to just make everything better for her friends.
8 'We Begin And We End, At Night, In The Woods. But That Is Not The Whole Of The Story.'
Nothing is more satisfying than when a film or a game knowingly references its title. Especially when it seems to go into more detail about the meaning itself.
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This quote is spoken by the Janitor who is filled with mysteries and an impressive amount of wisdom for someone who seems so mundane in his mannerisms and design. Nevertheless, most of the words he speaks force you to think and reminisce on what he actually means. This is undeniably one of them and many are instantly sure he does not necessarily mean it literally.
7 'Everything Comes So Easy For You. I Want To Feel Good About Myself The Way You Do. And I Don't Know How.'
Perhaps one of the main reasons Night in the Woods became such a success is how meaningful the quotes really are. Sometimes they make you laugh, and sometimes you end up relating to them just a little more than you either expected or wanted. This is one of those cases.
It's another time in which you really get to delve into the struggles Bea seems to be having with herself and those around her. However, it's also reminiscent of those struggles everyone has as a young adult who is trying to find their way in life and their own personalities.
6 'You Are Atoms, And Your Atoms Are Not Caring If You Exist.'
As it always seems to be, the gods speak in riddles. However, this is one of those occasions where it doesn't feel like a riddle. Instead, it just feels brutally honest and a little harsh.
The Sky Cat is not one to mince their words, even if they can be a little hard to decipher on occasion. Nevertheless, this was the first time The Sky Cat almost felt a bit mean towards Mae. After all, you don't really want to be told your own body doesn't care if you exist.
