Nocturnal Is Free on Steam Right Now, But Only Briefly

Nocturnal opens with a sharp, simple hook: a side-scrolling action-platformer that usually costs $16.99 is free on Steam for a limited time. The PC version is free to keep until April 26 at 10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT, and that matters because this isn’t a trial or a subscription perk — if you claim it in time, it stays in your library. For players who like compact action games with a clear premise, this is the kind of promotion that’s easy to justify and hard to ignore.

That timing gives PC players a low-risk way to sample a 2023 indie game that has already earned strong word of mouth. Nocturnal has more than 420 Steam reviews and a “very positive” user rating, while Metacritic gives it an 81 average metascore and a “generally favorable” assessment. In plain terms, this looks like a smart freebie rather than a desperate giveaway, and the free-to-keep deal only through Steam makes the offer feel time-sensitive in the right way.

What Is Nocturnal?

Nocturnal comes from Sunnyside Games and Dear Villagers, and it launched in 2023 as a side-scrolling action-platformer, action game, and Metroidvania-style release. The game is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, but only the PC version is free right now and only through Steam. That makes the promotion especially relevant for players who’ve been waiting to see whether the game justifies its $16.99 asking price.

The developer describes Nocturnal as a game where you play as Ardeshir, a soldier of the Enduring Flame, returning to his homeland, Nahran, after many years of absence. A mysterious Mist has thrown the island into chaos, and Ardeshir uses a flaming sword and powerful abilities to confront its mysteries and free Nahran. That setup gives the game a clear action hook, and for genre fans the appeal is obvious: short, focused, and built around a strong central mechanic rather than endless padding.

Nocturnal is an action game where you play as Ardeshir, a soldier of the Enduring Flame, returning to his homeland, Nahran, after many years of absence. Following the appearance of a mysterious Mist, the island has recently fallen into chaos, and Ardeshir must wield his flaming sword and use powerful abilities to confront its mysteries and free Nahran.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Nocturnal gives Ardeshir a flaming sword, and the source says that weapon dispels a dynamically generated Mist that spawns evil creatures. That matters because the Mist isn’t just background dressing; it changes the spaces you move through and creates a constant pressure to keep pushing forward instead of lingering in one place. Add in the “powerful abilities” the developer mentions, and the game sounds built around quick, decisive action rather than slow, methodical attrition.

The fact that Nocturnal takes around three hours to complete tells you a lot about the pacing. This is a streamlined experience centered around a singular concept, so players shouldn’t expect a sprawling Metroidvania with dozens of hours of map-cleanup and upgrade hunting. Instead, the shorter runtime suggests a tighter loop, where each encounter and traversal section needs to earn its place, which can be a strength if you want a game that doesn’t overstay its welcome.

Visuals, Audio, and Performance

The source doesn’t break down frame rate targets or technical options, so the safest read here comes from the game’s structure and presentation. As a side-scrolling action-platformer, Nocturnal leans on readable movement, enemy placement, and the visual clarity needed to track the Mist and the creatures it spawns. That kind of setup lives or dies on feedback, and the premise suggests the game wants players to react quickly as they move through Nahran.

What the article does confirm is that players can also buy the soundtrack and art book, which points to a game that puts real weight on its presentation. That’s a useful signal for anyone who cares about atmosphere in a compact action game, because a three-hour run only works when the art and music do enough heavy lifting to make the world stick. Nocturnal 2 also gets a mention here, and the sequel’s demo gives curious players a way to see where Sunnyside Games is taking the formula next.

What Doesn’t Work

The biggest limitation isn’t a bug or a broken system. It’s the scope. Nocturnal takes around three hours to finish, which means players looking for a long-term Metroidvania to live in for weeks will probably bounce off its length, even if the core idea lands well. That brevity can feel refreshing, but it also means the game has less room to surprise players who want a denser progression curve or a larger world to dissect.

There’s also a practical catch with the promotion itself: the game is free only for PC users on Steam, not across every platform where it exists. Anyone on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X still has to pay the normal $16.99 price. That’s not a flaw in the game, but it does limit the value of the giveaway for anyone outside the Steam ecosystem.

Nocturnal earns its attention for three clear reasons: the free-to-keep Steam deal, the strong critical and player response, and the promise of a focused action game that doesn’t waste your time. If you want a compact Metroidvania-style run with a flaming sword, a mysterious Mist, and a sequel already on the horizon, this is an easy claim. If you want a longer game or you’re not on PC, the pitch gets less urgent fast, but for Steam users this is exactly the kind of promotion worth grabbing before the clock runs out.