Baby with superpowers: playing Goodnight Universe on the Switch 2
11/12/2025
Translation: Eva Francis
Pictures: Michelle Brändle
I play a baby who’s anything but ordinary. My psychic powers even get me kidnapped. I played the Switch 2 version of Goodnight Universe. My verdict? There’s one decisive disadvantage compared to the PC version.
With bleary eyes, I try to take in my surroundings. After blinking three times, I realise I’m a baby being stared at and entertained by my parents. I can barely move anything except my little chubby hands – for now. All I can do is observe my surroundings. After my grandfather says his last words to me, I realise something’s not right here. Suddenly, I’m able to move objects.
Not an ordinary game
Goodnight Universe is an interactive story with an exciting perspective. I explore my surroundings from the point of view of a baby. Most of the time, I observe and listen to my family talking. It becomes interactive when I discover my telekinetic abilities. At first, I can use them to move objects and read minds. Every now and then, I make decisions that influence the story, even if only slightly. I might, for instance, choose how I feel at the moment or what I want to say to my family.
The story progresses at a leisurely pace and with little to discover in the scenes. The controls for using my powers are limited to the right shoulder button and the B button. I look around the room via the Joy-Cons. Like in a point-and-click game, this is how I find objects that I can move.
When I (baby Isaac) initially feel bad about being such a handful for my family, I decide to help. So I put away toys in boxes, adjust the night light, open the bookcase and fill it. It’s fun and calming at the same time. Things get a bit more action-packed when I become the target of an organisation and am kidnapped. More on that later.
The story is the core of the game
If you’re expecting a lot of action, this game’s not for you. Despite supernatural powers and mysterious elements, it centres around realistic, profound topics: a broken family with trust issues and generational conflict.
Through Isaac’s perspective, I find myself in the middle of these conflicts. As a spectator who experiences all the emotions and thoughts of the family but can’t do much, I feel very close to the action. Thanks to my ability to read minds, I gain insight into my father’s daily challenges when he tells me a bedtime story. And I find out that my sister has problems at university and with her love life. If I want to, I can influence their lives.
My possibilities to intervene in the story are limited. The narrative has a clear sequence and all I can do is add my two cents here and there. Sometimes this is just a reaction to a statement by the family – laughter or tears, for example. When I start playing the game, I have the urge to intervene a little more in the events. Later, however, I get used to the leisurely pace of the story and snuggle up on the sofa while playing.
The game isn’t very challenging. As mentioned earlier, the story’s linear and there’s not much freedom of action. Occasionally, there’s a tricky task. Once, for instance, I have to demonstrate my powers to Cleo by guiding a toy train through many obstacles without it derailing. This requires a quick reaction time.
I particularly enjoy when I have to scare my kidnappers by setting their house on fire. To do this, I need to ignite the objects in the right order and cause as much chaos as possible. These puzzles are tricky, but manageable.
The only times it takes me several attempts to master a task are when they require precise control. Once, for example, I have to clear enemies out of the way using the joystick as a cursor. That’s not easy, as the controls are shaky and imprecise. While this suits a toddler like Isaac, it feels unintentional and irritating to me.
On the Switch 2, it would be possible to use the Joy-Con controllers as a mouse. Didn’t the developers think of that? Apparently, there’s going to be an update to enable a unique control method that’s already available on PC: using Isaac’s abilities via eye and face tracking. In other words, if I close my eyes, I can read other people’s minds. This would, theoretically, be possible on the Switch 2 thanks to camera support.
Beautiful graphics and otherworldly soundscape
Actor Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick, Thunderbolts) is the voice actor for baby Isaac. He does a perfect job, and there’s good reason why Isaac has such a deep voice. I won’t give away more about that – you’ll have to find out for yourself as the story unfolds. I can only play the game in English, but the other languages are available as subtitles.
The graphics are minimalist and slightly abstract. I like it. It emphasises the absurd atmosphere and works really well with the sci-fi tinged background music. The soundscape’s also exciting. To be able to read the thoughts of the other characters, I first have to find the right frequency. This sound gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Nice.
Goodnight Universe has been available as a physical version for PS5 and Switch 2 since 9 December 2025. I bought the Switch 2 version for this review.
In a nutshell
The controls spoil the gaming experience
The story of baby Isaac and his family is adorably told, and the mystical atmosphere and unusual perspective draw me into the action. At first, I’m bothered by my limited possibility to interact with the story. But after a while, I get used to it and let myself be carried away by the story and the mysterious soundscape.
The controls on the Nintendo Switch 2 are disappointing. While the PC version tracks my eyes and face, I have to do everything with the Joy-Con on the handheld. I hope there’ll be an update soon to make the experience more magical.
Nevertheless, the idea behind Goodnight Universe is implemented in an exciting way and plays with possibilities I’ve never experienced in a game before. Together with the minimalist graphics, the story is entertaining, and with a playing time of just under four hours, it’s perfect for a snowy Sunday.
Pro
- Sweet family story
- Baby skills are well integrated into the story
- Nice graphics and great dubbing voice
Contra
- Controls on Switch 2 not quite there yet
- No real challenges
Header image: Michelle Brändle
In my world, Super Mario chases Stormtroopers with a unicorn and Harley Quinn mixes cocktails for Eddie and Peter at the beach bar. Wherever I can live out my creativity, my fingers tingle. Or maybe it's because nothing flows through my veins but chocolate, glitter and coffee.
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