The interactive narrative game Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 has concluded its first season with a decisive victory for the Hawkins party against creatures from the Upside Down, though the finale leaves the storyline open for further installments. The game, which was released as a narrative adventure title, places players in control of a new character named Nikki as she navigates supernatural threats in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana.
After confronting several unique enemies, including enemies referred to as “snow sharks” and “Jerk-O-Lanterns,” the player character and the established party from the television series achieve a hard fought victory. The game’s narrative structure, however, does not provide a definitive conclusion for the characters, including Nikki, and instead sets up potential plot threads for future content.
Background and Narrative Context
Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 is a point and click adventure game developed by Bonus Level Entertainment and published by Netflix. The story is set within the universe of the popular Netflix series and takes place approximately one year after the events of the show’s third season. Players control Nikki, a new character who becomes involved with the main Hawkins group.
The game features voice acting from the original cast of the television series and uses a pixel art style to replicate the 1980s aesthetic of the source material. The narrative was designed to be canon adjacent, meaning it respects the events of the show but introduces original storylines that do not directly impact the main television plot.
Key Plot Points and Enemy Encounters
The story in Tales From ‘85 follows Nikki as she moves to Hawkins and discovers a new threat emerging from the Upside Down. The “snow sharks” were described as creatures that could move through snow drifts and ambush the player, while “Jerk-O-Lanterns” were animate jack-o-lanterns that required specific puzzle solutions to defeat.
The game culminates in a confrontation where the characters believe they have permanently closed the rift to the alternate dimension. The developers have confirmed that the ending is deliberately ambiguous, suggesting that additional episodes or seasons of the game could be developed depending on audience reception.
Character Outcomes and Future Possibilities
The fate of Nikki and the other characters is left intentionally unresolved. The game concludes with a scene that implies the Upside Down threat may not be fully neutralized, which is consistent with the television series’ ongoing narrative of recurring dangers from the alternate dimension. No official announcements have been made regarding a sequel or additional downloadable content for the game.
Bonus Level Entertainment has not provided a timeline for future releases. The game is currently available on multiple platforms including PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles.
The open ended conclusion of Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 mirrors the serialized nature of the source material, where new threats frequently emerge after previous ones are contained. No further details on potential follow up content have been released by the publisher or developer at this time.
Source: Mashable
