Info about Black Book: Official game description: Check out new game from Hypetrain ================================= About the Game ============== A fusion of card-based RPGs and Adventure games, “Black Book” is a haunting tale of a young sorceress, who gave her life to serve the dark forces. Dive into the cold, yet alluring world of Slavic folktales - and uncover the secrets that hide in the darkness. A young girl named Vasilisa, destined to become a witch, decides to throw her fate away and marry her beloved - but that dream is shattered when her betrothed dies under mysterious circumstances. Aching for her lost love, Vasilisa seeks out the Black Book - a demonic artifact, said to be powerful enough to grant any wish to the one who uncovers all 7 of its seals. Join Vasilisa in her adventures across the rural countryside, as she solves the woes of common folk by confronting demons and performing exorcisms. * Uncover the seals of Black Book ------------------------------- Unleash hellish spells on your enemies! Collect spell cards and new skills as you progress. * A Historic Adventure -------------------- Solve riddles and complete side-quests as you learn more about life in the Slavic countryside. * Lead a Demonic Flock -------------------- Send demons to do your bidding, but be careful - idle demons will torture you if you don’t find them something to do! * Myths and legends ----------------- Explore a world based on Northern Slavic mythology. Learn from an in-game encyclopedia, created with the help of expert anthropologists - and find all folk tales hidden within the game! Release date: 10 Aug, 2021 Categories: Card-based Gameplay, RPG, Narrative Adventure, Turn-based Combat, Deckbuilding, Exploration, Moral Decision-Making, Multiple Endings - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: No data - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: No data Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Exceptional Narrative and Voice Acting (weight 1): Players consistently praise the game's engaging and well-written story, rich plot, and compelling characters. The full voice acting, particularly the Russian localization, is highlighted as magnificent, immersive, and a significant contributor to the game's atmosphere and overall quality. - Deep Slavic Folklore Immersion (weight 0.69): The game is highly lauded for its authentic and respectful portrayal of Russian and Komi-Permian mythology, history, and folk tales. Players appreciate learning about Slavic culture, traditions, and creatures, finding the setting unique, educational, and a refreshing change from typical fantasy. - Unique Card Combat and Deckbuilding (weight 0.43): The card-based combat system is generally well-received, described as interesting, strategic, and offering satisfying deck-building possibilities. Even players not typically fond of card games found this system enjoyable, with its unique mechanics and synergies. - Captivating and Replayable Experience (weight 0.41): Many reviewers found the game deeply engaging, immersive, and hard to put down, often playing for extended periods or replaying to explore different choices and endings. The game's length, replayability, and emotional impact on players are frequently mentioned. - Overall Masterpiece Status (weight 0.26): Many players consider the game a masterpiece, a hidden gem, or one of the best games they have played. This sentiment reflects a strong overall positive impression, highlighting the game's immersive qualities and memorable journey. - Innovative Mechanics and Worldbuilding (weight 0.23): Players appreciate the game's original mechanics, including its unique combat system, puzzle elements, and the integration of an in-game encyclopedia for lore and puzzle-solving. The game's ability to introduce new mechanics gradually keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging. - Strong Atmosphere and Art Style (weight 0.22): The game's atmosphere is consistently praised as immersive, dark, and beautiful, enhanced by its unique and charming art style. The visuals, though sometimes simple, effectively convey the mood and setting, contributing to a memorable experience. - Conscientious Development and Polish (weight 0.21): Reviewers acknowledge the significant effort and passion put into the game by its developers. The game is seen as a high-quality indie project, praised for its attention to detail, cultural authenticity, and smooth introduction of mechanics. - High-Quality Sound and Music (weight 0.09): The game's soundtrack, featuring folk motifs and traditional Russian music, is highly praised for being atmospheric, immersive, and emotionally resonant. The sound design, including ambient effects and vocal folk songs, significantly enhances the overall experience. - Optional Battle Skipping (weight 0.08): The inclusion of an option to skip difficult battles is highly appreciated by players, especially those who prefer to focus on the story or struggle with card games. This feature allows for a more accessible and customizable experience. Common complaints: - Poor Card Battle System (weight 0.69): The card battle mechanics are widely criticized for lacking depth, strategic variety, and proper balance. Issues include monotonous battles, unintuitive design, frustrating RNG, and a general feeling of being underdeveloped compared to other deckbuilders. - Monotonous & Tedious Gameplay (weight 0.63): Many players found the core gameplay, especially the card battles and overall pacing, to be dull, repetitive, and excessively drawn out. This led to a lack of engagement and a feeling of tedium, causing many to not finish the game. - Subpar 3D Graphics & Animations (weight 0.49): The 3D graphics, character models, and animations are consistently criticized for being low quality, primitive, and ugly. Many reviewers felt the visual style was off-putting and resembled a low-budget mobile game, detracting from the overall experience. - Weak Narrative & Characters (weight 0.49): The story is often described as boring, drawn-out, and predictable, with too many unvoiced and uninteresting dialogues. Characters lack personality, and the plot frequently devolves into tedious fetch quests, failing to immerse players. - Balance & Difficulty Issues (weight 0.48): The game suffers from inconsistent difficulty, with some battles being too easy and others unfairly hard, often requiring specific card sets or leading to stalemates. The overall balance of cards and enemies is problematic, making the game either a cakewalk or frustratingly difficult. - Clunky Exploration & Interaction (weight 0.36): The 3D exploration sections are criticized for awkward controls, cumbersome character movement, invisible walls, and tedious pixel-hunting for interactables. These elements do not add much value and often detract from the experience. - Unclear Mechanics & Lore (weight 0.31): The game struggles to adequately explain its card system and lore, making it daunting for newcomers. Players found card types unclear, mythical names hard to remember, and crucial information about mechanics or item effects poorly conveyed. - Poor Localization & Voice Acting (weight 0.25): Players reported issues with translation quality, including typos, inconsistencies, and grammatical errors. The English voice acting is frequently described as subpar, sometimes not matching the on-screen text, which further detracts from immersion. - Frustrating Save System (weight 0.17): The save system is outdated and inconvenient, often resetting progress to the beginning of an area or quest. This leads to significant loss of progress, repetition of dialogues or puzzles, and general frustration, especially after losing a battle. - Problematic 'Durak' Mini-Game (weight 0.04): The 'Durak' card game mini-game is poorly received due to confusing rules, perceived rigged outcomes, and bugs that lead to unfair losses, causing frustration for players. Gameplay feedback: - Core Gameplay: Card Battler (weight 0.6): The game is primarily a card battler, often compared to Slay the Spire, featuring deck-building, turn-based combat, and various card types (attack, defense, buffs). It blends these mechanics with visual novel, RPG, and adventure elements. - Sin and Morality System (weight 0.27): The game incorporates a 'sin' mechanic where player choices and actions (like sending imps to do bad deeds) accumulate sin points. This morality system influences dialogue, gameplay, and significantly impacts the difficulty of the final boss and the game's ending. - Narrative & Folklore Focus (weight 0.25): The game is deeply story-driven, set in 19th-century Perm, Russia, and heavily features Slavic folklore and Komi-Perm mythology. It combines visual novel elements with exploration, dialogue choices, and an internal encyclopedia for lore. - Optional Battle Skipping (weight 0.17): A significant feature is the option to skip card battles, especially on easier difficulties or after multiple losses. This allows players to focus on the narrative and atmosphere, catering to those less interested in combat. - Multiple Endings & Replayability (weight 0.15): Player choices, particularly those related to the sin system, lead to multiple distinct endings. This encourages replayability, with some achievements and endings requiring specific playthrough styles (e.g., high sin or low sin). - Durak Mini-Game (weight 0.11): A notable cultural inclusion is the traditional Russian card game 'Durak' (Fool) as a mini-game. It can be played to earn money, avoid combat, or gamble, adding a unique flavor to the gameplay experience. - Game Length & Content (weight 0.1): The game offers a substantial playtime, ranging from 20 to 40 hours for a single playthrough, with additional replayability for different endings. It features rich content, including a main quest, side quests, and a leveling system. Performance notes: - Inconsistent Performance & Optimization (weight 0.06): Players report significant FPS drops and lag, even on high-end systems and in menus, indicating poor optimization. However, some users experience decent performance, suggesting inconsistency across different hardware configurations. - Low System Requirements (weight 0.02): Despite performance issues on some systems, the game is noted to run on weaker PCs and entry-level configurations. This suggests the base game might not be overly demanding, but optimization issues are causing problems. - Atmospheric Soundtrack (weight 0.01): The game's soundtrack is praised for being atmospheric and ambient, contributing positively to the overall player experience. This is a strong point for the game's audio design. Recommendations: - Mixed Reception, Worth Trying (weight 0.42): Player sentiment is highly divided, with many recommending the game for its unique aspects while others advise against it due to various flaws. It's often suggested as a worthwhile experience, especially if on sale or if specific genres/themes appeal to the player. - Rich Slavic Folklore & Story (weight 0.35): The game is highly praised and recommended for its deep immersion into Slavic mythology, folklore, and Russian culture. Players who enjoy story-driven experiences, visual novels, and unique settings will find this aspect particularly appealing. - Strong Developer Support & Future Interest (weight 0.17): Many players express strong support for the developers, praising their work and eagerly anticipating future projects, including sequels or similar games within the same universe. This indicates a loyal fanbase and appreciation for the studio's vision. - Gameplay & Combat Concerns (weight 0.12): A significant portion of feedback highlights issues with the gameplay, particularly the card combat system. Some recommend playing on easy difficulty or even skipping battles to enjoy other aspects, while others find the combat tedious or unbalanced. - Russian Voice Acting Recommended (weight 0.06): Players strongly recommend experiencing the game with Russian voice acting and English subtitles. This is believed to enhance immersion and authenticity, especially for those interested in the cultural aspects. - Desire for More Content/Sequels (weight 0.03): Players express a desire for additional content, such as DLC, or a direct sequel to the game. This indicates satisfaction with the core experience and a wish for its expansion. - Story Focus, Skip Gameplay (weight 0.03): Some players suggest that the game is best enjoyed purely for its story, even recommending skipping gameplay sections or watching streamer videos if only the narrative is of interest. This highlights a potential imbalance between story and gameplay appeal. - Replayability for Endings (weight 0.02): Some players express interest in replaying the game to explore different choices, strategies, and achieve varied story endings. This suggests a desire for narrative depth and consequence. - Frequent Saving Advised (weight 0.01): Players recommend frequent saving, especially before entering new locations, to manage potential consequences or explore different outcomes. This points to the importance of player choices and potential for irreversible decisions. - Neutral Review Option Needed (weight 0.01): One reviewer wished for a 'neutral' review option, indicating that the game wasn't bad enough for a negative review but not good enough for a positive one. This suggests a nuanced experience that doesn't fit neatly into binary ratings. - DLC Purchase Caution (weight 0.01): Players are advised to be cautious about purchasing DLC until they are certain they want to engage with the additional content, especially if they tend to skip parts of games. Other player notes: - Rich Slavic Folklore & Setting (weight 0.41): Players highly praise the game's deep immersion in authentic Slavic folklore, particularly from the Perm Krai region. The detailed portrayal of pre-Christian customs, myths, and historical setting is a major highlight, making it an 'encyclopedia' of Russian culture. - Engaging Narrative & Characters (weight 0.31): The game offers a compelling story with interesting characters and well-developed plot twists. Players appreciate the narrative-driven experience, often comparing it to reading a good book, despite its text-heavy nature. - Excellent Russian Voice Acting (weight 0.16): The Russian voice acting is consistently lauded for its high quality, authenticity, and ability to enhance immersion. Many recommend playing with Russian audio and English subtitles for the best experience. - Unique Art Style & Atmosphere (weight 0.15): Despite some initial concerns about basic 3D models, players generally find the game's stylized art, 2D character drawings, and overall visual aesthetic to be pleasant and atmospheric. The unique visual style contributes significantly to the game's charm. - Lengthy & Replayable Content (weight 0.09): Players report varying completion times, with many finding the game longer than expected, especially when pursuing all side quests. The desire for a New Game+ feature and multiple playthroughs for different endings indicates good replay value. - Memorable Soundtrack & Folk Music (weight 0.05): The game's soundtrack, especially its inclusion of traditional Old Slavic folk songs, is highly praised. Players enjoy unlocking and listening to these songs, noting their contribution to the game's unique atmosphere. - Satisfying Endings (weight 0.03): The game's endings are generally well-received, described as touching, satisfying, and providing a reasonable conclusion to the narrative. The variety in possible endings is also appreciated. - Compares to Other Titles (weight 0.03): Players often compare the game to other well-known titles like The Witcher, Slay the Spire, and Deus Ex, highlighting its unique blend of genres and narrative focus within a fantasy setting. - Limited Card System Depth (weight 0.03): Some players found the card game mechanics to be less deep or engaging compared to other aspects of the game. While not a major detractor for all, it was noted as a weaker element. Emotions: - Satisfaction (weight 0.28): Players felt satisfied by the game's rich Slavic folklore, engaging story, and well-developed characters. The high-quality voice acting, atmospheric music, and unique art style significantly contributed to an immersive and enjoyable experience, often exceeding expectations for an indie title. Strategic depth in card battles and meaningful choices also played a role in this positive sentiment. - Disappointment (weight 0.11): Disappointment stemmed primarily from issues with the combat system, which many found boring, repetitive, or lacking depth, especially in the mid-to-late game. Other causes included inconsistent plot pacing, poor 3D graphics, and a perceived lack of challenge or variety in card mechanics. Some players also felt the game failed to live up to its potential or initial expectations. - Frustration (weight 0.11): Frustration was frequently caused by bugs, particularly with the save system, and balance issues in combat, leading to unfair difficulty spikes or tedious boss fights. Players also reported issues with clunky controls, confusing UI, and unclear mechanics, which hindered gameplay. The game's pacing, repetitive elements, and occasional poor translation further contributed to this negative emotion. - Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement was generated by the game's immediate immersion, engaging narrative, and unique cultural experience. Players were thrilled by the overall quality, atmospheric setting, and the fun, fresh approach to the card battler genre. The desire for more content and the game's alignment with personal preferences also fueled this excitement. - Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Players enjoyed the game's atmospheric setting, interesting story, and the integration of Slavic folklore. The engaging voice acting, unique art style, and strategic card gameplay, including the 'Durak' mini-game, provided a pleasant and entertaining experience. The ability to immerse oneself in the cultural content and character interactions also contributed to overall enjoyment. - Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration was directed towards the game's deep immersion in Slavic folklore, its artistic scene design, and the high quality of voice acting and plot. Players appreciated the developers' attention to cultural detail, the strong protagonist, and the overall charm and atmosphere. The game's unique combination of narrative and card roguelike elements also garnered significant praise. - Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciated the game's quality as an indie title, its cultural representation, and the developers' evident love for Russian folklore and history. The unique genre blend, captivating story, and well-designed combat system were highly valued. Features like multiple endings, impactful choices, and the inclusion of the 'Durak' mini-game also contributed to this sentiment. - Interest (weight 0.04): Interest was sparked by the game's unique setting, deep lore, and focus on Slavic folklore and ancient rituals. Players were keen to learn about Russian culture, mythology, and characters, often finding the in-game encyclopedia particularly engaging. The strategic depth of the card-building combat also maintained player interest. - Engagement (weight 0.03): Engagement stemmed from the game's captivating plot, immersive narrative, and rich world-building, often enhanced by strong voice acting. Players were drawn in by the moral choices, interesting mythology, and memorable boss fights. The cultural aspects and the opportunity to learn about Russian folklore also contributed to a deeply engaging experience. - Surprise (weight 0.02): Players were pleasantly surprised by the game's quality, often exceeding their initial expectations, especially if they were not typically fans of the genre. The game's addictive nature, unexpected plot twists, and overall depth contributed to this positive surprise. The sheer volume of content and full voice acting also impressed many. - Joy (weight 0.02): Joy was experienced through character interactions, the inclusion of folk songs, and the overall positive experience of completing the game. Players found immense pleasure in the game's ability to make history interesting and in discovering a game that aligned perfectly with their personal preferences. The diversity of content and the Slavic theme also brought joy. - Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom arose from lengthy and tedious dialogues, repetitive gameplay loops, and combat that became too easy or monotonous. The mid-game story and lore presentation were sometimes perceived as dull, causing players to lose interest. The slow pacing and predictable scares also contributed to this feeling. - Anger (weight 0.01): Anger was primarily caused by game-breaking bugs, poor design choices, and perceived flaws that hindered the gameplay experience. Players felt cheated by the game's issues, leading to feelings of wasted time and money. Difficulty spikes and perceived disrespect from developers regarding poor 3D models or lack of language support also fueled anger. - Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion was achieved through the game's rich Russian mythology, historical context, and captivating atmosphere. The authentic voice acting, traditional folk songs, and detailed depiction of village life and folklore drew players deeply into the game's world. The minimalistic graphics combined with detailed lore also enhanced this immersive experience. - Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement was derived from the game's humor, specific in-game dialogues, and clever references. Players found joy in character actions, such as the protagonist's outbursts or hoarding consumables, and even in the unexpected gameplay due to bugs. The game's language influencing the reviewer's speech also provided a source of amusement. - Love (weight 0.01): Players expressed deep love for the game, often citing its profound personal importance, beautiful music, and the developers' dedicated work. The overall charm, engaging characters, rich lore, and well-implemented card mechanics contributed to this strong affection. The authentic portrayal of Slavic folklore was also a significant factor. - Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation was generated by the desire for more content, future games from the developer, or a direct sequel. Players were eager to re-experience the game's Slavic adventure and expressed hope for similar projects. The game's quality and unique approach left many looking forward to what the developers would create next. - Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude was extended to the developers for their hard work, particularly in preserving and popularizing Russian and Komi-Permyak culture and mythology. Players appreciated the game's accessibility features and the knowledge gained from playing. The evident love and dedication put into the game were also a source of thanks. - Delight (weight 0.01): Delight came from the game's immersive experience in Slavic tales, its amazing attention to folklore details, and the pleasant gameplay. Players were particularly charmed by the cool voice acting, the discovery of acapella songs, and the faithful representation of Slavic mythology. The game's quality, atmosphere, and cultural depth also brought delight. - Neutrality (weight 0.01): Neutrality arose when players viewed the game primarily as a collection of folk tales, with gameplay mechanics that had no major highlights. Some found the good/evil point system unoriginal and the overall appeal acceptable but not outstanding. The lore and art style were noted, but the overall experience did not evoke strong positive or negative emotions.}