Info about Hermitage: Strange Case Files:

Official game description:
  
**_~ WELCOME TO HERMITAGE! ~_**  
_But beware: Ye who enters here might start questioning reality as they know it..._  
Investigate mysterious cases by taking on the role of a less than motivated bookshop owner, a former anthropology professor who for unknown reasons has never been seen outside of his bookstore.  
With the help of a hacker genius on the run, a self-proclaimed detective and a short-tempered legal consultant, you must get to the bottom of a row of horrific incidents, bearing in mind the supernatural horrors that lurk within the pages of Hermitage's Lovecraftian book collection.  
**Key Features**  
*   **Experience a unique adventure**.....with a popular visual novel style  
*   **Collect clues**......through dialogues, TV news, web forums, phone messages and emails  
*   **Get leads**......by talking to other characters and choosing an approach that fits the target’s personality  
*   **Unlock character skills**......and pass test trials at certain moments throughout the game  
*   **Use the pinboard**......to link and analyze characters and events  
*   **View character backstories and skills**......to help you along if you reach a dead end in during your investigations  
*   **Confirm your suspicions**......by matching your intel and assumptions to provide proof  
*   **Decide which path your story will take**......by unlocking various storylines through the choices you've made

Release date: Oct 26, 2021

Categories: Visual Novel, Deductive Reasoning Puzzle, Choice-based Narrative, Lovecraftian Horror, Character Interaction, Dialogue-Based Puzzle Solving, Narrative-driven Gameplay


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 34.0h
  - Story completion: 24.4h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides multiple data points on the total playtime required to complete the game and its main story. The quotes mention specific hours spent on the game, which can be used to estimate the typical playtime metrics. The evidence suggests that the game completion time is around 28 to 40 hours, while the story completion time is around 18.5 to 30.4 hours. There is no direct evidence for session length or endgame hours, so those fields are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts slow and may not be immediately fun due to boring dialogue and confusing story, but it can become enjoyable as players get more invested in the characters and narrative.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Character investment
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Boring dialogue; Incomprehensible story; Slow pacing
  - Unlock drivers: Character development; Story progression
  - Conditions: Patience for slow pacing; Interest in character-driven stories
- Player Archetypes:
  - Story-First Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Engaging with rich narratives and lore.
    - Playstyle: Immerses themselves in the story, appreciating detailed narratives and unique art styles.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Lovecraftian lore fan; cosmic horror fan
    - Reference games: Visual novels with paranormal mystery genres
  - Cautious Recommendation (sale)
    - Motivation: Finding unique and different gaming experiences.
    - Playstyle: Selective and cautious, preferring to recommend games with caveats.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Selective gamer
    - Reference games: Games with unique art styles and genres


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:
- Compelling story and characters (weight 0.97): The game features an interesting and unique story with a good message, creative ending, and well-developed characters. The narrative is detailed and well-executed, with engaging mysteries and cases.
- Distinctive and charming art (weight 0.39): The game has a unique and charming art style that stands out. It incorporates an old-school aesthetic that players find appealing and distinctive.
- Positive overall impression (weight 0.23): Players generally liked the game, praising its writing, conversations, and overall enjoyment.
- Engaging gameplay mechanics (weight 0.2): The gameplay elements are interesting and engaging, with some interactive elements that add to the overall experience.
- Excellent soundtrack (weight 0.2): The game features a jazzy and gorgeous soundtrack with various themes that enhance the overall atmosphere.
- Effective Lovecraftian elements (weight 0.19): The game incorporates Lovecraftian elements and atmosphere effectively, handling the Lovecraftian aspect better than many actual Mythos authors.
- Unique visual novel experience (weight 0.13): The game is an interesting visual novel with supernatural twists, offering a unique experience within the genre.
- Easy achievement system (weight 0.12): The game has an achievement system that players find easy to complete.
- Good translation (weight 0.12): The game features a decent and good translation overall, making it accessible to a wider audience.

Common complaints:
- Translation and script errors (weight 0.52): The game suffers from various translation issues, including typos, script errors, and inconsistent translations that affect the gameplay experience.
- Unclear and frustrating clues (weight 0.44): Players find the clues during investigations to be vague and frustrating to figure out. This issue is particularly problematic during deduction phases, where it can be hard to understand what the game wants.
- Slow pacing and verbosity (weight 0.39): The game is often described as slow-paced and verbose, with excessive length and info dumps that can make the narrative progression tedious.
- Dialogue and personality issues (weight 0.32): The game's dialogues are often criticized for being monotonous and lacking personality. This issue is compounded by translation problems that make the dialogues feel dry and overly literal.
- Rushed and confusing final chapters (weight 0.25): The last two chapters of the game are criticized for feeling confusing, rushed, and disconnected from the rest of the story.
- Confusing story progression (weight 0.25): The story progression can be confusing, with plot points that are hard to understand and mysteries that remain unexplained.
- Linear and boring gameplay (weight 0.2): The gameplay is criticized for being linear, especially in the last third of the game, and can be boring due to the slow pace and lack of meaningful player choices.
- Visual and sound design issues (weight 0.18): The game has been criticized for having ugly characters, basic backgrounds, and jarring sound design.
- Trial-and-error gameplay (weight 0.14): The gameplay often involves trial-and-error mechanics, which can be frustrating for players.
- Bugs and progress issues (weight 0.14): There are specific bugs reported in Chapter 4 and other parts of the game that can prevent progress.
- Underdeveloped character backgrounds (weight 0.13): Some characters in the game have underdeveloped backgrounds, leading to a lack of depth in character development.
- Filler content and arbitrary elements (weight 0.13): The middle of the game can feel like filler, and some interactive elements feel arbitrary, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- Control and skipping issues (weight 0.12): Players have reported issues with controls on deck and slow skipping speed during dialogues.
- Achievements and puzzle issues (weight 0.12): Some achievements are not working, and puzzle parts can be hard to complete due to various issues.
- Unpolished and not recommended (weight 0.08): The game is described as unpolished and not recommended for its price point, with various issues affecting the overall experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Deduction and clue mechanics (weight 0.56): The game features a deduction system where players use clues to solve mysteries. This involves selecting clues during investigations and using them to make deductions.
- Visual novel with interactive elements (weight 0.5): The game is primarily a visual novel with some interactive elements, including decision-making, puzzles, and investigative components. Players engage in linear storytelling with limited player choices.
- Research and exploration (weight 0.39): Players can explore various areas, browse forum posts, books, and other resources to gain knowledge and clues. This includes using a bookshelf for important information and exploring through books, forums, and TV.
- Story and narrative focus (weight 0.33): The game is story-focused with a linear narrative that includes multiple chapters and different cases. Players advance the narrative line-by-line and can explore character behaviors and postures.
- Horror and supernatural themes (weight 0.29): The game incorporates cosmic and Lovecraftian horror elements, along with supernatural and detective themes. It creates a scary atmosphere without relying on jump scares.
- Gameplay mechanics and systems (weight 0.28): The game includes various mechanics such as a save and reload system, a thought button mechanic, and perception checks. Players also engage in fight sequence directions and RPG-like movement.
- Multiple endings and choices (weight 0.19): The game features multiple endings based on player choices, although some choices may not significantly alter character relationships or story paths. There are also sections with bad endings.
- Problem with unclear objectives (weight 0.08): Some players have noted issues with unclear objectives, similar to problems seen in the Ace Attorney series. This can make it difficult for players to know what to do next.
- Rough translations in gameplay (weight 0.07): Certain portions of the gameplay have rough translations, which can affect the overall experience and understanding of the game.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Lovecraftian theme appeal (weight 0.45): The game is highly recommended for fans of Lovecraftian themes, cosmic horror, and supernatural mysteries. It caters to those who enjoy visual novels with a strong emphasis on Lovecraftian lore.
- Unique and engaging story (weight 0.25): The game is praised for its unique storytelling and is considered worth the time and money spent. It is recommended for those who enjoy getting lost in a visual novel and for its story alone.
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.15): Several reviews suggest that the game is worth purchasing, especially when it is on sale. This indicates that while the game is valued, it might be best experienced at a discounted price.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Enjoyment (weight 0.26): Players appreciate the overall experience, highlighting specific chapters, character chemistry, and creative scenarios. The gameplay mechanics, such as the book shelf mechanic, along with mysteries, deductions, and the engaging stories and artwork, contribute significantly to their enjoyment.
- Frustration (weight 0.19): Bugs, particularly in Chapter 4, and control issues are major sources of frustration. Translation issues, unclear objectives, and tedious narrative progression also contribute to player frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Players feel disappointed due to issues with the last two chapters, unused books, and character design. The story's excessive length, lack of expected content, and unpolished nature with script errors also lead to disappointment.
- Engagement (weight 0.16): The engaging mysteries and immersive setting, along with a rich plot and interesting characters, keep players engaged. The clever and tense first case, along with the lovely art style and stylish UI, further enhance this engagement.
- Interest (weight 0.07): The unique art style and detailed narrative generate player interest. The game's distinct approach as a visual novel experience also piques their curiosity.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the good soundtrack and art style. The unique storytelling approach combined with the soundtrack is also highly valued.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): The enjoyable narrative and characters lead to player satisfaction. The story and characters are consistently highlighted as sources of enjoyment.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Players experience confusion due to issues with story progression and comprehension.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): The overall gameplay experience leads to feelings of boredom for some players.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Enjoyable characters, story, and soundtrack generate excitement among players.}