Info about Dordogne:

Official game description:
  
Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience, embarking on a vibrant journey that will awaken your senses and evoke warm memories.  
Play as Mimi, exploring the precious recollections of your childhood and the times shared with your late grandmother. As past meets present, confront your adult choices with fond childhood memories to uncover lost family secrets.  
Explore Dordogne landscapes of a thousand summer colors, within sumptuous hand-painted watercolor environments. During your adventure, recall the moments, the panoramas, the scents, the sounds, and the sensations. Recount these vivid memories in your journal as a recollection of Mimi’s family past that’s unique to your experience and a nostalgic, touching reflection of your journey.  
• Explore the stunning landscapes of Dordogne in hand-painted watercolors  
• Embark on a unique and heartwarming narrative experience  
• Awaken your senses as you explore childhood memories  
• Collect photos, sounds and scents to create your journal, unique to your adventure

Release date: 13 Jun, 2023

Categories: Narrative Adventure, Single-player Story, Environmental Storytelling, Point-and-click Adventure, Puzzle Solving, Collectibles, Crafting, Mini-game Collection


- 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:
- Stunning Hand-Painted Art Style (weight 1): Players consistently praise the game's unique and stunning hand-painted art style, particularly its watercolor aesthetic. This visual approach is frequently cited as a major highlight, creating a beautiful, immersive, and nostalgic atmosphere that makes the game feel like a living painting.
- Relaxing & Cozy Experience (weight 0.88): The game is widely described as a relaxing, cozy, and emotionally resonant experience. Its gentle pacing, simple gameplay, and overall charming atmosphere contribute to a feeling of peace and comfort, making it an ideal choice for unwinding.
- Emotional & Nostalgic Story (weight 0.77): The narrative is deeply emotional and highly relatable, often evoking strong feelings of nostalgia and personal childhood memories, especially those related to family and grandparents. The story's ability to connect with players on a personal level is a significant strength.
- Excellent Soundtrack & Sound (weight 0.52): The game's soundtrack and sound design are consistently praised for enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion. The music is described as beautiful, pleasant, and perfectly fitting the game's mood and visuals.
- Captivating French Countryside Setting (weight 0.51): The game effectively captures the beauty and atmosphere of the Dordogne region in France, often drawing comparisons to Studio Ghibli films. This setting, combined with the art style, creates a unique and enchanting sense of place.
- High-Quality Voice Acting (weight 0.11): The quality of the voice acting, particularly the Chinese, French, and Spanish dubbing, is frequently highlighted as exceptional. This attention to localization adds warmth and authenticity to the characters and narrative.
- Simple & Accessible Gameplay (weight 0.06): The game's simple point-and-click mechanics and easy-to-solve puzzles are generally well-received, contributing to a relaxed gameplay experience. The short length is also seen as a positive, preventing the game from overstaying its welcome.

Common complaints:
- Clunky & Tedious Controls (weight 0.4): Players consistently report that the game's controls are clunky, unintuitive, and often frustrating, especially for precision tasks and object manipulation. This issue is exacerbated by unnecessary, repetitive mini-games and interactive sequences that feel like filler, hindering immersion and overall enjoyment. The linear and restrictive movement, combined with fixed camera angles, further contributes to a tedious gameplay experience.
- Confusing & Unresolved Story (weight 0.38): The narrative is widely criticized for being confusing, fragmented, and rushed, with an abrupt and unsatisfying ending. Key plot points, character relationships (especially between Mimi, her father, and grandmother), and mysteries are left unexplained or unresolved, leading to a lack of emotional connection and overall coherence. The storytelling method, often relying on flashbacks and collectibles, further detaches players from the core plot.
- Poor Value & Short Length (weight 0.28): Many players feel the game offers poor value for its price, citing its short duration and low replayability. The gameplay is often described as boring, simplistic, and lacking substance, leading to a general sense of disappointment and a feeling that the game is unfinished or 'half-baked.'
- Frustrating Achievement System (weight 0.18): The achievement system and collectible mechanics are a major source of frustration for completionists. The absence of a chapter select feature forces players to replay entire chapters or even the whole game to find missed items or achieve specific conditions, which is particularly annoying given the unskippable cutscenes and tedious gameplay segments. Many collectibles feel pointless and are difficult to find without a guide.
- Limited Scrapbook Creativity (weight 0.04): The scrapbook creation system, intended as a core gameplay element, is too restrictive and lacks creative freedom. Players are limited in how they can arrange elements and are often forced to restart if they want to make adjustments, making the process tedious rather than enjoyable.
- Inconsistent Visuals & Character Design (weight 0.04): While the game's overall art style is often praised, the mixed 2D and 3D visuals, particularly the character models interacting with 2D objects, are perceived as artificial and sometimes visually jarring. Some players found the character designs unappealing, especially the adult protagonist.
- Insufficient Text & Fragmented Lore (weight 0.03): The game's text volume, including crucial story information, is considered too small, leading to a fragmented understanding of the plot if collectibles are not diligently gathered. The reliance on scattered letters and tapes for narrative details can disrupt the game's flow and coherence.

Gameplay feedback:
- Simple, Linear, Narrative-Driven Gameplay (weight 0.42): The game is primarily a short, linear, narrative-driven experience, often described as an interactive story or visual novel. Its gameplay is simple, focusing on exploration, basic interactions, and light puzzles, designed for a relaxing and casual experience rather than challenge.
- Dual-Timeline Memory Recovery Story (weight 0.29): The core story revolves around Mimi, an adult woman, returning to her deceased grandmother's house to recover lost childhood memories. The narrative unfolds across dual timelines, alternating between adult Mimi's present-day exploration and young Mimi's summer experiences with her grandmother in 1982.
- Collectibles and Journal Creation (weight 0.15): A significant gameplay mechanic involves collecting various items such as words, stickers, photos, and sound recordings. These collectibles are used to create and personalize Mimi's journal or scrapbook, serving as a tangible representation of her recovered memories.
- Short Playtime, Replay for Completion (weight 0.12): The game is relatively short, with a typical playthrough lasting 3-5 hours. While some collectibles can be found via chapter select, certain achievements or full collection may require multiple playthroughs, extending the completion time to around 7-10 hours.
- Cozy Daily Life Mini-Games (weight 0.04): Gameplay includes various mundane, cozy mini-games and daily life activities such as cooking, organizing, repairing, and interacting with objects. These simple tasks are integrated to enhance the nostalgic and immersive experience.
- Subplot with Character Renard (weight 0.03): A specific subplot involves Mimi's encounter with a character named Renard, who is initially perceived as a 'thief.' This storyline includes shared secrets, a misunderstanding involving a watch, and a resolution during a flood.

Performance notes:
- Minor bugs, mostly stable (weight 0.03): While some players reported minor graphical glitches and general bugginess, a significant portion of feedback indicates a largely bug-free experience. This suggests that any existing bugs are not widespread or game-breaking for most users.
- Excellent Linux/Steam Deck support (weight 0.02): The game demonstrates excellent compatibility and performance on Linux, specifically with Proton, and runs smoothly on the Steam Deck. Players noted low battery usage and the ability to complete the game without issues on portable devices.
- Performance dips in boating scenes (weight 0.01): Several players experienced noticeable frame rate drops and slowdowns specifically during boating or kayaking scenes. This suggests a performance bottleneck in these particular segments of the game.
- Linux mouse pointer bug (weight 0.01): A specific and disruptive bug was reported where the mouse pointer on Linux would randomly reset to the top-left corner during minigames. This significantly impacts gameplay for Linux users in those sections.
- Reported input delay (weight 0.01): One review mentioned significant input delay, which can severely impact gameplay responsiveness. While only one instance, input delay is a critical performance issue.

Recommendations:
- Highly Recommended Experience (weight 0.4): The game is widely recommended by players, especially for those who enjoy relaxing, emotional, and narrative-driven experiences. Many highlight its artistic beauty and suitability for a calm playthrough.
- Buy on Sale (weight 0.1): While generally recommended, many players suggest purchasing the game during a sale or as part of a bundle. This indicates that while the experience is valued, the full price might be considered high for its content.
- Not Recommended by Some (weight 0.04): Some players strongly advise against buying the game, citing gameplay issues despite its visual strengths. This suggests a significant disconnect for some between the game's presentation and its interactive elements.
- Suitable for All Ages (weight 0.02): The game is considered suitable for a wide audience, including children and families, making it a good option for shared gaming experiences.
- Desire for a Sequel (weight 0.02): Players are interested in a sequel to explore unresolved plotlines, indicating engagement with the story and characters. However, one player also expressed no desire to return to Dordogne soon.
- Use Gamepad for Controls (weight 0.02): Players strongly recommend using a gamepad over a keyboard and mouse due to clunky or awkward controls. This is a crucial usability tip for new players.
- More Games Like This Needed (weight 0.01): Players express a desire for more games of this kind, indicating that the game fills a niche for unique, narrative-focused experiences that are currently underserved.
- High Replayability/Regret Not Playing Sooner (weight 0.01): Some players express regret for not having played the game sooner or look forward to replaying it in the future, highlighting its lasting positive impression.
- Experience Over Challenge (weight 0.01): The game is recommended primarily for its experience and story, but not for players seeking complex challenges or intricate puzzles, as it falls short in those areas.
- Collecting Not for Completionists (weight 0.01): The collecting process within the game may not be enjoyable for completionists, suggesting that the game is better suited for casual players.
- Switch Voice Acting Language (weight 0.01): Players recommend switching voice acting to other languages, particularly French, for a more authentic or improved experience, suggesting potential issues with localization in some languages.

Other player notes:
- Narrative Fairy-Tale Adventure (weight 0.05): The game is often described as a narrative adventure or 'walking simulator' with a fairy-tale quality, reminiscent of titles like 'Life is Strange' or 'The Little Prince.' It's seen as a gentle, story-driven experience that could appeal to both adults and children.
- Explores Themes of Loss & Grief (weight 0.04): The game explores profound and often melancholic themes such as grief, loss, misunderstandings, and the passage of time. It delves into the complexities of family relationships and the process of moving forward while appreciating past experiences.
- Affordable Price Point (weight 0.02): Several players noted that they acquired the game at a very low price, or even for free, indicating that it has been available through promotions or bundles.
- Studio Closure Concerns (weight 0.02): There is regret among players regarding the reported closure of the development studio. This situation raises concerns about future updates or additional content for the game.
- Similar Art Style Comparisons (weight 0.01): The game's art style has been compared to other titles like 'Cardo' and 'The Cartographer,' suggesting a recognizable aesthetic within the indie game space, blending 2D and 3D elements.
- Overwhelmingly Positive Emotional Impact (weight 0.01): Some players expressed an overwhelmingly positive emotional response to the game, describing it as magnificent, full of love, and providing significant spiritual enjoyment.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.24): Players felt satisfied due to the game's beautiful art style, immersive and emotionally resonant story, and overall polished experience. The dual-timeline narrative, well-paced story, and engaging content, often with positive family themes, contributed significantly to this positive sentiment. The game's value for money, especially when obtained for free, also enhanced satisfaction.
- Disappointment (weight 0.11): Disappointment stemmed primarily from the game's perceived lack of gameplay depth, short story length, and fragmented or uninteresting narrative. Players also cited issues with clunky controls, unfulfilled plot potential, and a high price point for the content offered. Specific complaints included finicky interactions, repetitive mini-games, and an unsatisfying or abrupt ending.
- Admiration (weight 0.1): Admiration was overwhelmingly driven by the game's stunning visual artistry, particularly its unique watercolor art style, and exceptional sound design and voice acting. Players were deeply impressed by the attention to detail, the emotional impact of the story, and the overall high quality of the artistic direction. The game's ability to evoke strong emotions through its beauty and narrative also contributed to this feeling.
- Frustration (weight 0.1): Frustration was largely caused by clunky and awkward controls, slow movement speed, and repetitive or tedious gameplay mechanics, especially during collectible hunting and mini-games. Players also expressed frustration with confusing or unresolved plot points, technical bugs, and issues with the save system or achievement tracking. The game's linearity and lack of player agency further contributed to this negative emotion.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.08): Nostalgia was a strong emotion, primarily evoked by the game's themes of childhood memories, family, and the past, often specifically relating to grandmothers and summer vacations. The story's relatability and its ability to transport players back to their own personal childhood experiences and memories were key drivers of this feeling. The game's atmosphere and visual style also played a role in fostering this nostalgic sentiment.
- Joy (weight 0.06): Joy was experienced through the game's beautiful visuals, heartwarming story, and overall cozy and immersive atmosphere. Players found delight in the game's artistic elements, engaging narrative, and the positive emotional impact it had, often evoking pleasant childhood memories. The game's charm, accessibility, and ability to provide a refreshing and beautiful experience contributed to this feeling.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Appreciation was felt for the game's delicate art style, fitting music, and well-crafted story. Players valued the beautiful graphics, sound design, and voice acting, particularly the Chinese voice acting. The game's overall concept, execution, and its ability to deliver a beautiful and engaging experience at its price point were also highly appreciated.
- Sadness (weight 0.02): Sadness was primarily caused by the game's emotional and bittersweet ending, often involving themes of loss, separation, and reflection on aging or passing relatives. The story's ability to evoke personal memories and tear-jerking moments, along with unresolved plot points, contributed to this feeling. The news of the studio's closure also caused sadness for some players.
- Moved (weight 0.02): Players were moved by the game's heartfelt, delicate, and universal story, particularly its exploration of family ties, nostalgia, and emotional impact. The touching narrative, often evoking childhood memories, and the emotional ending were significant factors in eliciting this feeling. The personal connection players felt to the story's themes also contributed to being moved.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment stemmed from the game's engaging story, beautiful art style, and overall pleasant gameplay experience. Players found pleasure in the exploration, discovery, and interactive elements, including the diary system and mini-games. The game's atmospheric and visually appealing design also contributed to a genuinely enjoyable experience.
- Awe (weight 0.02): Awe was primarily inspired by the game's stunning visual beauty, particularly its magnificent watercolor art style and animation. Players were deeply impressed by the unique charm of the art, the graphic style, and the sheer amount of work evident in the visuals. The game's ability to evoke powerful emotions through its artistic presentation also contributed to this sense of awe.
- Comfort (weight 0.01): Comfort was derived from the game's warm, healing, and cozy atmosphere, often described as feeling like 'grandma's home.' The game's gentle pacing, ease of play, and its ability to provide kindness and childish joy contributed to a relaxing and comforting experience. Players found the game to be healing and calming for their mood.
- Calmness (weight 0.01): Calmness was a result of the game's relaxing gameplay experience, slow pace, and soothing atmosphere, enhanced by its cozy style, music, and story. The beautiful visuals and soundtrack contributed to a tranquil mood, allowing players to feel at ease and experience mood alleviation.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Excitement was generated by the game's stunning visuals, captivating soundtrack, and the anticipation of advancing in the story. Players were thrilled by the overall high quality of the game, the emotional rollercoaster it provided, and the joy of exploring for hidden collectibles and breathtaking views. The puzzles and exploration also contributed to a desire to play more.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom arose from uninteresting or repetitive gameplay, a perceived lack of meaningful gameplay, and a narrative that failed to engage. Players found certain tasks tedious and the overall experience unengaging, sometimes due to a lack of patience for the game's specific genre or pace. Useless scenes and clunky controls also contributed to this feeling.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion stemmed from the game's fragmented and understated story, leading to unanswered plot questions and difficulty in piecing together the narrative. Players were also confused by unclear developer intent, narrative choices, and an ambiguous target audience. The lack of clear guidance and issues with collectible placement further contributed to this confusion.
- Contentment (weight 0.01): Contentment was felt due to the game's overall quality, its relaxing atmosphere, and its well-suited pace and mood. The harmonious blend of story and art contributed to a sense of satisfaction and comfort, making for a pleasant and fulfilling experience.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game was expressed through its beautiful artwork, engaging story, and exploration elements. Players deeply appreciated the game's artistic quality, emotional impact, and its themes of family and life. The binder mechanic was also a specific element that garnered affection.
- Relaxation (weight 0.01): Relaxation was achieved through the game's calming gameplay, serene atmosphere, and soothing music. Players found the overall game experience to be unwinding and suitable for a leisurely afternoon, particularly enjoying the freedom from worrying about achievements.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance was caused by specific character portrayals (e.g., the father), issues with locked voice languages and poor voice acting, and frustrating mechanics like the scrapbook or missed collectibles. Players also found unnecessary realistic interactions, long filler moments, unclear paths, inconsistent perspectives, and constant guidance for tasks to be annoying.}