- Innovative gameplay and high quality experience
- Stunning art and atmospheric presentation
- Compelling, cohesive story initially
- Story quality declines significantly late-game
- Excessive jump scares detract from horror
- Lack of voice acting noted by players
Emotions
Players felt satisfied due to the game's high overall quality, including its engaging and intricate story, well-developed characters, and innovative gameplay mechanics. The strong art style, immersive atmosphere, and excellent music also contributed significantly to a fulfilling experience, often exceeding expectations and providing good value for money.
Disappointment primarily stemmed from the game's perceived short length and high price, along with a rushed or anticlimactic ending that left many plot points unresolved or characters underdeveloped. The lack of voice acting and underutilized gameplay mechanics also contributed to a feeling of unfulfilled potential.
Excitement was driven by the game's high quality, suspenseful plot, and creative mechanics, particularly the innovative meta-elements and unexpected twists. Players were often hooked by the initial intrigue and desired more content or a sequel, finding the overall experience engaging and thrilling.
Enjoyment came from the game's overall fun factor, including its engaging story, well-designed puzzles, and charming characters. The unique meta-elements and multi-line narratives also contributed to a pleasant and immersive experience, making the game enjoyable despite any minor flaws.
Frustration arose from abrupt or unsatisfying endings, poorly handled plot details, and a perceived lack of guidance for puzzles, leading players to get stuck. Issues like repetitive dialogue, lack of voice acting, and bugs also contributed to a negative experience, sometimes making players feel tricked by positive reviews.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 87% · Negative 13%. Score: 13 / 100
Positives:
- Players consistently praise the game's overall quality, innovative mechanics, and engaging gameplay experience. The unique meta-elements and clever puzzles are frequently highlighted as major strengths, contributing to a highly immersive and satisfying experience that feels fresh and distinct from other games in its genre.
- The story is widely acclaimed for its compelling narrative, intricate plot twists, and well-developed characters. Players appreciate how all plot threads converge logically, providing a satisfying and coherent conclusion, making the narrative a significant draw.
- The game's artistic presentation, including its unique art style, character designs, and atmospheric music, receives strong positive feedback. These elements are consistently praised for enhancing immersion and contributing significantly to the overall appeal and quality of the game.
- The game is highly regarded as an excellent visual novel, particularly within the mystery and horror genres. Reviewers note its effective use of suspense and horror elements, which are generally well-balanced and not overly reliant on jump scares, making it accessible even for those not typically fond of horror.
- The game's horror elements, particularly jump scares, are generally well-managed and not overwhelming, making the game approachable for a wider audience. The innovative use of a 360-degree rotating camera is specifically noted for enhancing immersion and contributing to the suspenseful atmosphere.
Negatives:
- Many players felt the game started strong but significantly declined in quality towards the middle and end. This includes issues with the plot becoming rushed, predictable, or anticlimactic, underdeveloped characters, and a shift in genre/atmosphere that disappointed initial expectations, particularly regarding horror and 'curse battle' elements. The true ending, in particular, was frequently criticized for being unsatisfying, illogical, or undermining previous events.
- The game's frequent and often 'cheap' jump scares, particularly in the early stages, were a major point of contention. Many players found them annoying, excessive, or a deterrent, with some even considering refunding the game due to them.
- A significant number of players expressed disappointment over the complete lack of voice acting for characters. They felt this omission negatively impacted immersion, character engagement, and the overall emotional impact of the narrative, especially for a visual novel-style game.
- Players noted that several unique or interesting game mechanics and narrative concepts introduced early on, such as the 'Curse Manifestation' system and meta-elements, were underutilized or abandoned in later parts of the game. This resulted in missed opportunities for deeper gameplay and storytelling.
- Many reviewers found the game's price to be too high, especially considering its relatively short length and the perceived lack of content or depth in the later stages. This led to a feeling of low cost-effectiveness.
Gameplay:
- The game is primarily a mystery or detective visual novel with supernatural elements, rather than a pure horror game. While it features jump scares and horror elements, these are mostly concentrated in the early stages or prologue, with the narrative shifting towards investigation and suspense later on.
- The core gameplay involves point-and-click interactions, text reading, and command selection, typical of a visual novel. Players navigate through dialogue, investigate scenes, and make choices to advance the story, often requiring camera rotation to find clues.
- The narrative is structured with multiple intertwining character perspectives and timelines, requiring players to switch between them to gather information and progress. This multi-threaded approach is crucial for uncovering the full story and solving the central mystery.
- The game is relatively short, with most players completing it within 7-10 hours. It generally does not require multiple playthroughs to experience all content, though some achievements might encourage re-visiting scenes.
- Player choices, particularly in dialogue and key decisions, influence the story's progression and lead to multiple endings. While some choices are superficial, others are critical for unlocking different paths, including a hidden true ending that may require specific actions or external guidance.
Performance:
- Players consistently report excellent performance on the Steam Deck, noting smooth gameplay without lag or freezing. This indicates strong optimization for the portable platform.
- A few players experienced game crashes specifically in the late-game, though thankfully no progress was lost. This suggests potential stability issues during later stages of gameplay.
- One player noted that their PC fan runs loudly during gameplay, despite the game not appearing to be graphically intensive. This could indicate unoptimized resource usage.
- A specific accessibility tip was provided for players with astigmatism, suggesting that turning off post-processing might improve their visual experience. This is a niche but helpful piece of feedback.
Recommendations:
- The overwhelming sentiment is that the game is highly recommended and a worthwhile experience, often described as a masterpiece or excellent work. Many players express strong satisfaction and encourage others to play it, with some even calling it their 'Game of the Year'.
- The game is particularly recommended for fans of visual novels, mystery, horror (especially light horror or supernatural themes), and specific titles like Zero Escape, Ace Attorney, and Danganronpa. It's also suggested for those interested in Japanese folklore and narrative-driven puzzle games.
- Many players recommend purchasing the game, especially when it's on sale or at a discounted price. While some believe it's worth the full price, a significant portion suggests waiting for a sale to get the best value, particularly given its length.
- There is a strong desire among players for a sequel or more games in the series. Many express anticipation for future installments and hope that Square Enix continues to develop similar titles, often wishing for returning characters or expanded lore.
- Players strongly advise going into the game with as little prior knowledge as possible to maximize the experience. Avoiding spoilers, walkthroughs, and external information is recommended to fully enjoy the narrative and mysteries.
Miscellaneous:
- Players generally found the game to be short, with most completing it within 7-15 hours, even for full completion. While some felt it was a bit too short, others found the length appropriate for the price and lack of 'filler' content.
- The game is highly recommended for fans of visual novels, especially those who appreciate strong storytelling, unique direction, and stimulating text. It also appeals to players looking for cinematic experiences and well-crafted mysteries.
- A significant highlight for players was the game's integration of Japanese urban legends, folklore, and the real-life Sumida Ward. This aspect enhanced immersion and even inspired some players to visit the actual locations.
- The game features high-quality Chinese and Korean localizations, which were greatly appreciated by players. However, there were mentions of a bug with Chinese input and a general lack of Korean guides.
- While marketed as a horror-mystery, many players found the game not particularly scary, with horror elements mainly relying on sound effects and jump scares. Some players, however, did experience anxiety or fear.
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