Info about The House in Fata Morgana:

Official game description:
You awaken in a decrepit old mansion.  
A woman with eyes of jade stands before You, informing You that You are the Master of the house, and she Your Maid. However, You have no memories, no concept of self—or, indeed, any certainty that You are even alive.  
The Maid invites You to join her on a journey through the mansion's lifeless halls, to behold the numerous tragedies that have befallen its residents. She suggests that among them, perhaps You will find some trace of Yourself.  
Beyond the first door lies the year 1603.  
It is an era of unparalleled beauty, where art and theatre flourish. Roses bloom abundantly in the garden where the inseparable Rhodes siblings play, and though they appear to be free of worry and strife... not everyone is content to see them happy.  
Beyond the second door lies the year 1707.  
In this era, the mansion lies in ruins, and a beast dwells within. He claims to yearn for a life of serenity, but it is not long before he yields to his innate savagery and a massacre ensues.  
Beyond the third door lies the year 1869.  
In this technologically advanced era, people are always on the move. The mansion's master is an ambitious businessman who has invested in the rail industry. However, his obsession with wealth and power leads him to neglect and mistreat his wife.  
Beyond the fourth door lies the year 1099.  
The Maid tells You that this is the final tale. In this era, You see a young man who claims to be cursed and a girl with white hair, called Giselle, who has been branded a witch and marked for death.  
Having borne witness to these four tragedies, each set in a different time and place, You are now free to choose whether You wish to end Your story here... or press on.  
But there are those who would say,  
"You were able to bear them because they weren't _your_ tragedies."

Release date: May 13, 2016

Categories: Visual Novel, Narrative-driven Gameplay, Choice-based Narrative, Character-driven Narrative, Atmospheric Horror, Multiple Endings, Branching Narrative, Story-driven Gameplay

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 90; verdict: Broken; summary: The Steam Deck experience for this game is marred by several significant issues. Users have reported limited controller support, game-breaking bugs that prevent progress from being saved, launch issues such as blue screens and black screens, and stability issues including crashes and black screens during gameplay. These issues collectively result in a frustrating and often unplayable experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that users find the game worth its price, even at full price. Multiple reviews mention that the game is worth it, with specific mentions of $25 being a fair price. Additionally, users highlight the extensive content and high quality of the game, which supports the higher end of the price range. The overall sentiment is that the game provides significant value for the price paid.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: 21.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 42.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides multiple mentions of playtime hours from different users. The quotes '21小时的时长' and '30小时的流程' suggest typical playtimes for game completion. '42小时长' and '30 or 40 hours' indicate longer play sessions, which could be interpreted as endgame content or more thorough playthroughs.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a slow and repetitive start that tests players' patience, but those who endure the initial hours are rewarded with a compelling and emotionally engaging story.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Emotional payoff and narrative progression
  - Time to anchor: 15h 0m
  - Friction: Slow pacing; Repetitive dialogue; Boring early content
  - Unlock drivers: Enduring the slow start; Engaging narrative progression
  - Conditions: Patience; Willingness to endure slow pacing; Interest in emotional payoff
- Player Archetypes:
  - Story-First Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Engaging and immersive storytelling
    - Playstyle: Thoroughly enjoys and appreciates the narrative and artistic elements, often replaying to fully understand the story.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: 视觉小说爱好者; 故事驱动型玩家
    - Reference games: 浮生物语; 哑舍
  - Critical Story Skeptic (sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking a well-paced and engaging story without excessive drama or convoluted plot twists.
    - Playstyle: Prefers straightforward and engaging narratives, often critical of pacing and plot development.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: 剧情挑剔者; 叙事怀疑论者
    - Reference games: A Song of Ice and Fire
  - Atmosphere Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Immersive and unique visual and auditory experiences.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys games with strong atmospheric elements, often replaying to experience the art and music.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: 艺术爱好者; 氛围追求者
    - Reference games: A Song of Ice and Fire


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 Storytelling and Narrative (weight 0.89): The game features a well-written, engaging, and intricate story with unique structure and masterful twists. Players praise the narrative as a masterpiece with deep and complex characters, making it one of the best stories they have experienced.
- Emotional Depth and Impact (weight 0.6): The game provokes deep emotions and explores thought-provoking themes. Its emotional impact is profound, with a narrative that is both moving and impactful, leaving a lasting impression on players.
- Outstanding Soundtrack (weight 0.37): The soundtrack is highly praised for its beauty and emotional impact. It features exceptional vocal tracks and is described as hauntingly beautiful, enhancing the overall experience.
- Chinese Language Praise (weight 0.31): Chinese-language reviews highlight the game's moving story, rich content, and strong immersion. The narrative is described as grand yet emotionally detailed, with each chapter well-written and engaging.
- Surprising Plot Twists (weight 0.29): The game is filled with surprising and engaging plot twists. These twists are well-executed, logical, and add to the overall suspense and enjoyment of the story.
- Beautiful Art and Imagery (weight 0.22): The game features beautiful and evocative imagery, with gorgeous and haunting art. The visual style is unique and stunning, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal.
- Deep Character Development (weight 0.2): The game features deep and complex character development. Characters are well-written, multi-sided, and contribute significantly to the story's depth and engagement.
- Unique Gothic Atmosphere (weight 0.11): The game has a unique Gothic fantasy atmosphere, combining reality and two-dimensional Gothic style. The art direction and music contribute to this distinctive atmosphere.

Common complaints:
- Pacing issues throughout the game (weight 0.49): Many players have noted that the game suffers from pacing issues, particularly at the beginning and in certain chapters. The slow pacing makes the game feel dragged out and boring in places.
- Melodramatic and flawed story (weight 0.44): The story has been criticized for being melodramatic and clichéd. Some players found the narrative structure and plot points to be flawed and contrived.
- Illogical and forced plot points (weight 0.25): Several players have pointed out that some plot points feel illogical, forced, or unrealistic. This includes sudden plot twists and plot logic issues.
- Unsatisfying ending and boring story (weight 0.16): The ending of the game has been described as disappointing and unsatisfying. Additionally, some players found the overall story to be boring and uninteresting.
- Verbose and repetitive dialogue (weight 0.16): The dialogue in the game has been criticized for being long-winded, excessive, and repetitive. This contributes to the overall feeling of the story being dragged out.
- Poor character development and design (weight 0.12): Characters in the game have been criticized for being poorly developed and designed. Some players found the character designs to be unnecessary and unappealing.
- Lack of technical features (weight 0.11): The game lacks certain technical features such as widescreen support and voice acting. Additionally, the resolution is limited to 540p with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
- Art style issues (weight 0.09): The art style has been noted as inconsistent, with some images feeling like rough drafts. This includes issues with broken perspectives and incorrect body proportions.

Gameplay feedback:
- Visual novel with narrative focus (weight 0.49): The game is a visual novel that emphasizes narrative and character development, featuring multiple endings, acts, and perspectives. It includes atmospheric elements and minimal interactivity, focusing on a story-driven experience.
- Narrative-driven gameplay mechanics (weight 0.31): The gameplay is heavily driven by its narrative, with emotional depth and character-driven stories. It includes non-linear storytelling and chapter-based progression, providing a deep and engaging experience.
- Multiple endings and branching paths (weight 0.2): The game features multiple endings and branching paths, allowing players to experience different story twists and outcomes based on their choices.
- Unique structure and perspectives (weight 0.13): The narrative is divided into chapters or doors, each offering a new plot and perspective. This unique structure is masterfully executed, providing a fresh take on storytelling.
- Gothic and horror elements (weight 0.09): The game incorporates Gothic fantasy and psychological horror elements, creating a dark and atmospheric experience.
- Music and art style integration (weight 0.09): The game features a unique art style and original soundtrack, integrating music and visuals to enhance the overall experience.
- Extended prologue and backstory (weight 0.09): The game includes an extended prologue with separate early chapters, providing a deep and backstory-heavy introduction to the narrative.
- Historical settings and tragic events (weight 0.08): The story is structured as a collection of loosely connected short stories, each depicting tragic events in various historical settings. The language remains modern, avoiding clichéd historical speech.

Performance notes:
- Steam Deck Compatibility Issues (weight 0.08): Players reported mixed experiences with the game on Steam Deck, including troubleshooting and performance issues.
- Resolution and Graphics Issues (weight 0.08): There are reports of resolution problems, particularly on 4K screens, and general graphical issues that require patches to improve.
- Audio Quality Concerns (weight 0.08): Players have noted poor speaker audio quality and better audio-visual experiences on platforms other than the one in question.
- Additional Features on Other Platforms (weight 0.05): There are mentions of additional content and features, such as a rewind feature, available on other platforms that are not present in this version.
- General Compatibility (weight 0.03): The game runs well on most modern computers, indicating broad compatibility with current hardware.
- Backgrounds and Visuals (weight 0.03): Some feedback mentioned issues or comments related to the game's backgrounds and overall visual quality.

Recommendations:
- Highly praised for its story (weight 0.21): The game is strongly recommended for its deep, emotional, and impactful story. Players appreciate the intricate narrative and well-developed characters.
- Highly recommended to everyone (weight 0.08): Many players highly recommend the game to anyone considering it, emphasizing its broad appeal.
- Remaid of Dreams patch recommended (weight 0.08): Players suggest using the fan-made Remaid of Dreams patch to access all content and improve technical and visual aspects.
- Praised for music and art (weight 0.06): The game is highly recommended for its music, art style, and ambience, which are standout features.
- Recommended for genre fans (weight 0.06): The game is recommended to those who enjoy visual novels and are not averse to the format.
- Recommended for patient players (weight 0.05): The game is recommended to those with patience and tolerance for dark themes, offering a literary experience with depth and tragedy.
- Play with headphones (weight 0.03): Players recommend using headphones for an enhanced experience.
- Considered a true work of art (weight 0.03): Some players consider the game a true work of art, highlighting its unique qualities.
- Recommended for unique art styles (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for players who appreciate unique art styles.
- Encourages persistence through slow start (weight 0.03): Players are encouraged to keep going even if the start is slow, as the experience improves.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Joy (weight 0.18): Players experience joy from the game's engaging narrative, beautiful art style, and emotional depth. The combination of a well-written story, captivating music, and unique artwork creates a deeply immersive and satisfying experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.17): Players admire the game's masterful storytelling, exceptional art and music, and profound emotional impact. The depth of character development, thematic exploration, and unique narrative structure contribute to a highly regarded and deeply moving experience.
- Sadness (weight 0.1): The game's tragic and emotionally resonant story evokes sadness in players. The portrayal of life's tragedies, unfairness, and the emotional impact of the story and characters lead to a deeply moving and often tear-inducing experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.06): Players feel frustrated due to the game's slow pacing, repetitive gameplay, and technical issues. The dragged-out parts of the game, plot issues, and unrealistic plot points contribute to a less enjoyable experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the game's excellent storytelling, well-written characters, and beautiful art and music. The emotional impact, high-quality translation, and the game's handling of difficult topics contribute to a deeply valued experience.
- Awe (weight 0.04): The game's intricate plot, beautiful art style, and emotional depth inspire awe in players. The unique narrative structure, character depth, and evocative imagery create a profound and memorable experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.03): Players feel disappointed due to the game's rushed ending, lack of depth, and slow pacing. The perceived lack of quality in the expansion and the inferior PC version contribute to an overall negative experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): The game's engaging storyline, unique art style, and high-quality music create excitement in players. The emotional rollercoaster, plot twists, and immersive experience contribute to a thrilling and captivating experience.
- Moved (weight 0.02): Players are moved by the game's emotional impact, beautiful and sad story, and excellent BGM. The combination of immersive soundtrack and emotional storytelling creates a deeply touching experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.02): Players feel satisfied with the game's completeness, emotional impact, and overall quality. The well-written characters, good music, and art contribute to a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): The game's plot twists, character developments, and unique approach to themes create surprise in players. The unexpected story twists and emotional depth contribute to a surprising and engaging experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's memorable quotes, characters, and music. The pleasure of starting a story and being completely captivated by it evokes a sense of nostalgia and a desire to revisit the game in the future.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players express deep love for the game's story, characters, and overall experience. The beautiful game elements, including the soundtrack and art, contribute to a deeply cherished and admired experience.
- Engaged (weight 0.02): Players feel engaged by the game's detailed text, engaging story, and masterful storytelling. The art style and story development contribute to an immersive and captivating experience.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Players feel grateful for the game's emotional impact, personal healing, and representation. The game's story and the experience of encountering this work contribute to a deeply appreciated and touching experience.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players feel anger due to the game's boredom, slow plot progression, and negative experience with the story and characters. The unsatisfying story and character development, as well as overused tropes, contribute to a frustrating experience.
- Engrossed (weight 0.01): Players feel engrossed by the game's deep and engaging story, unique story structure, and character development. The story and suspense contribute to an immersive and captivating experience.
- Bored (weight 0.01): Players feel bored due to the game's slow pacing in later chapters and the boring story. The dragged-out ending contributes to a less enjoyable experience.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Players are shocked by the game's tragic and beautiful story. The emotional impact of the story creates a deeply moving experience.
- Reflectiveness (weight 0.01): Players feel reflective due to the game's deep and meaningful themes, and emotional impact. The themes and lessons learned from the game contribute to a thought-provoking experience.}