Cinders

Ok, so I don't have this on GOG. I own and have played through this two times. The art style is amazing and wonderfully detailed. This is not my kind of game for a number of reasons. However this really caught me off guard. My wife originally got it and I wound up playing it. If you love story and character depth as much as I do then this will cure that itch. I won't spoil the game and there are much better reviews on this here but its really worth it if you are thinking about it yes put it in your cart on sale or not this game is a buy.

I am as far away from the target audience as possible and this is my first VM, so take everything with a grain of salt. I bought it largely on a lark with perhaps a faint hope of something like some mature spins on fairy tales published as short stories (and no, I don't mean erotic). Not much of that here: this is the same fairy tale you know, without really much difference to how the story plays out, regardless of your decisions: you can end up with different romantic interests, different relationships with some of characters and choose your 'happily ever after' variant, but don't expect differences on par with some RPGs. I don't think most adults would find much of interest here, except maybe in a nostalgic moment, as the 'maturity' of the characters boils down to them being two-dimensional rather than being describable in one word. The game fails the 'show, don't tell' rule a couple of times and is a bit too direct with its message: 'everyone has their motives to what they do, no one is completely good or evil'. This is understandable, as it's really short - I completed it in a little over four hours - and it really has its niche in the kid/early teen market. There are precious few games which even try to paint all their characters as real people, with good and bad sides, which you would actually want your child to play. One particular issuesI have with it, which I suspect is highly personal, is that reaching reconciliation with your step family can be seen as an achievement (in gaming terms). Considering how abusive and toxic they are, and that you had to live through years of such treatment before the events of the game, I don't think that anyone should be championing the idea of turning the other cheek: it's really not anyone's job to fix other people at the cost of their own well-being; Considering the agenda, I wished this was somehow addressed.

This is a fun few hours. It is a visual novel so expect to be reading. The art of the game is great. Your choices do shape the personalities of the characters and their fate. So there is plenty of replayability. Your choices even effect the personalities of those around you as well. If you aren't a fan of reading text then this game isn't for you. There is no voice acting in the game. My only complaint is the sound. It is quite loud. Your only options is on or off with no adjustments. I would have liked to turn down the music to hear the sound effects better.

Gorgeous game, beautifully drawn - with a limited cast and a limited number of locations, but all of them rich and engrossing... almost but not really based on the classic tale. You have to be in the right mood for this, truly - it's a very peaceful experience and if you just want to skip to the end, you'll regret it and you won't get anything out of it. It has a plethora of branching storylines and a bunch of endings, the main character is believeable, relateable and well written. One storyline takes about 2 hours in a leisurely run, but you'll need about 5 if you want to experience everything. Saving is supported and you can save on top of pivotal plot choices so you can explore other endings. I had a peaceful evening playing this, totally would recommend if you feel nostalgic and want a great VN.

So you could tell the story of Cinderella backwards? Tis is not your grandma's Cinders, but a sassy redhead with a full capacity for mischief and trouble, and who learns to be careful what you wish for! Choices matter and there are plenty of different outcomes to this tale, but yes, there is a glass slipper, a nasty step mother, two awful sisters and a god-mother, of sorts. This is a fantasy romp through the familiar fary tale and great for relaxation and a few giggles. If you want to shoot the cast, you should be looking elsewhere instead of negging your bad choices.