An atmospheric horror platformer with some puzzles and minimalist storytelling. I loved the art style and tense "hide and seek" style of gameplay, although it does get frustrating when it’s not clear what to do, or when the awkward camera and controls lead to cheap deaths. However, it is relatively short (3 hours to complete a playthrough of the base game, and about the same for the expansion) and has limited replayability. The expansion levels are longer, but overall, they vary in quality. I felt they were less inventive artistically and as they use the same mechanics as the base game, can be just as frustrating to complete, but they do bring in some new challenges and puzzles. I recommend getting the complete edition, as that feels like the complete game.
A game that makes your time invested in it worthwhile as it has a really good ending, but you’ll need some patience to get there. I really liked the art style and setting, with its vibrant colours and relaxing atmosphere. The music is a real treat, mellow and pleasant and always fitting with the mood. The little touches in the background animations and the simplistic yet emotive character expressions are fantastic. I did enjoy spending my time in the small town, which is a good thing as the game is pretty slow and for the majority of it, there doesn’t really seem to be a story. The character’s relationships develop over the days and each day brings something new, but they get repetitive as they follow a similar format. When the plot does decide to kick in, it’s over before you know it, and it does detract from some of what has gone before. I also don’t know why they decided to make some of the choices binary – a second play through to see everything doesn’t hold too much appeal. The platforming and mini games add some variety and challenge to the game, which although makes a refreshing change, they are very difficult to win. The light hearted moments are genuinely funny and I did feel nostalgia for my younger days. Although it surprised me in a number of good ways, I was often bored due to the slow, meandering progression system and lack of overarching plot.
This game has a very strong first impression, with a colourful, quirky and twee setting and a great first level which is a real joy to play. It’s cute and funny with great music and looks really good, although it is a bit rough round the edges and some levels (like Vanessa’s Mansion) show how cheaply it has been put together. The quality of the levels varies quite a bit, from large and explorative open areas to confined, linear sequences which are just not that fun to play. The levels are quite inventive, but the same enemies reappear far too often and not all of the hats are used to their best extent. The camera is a constant annoyance, especially in the compact levels, and the difficulty gap between the main levels (easy) and the bosses (hard) is a bit of a shock. That being said, the bosses aren’t too unreasonable once you get the hang of them, and much like the other characters, they are memorable and fun to meet. Overall, it’s a solid platformer that’s definitely fun to play, but is too short and loses the magic too early.
A fun little time sink that, while enjoyable to play, lacks any real depth. It’s a simple and fast paced frantic first person shooter, with a good selection of cartoon like enemies and traps. The level art lacks variation and after a few runs, you’ve seen all the enemies, bosses and rooms, although there are plenty of unlocks to work towards – probably too many considering the limited amount of content in the main game. The randomised enemies, levels and perks does work and it isn’t as annoying as it could have been, but I still find easy too easy, and normal too hard.
Great game, but 1 annoying glitch and 1 game breaking bug within the first chapter is just poor show. Shame, as I really wanted to remind myself of "the greatest adventure game ever made". Fix the bugs and add in an autosave function and i'll give it another shot.
It has an interesting premise in a rich and deep setting, but it’s slow at telling any kind of story and it’s slow in the gameplay department. The intrigue and mystery kept me going, but the harsh difficulty in combat, constant resource management, and relying on luck to win encounters were really annoying - these mechanics get in the way of exploring the world and enjoying the stories within. Beautiful and eerily atmospheric in art style and design, but as the locations are all menus, the different areas end up being very similar. It also takes a while to experience new things, especially upgrades. The steep learning curve is off putting, as is the perceived lack of tangible progress. Overall, I did enjoy my time in the Sunless Sea, but was a bit disheartened towards the end.
A beautiful game with a fantastic art style and engrossing ambience complimented by its use of subtle music and setting. Great characters and voice acting, it surprised me in more ways than one, as I expected it to be more of an experience than a game. I didn’t like how the mystery part of the story played out, as the ending is a bit far-fetched, but the character interactions and how it deals with the mature subject matters was great, as was being able to lose myself in the wilderness.
Fast paced and frantic with lots of little humorous moments, interesting characters and level designs. Good game play mechanics with some neat and novel ideas, and a great soundtrack too. However, there isn’t much of a plot, the game’s not very long, and the controls are a bit awkward, especially during the platform sequences. 7/10
A great adventure game with an excellent setting, atmosphere, and art style, and a clever plot that will keep you engrossed until the end. The controls take a bit of getting used to, as does the quick dialogue interface, and although the characters are each their own cliché, they are likeable and well-acted. Fun, entertaining, and I really enjoyed it.
From the very start, this is a very beautiful and very atmospheric adventure game. Although initially it seems light on narrative and game play, it gets more engaging and intriguing as it develops, resulting in an engrossing and great game. Some technical shortcomings, such as the odd save system and lack of explanation on the game play mechanics, but if you take your time and truly immerse yourself, you should thoroughly enjoy this story with its deeper meaning and emotive ending.
