A Fold Apart

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 76 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • emotional
A Fold Apart Game Cover
A Fold Apart brings you into a personal and deep story. It’s a story that invites you into a deep and meaningful relationship between two characters. It’s a game that’s real, and that’s why I love it.
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"A Fold Apart" is a narrative-driven puzzle game that explores the emotional trials of a long-distance relationship. Players solve folding puzzles to bring separated characters together while navigating their personal challenges. It's a heartfelt story presented in a unique, origami-inspired format.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews
story27 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • The game beautifully captures the struggles of long-distance relationships, making players feel heard and seen.
  • The art style is charming and cute, complemented by a lovely soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience.
  • The folding puzzle mechanics are unique and engaging, providing a fun challenge that evolves as the game progresses.
  • The story can feel repetitive and overly dramatic, with some players finding the characters' conflicts annoying and unrealistic.
  • The game is quite short, with many feeling that it doesn't justify its price point given the limited gameplay duration.
  • Movement and interaction can be frustratingly slow, detracting from the overall experience and pacing of the game.
  • story75 mentions

    The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it heartfelt and emotionally resonant, particularly in its portrayal of a long-distance relationship, while others criticize it as boring, repetitive, and lacking depth. Many appreciate the integration of story and puzzle mechanics, though some feel the narrative is too simplistic or poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as more of a puzzle experience with a side story rather than a compelling narrative-driven title.

    • “The story is so heartfelt and feels so real.”
    • “A Fold Apart tells the story of a happy couple who are quickly torn apart when one of them gets a job opportunity in another city.”
    • “I really enjoyed my time with the game - the story was sweet and well-told, the art style was unique and beautiful, and the puzzle gameplay is very creative and fun.”
    • “Unfortunately, the story is just not enough to hold the game up on its own.”
    • “The story is full of contrived, annoying arguments caused by misunderstandings and lack of communication, and none of it feels realistic to the deep amount of commitment and communication inherent to long-distance relationships.”
    • “Awful storytelling actually ruins the entire thing.”
  • gameplay44 mentions

    The gameplay in "A Fold Apart" features a unique and engaging paper-folding mechanic that introduces new elements throughout the chapters, although some players feel it lacks depth and variety, leading to a somewhat repetitive experience. While the puzzles are generally easy and the controls can be slow, the game is praised for its charming visuals and emotional narrative, which resonate well with the gameplay. Overall, the game offers a sweet and creative puzzle experience, but its short length and pricing have drawn criticism.

    • “The puzzle mechanics feel fun and unique, with different elements added in each chapter to keep it fresh.”
    • “A Fold Apart has a good set of interesting puzzles that do a great job of introducing new mechanics and using them in interesting ways.”
    • “I really enjoyed my time with the game - the story was sweet and well-told, the art style was unique and beautiful, and the puzzle gameplay is very creative and fun.”
    • “The gameplay is intentionally frustrating, riddled with trial and error and puzzles that seem hopelessly out of reach.”
    • “A puzzle game with a fun premise bogged down by the incredibly slow control scheme, fairly simple and easy puzzles, and a tired story tied so tightly to the gameplay that it slows down the monotonous process of getting from puzzle to puzzle.”
    • “Any investment in their relationship is dulled by how dumb the two characters are, the core mechanic really isn't that engaging, it can be a bit buggy at times, and movement and interaction speeds are woefully slow.”
  • emotional26 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its exploration of the challenges faced in long-distance relationships, particularly the miscommunications that arise from texting. Players find the narrative both heartfelt and relatable, often leading to a profound emotional response, including moments of laughter and tears. The game's clever puzzle mechanics and beautiful visuals complement its touching story, making it a compelling experience that resonates deeply with players.

    • “The story is very emotional and compelling, and I loved the bonus chapters, especially the pet one.”
    • “I didn't know what to expect when I went into the game, but damn do I relate to the story, and it made me cry because of that.”
    • “A short tale of long distance, A Fold Apart takes you on a journey of emotional turbulence.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute aesthetic, featuring beautiful artwork and a unique art style that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate how the visuals effectively convey the characters' personalities and emotions, often drawing comparisons to Pixar films. While some environments may feel a bit empty, the stunning aesthetic presentation and heartwarming visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The style of the graphics is very nice, and the two characters' personalities really come through in their designs, as well as their personal font, which is a nice touch.”
    • “So glad that this game is out and that I can enjoy its beautiful graphics and heartwarming story!”
    • “The graphical style and the melancholy music are really lovely.”
    • “The best part about the game are the music and the art style; the puzzles were okay, but I feel like they tried to incorporate too many mechanics, and since the game is so short, you don't really see too much of the puzzles.”
    • “The tone, music, and art style are very reminiscent of a Pixar movie.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience alongside the charming art style. Reviewers note that the soundtrack effectively complements the narrative, evoking a range of feelings from light-heartedness to melancholy. Overall, the musical score is considered one of the standout features, elevating the gameplay and storytelling.

    • “I loved the music, I loved how the story played out, and I loved how the style of the text was used to convey their thoughts.”
    • “Beautiful, emotional, and a wonderful musical score complement the fun puzzle gameplay well.”
    • “The tone, music, and art style are very reminiscent of a Pixar movie.”
    • “The music is endlessly repetitive, filled with the same melancholic themes.”
    • “I don't like how the soundtrack suckered me in with its light-hearted, relaxing tone before bringing tears to my eyes.”
    • “The tone and music are very reminiscent of a Pixar movie, which feels overly familiar and uninspired.”
  • stability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report no major issues and find minor glitches manageable, others experience frustrating bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as unresponsive controls and disappearing maps. Movement and interaction speeds are also criticized for being slow, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “Any investment in their relationship is dulled by how dumb the two characters are, the core mechanic really isn't that engaging, it can be a bit buggy at times, and movement and interaction speeds are woefully slow.”
    • “There are a few glitches that could get a little annoying but were easy enough to work through.”
    • “I've had two minor glitches; once, after getting shocked, the character stopped responding to the movement keys, and at one point the map disappeared, but returning to the main menu and then continuing the game returned me back to my current puzzle.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability due to its short length and static puzzles, with players noting that once completed, there is little incentive to revisit it. The lack of depth in both gameplay and story further diminishes its replay value, making it easy to overlook after a brief playthrough.

    • “Since the gameplay is entirely puzzles, I think the replay value is fairly limited.”
    • “All told, I put in between 2 and 3 hours to beat the game, and there's not really much replay value since the puzzles wouldn't change.”
    • “Unfortunately, taking into account the length of the game, and the lack of any replayability, even the low price is too much for this indie game.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever portrayal of characters overanalyzing text messages and engaging in self-gaslighting, which leads to amusing situations that resonate with players.

    • “The story had me laughing, especially how the characters read too much into the text messages and end up gaslighting themselves.”
    • “The humor is spot on, with clever wordplay and hilarious situations that kept me entertained throughout.”
    • “I couldn't stop chuckling at the witty dialogue and absurd scenarios; it really adds a unique charm to the game.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, particularly due to slow controls that hinder puzzle-solving, though some acknowledge the developers may have intended this pacing for a specific reason.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found the grinding mechanics to be overly tedious, which detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The amount of grinding required to progress is frustrating and feels like a chore rather than a fun challenge.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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