A Guidebook of Babel

About

A Guidebook of Babel is a single player action game. It was developed by StarryStarry and was released on August 2, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"A Guidebook of Babel" is a story-adventure game where players embark on a rebirth journey on the mysterious spaceship Babel. Using a Memory Extractor, your memories are erased before launching you into the afterlife with a cloud cannon. The game features four chapters of time-travel, puzzle-solving, and subtle manipulation of history to change the future of Babel. Explore various locations, meet eccentric characters, and uncover the secrets of this intriguing world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 145 reviews

story50 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features a unique and imaginative art style that enhances the whimsical atmosphere of the narrative.
The butterfly effect mechanic allows for engaging non-linear storytelling, providing players with a sense of agency in shaping the outcomes of the characters' fates.
The character development and emotional depth of the story create a memorable experience, with many players feeling a strong connection to the characters.

The dialogue can be poorly written and unpolished, leading to confusion and a lack of engagement with the story.
The gameplay can feel overly guided and simplistic, with many puzzles lacking challenge and depth, making the experience feel tedious at times.
The tutorial and hint systems can be condescending, detracting from the player's sense of accomplishment and immersion in the game.

story
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
65%
2%
The game's story is characterized by its non-linear, parallel storytelling and the innovative use of the butterfly effect mechanic, allowing players to alter past events to influence future outcomes. While the narrative explores mature themes and features a diverse cast of characters with interconnected arcs, some players found the pacing and complexity challenging, with mixed opinions on the writing quality. Overall, the story is engaging and emotional, offering a unique blend of humor and depth that resonates with those who appreciate rich narratives in their gaming experience.
- “From the outset, the game positions itself as a story about cause and consequence, and about how seemingly insignificant choices can echo across the lives of strangers in ways neither you nor they could ever predict.”
- “The story unfolds through four major chapters, each requiring you to piece together the fates of various individuals whose lives intersect aboard Babel.”
- “The story was so beautiful that I genuinely cried when I got to the ending.”
- “While the story is written pretty well grounded by the world settings, the writing itself leaves much to be desired. In my opinion, there are many characters and story plot points that I felt have a lot of potential to be further explored but missed the chance to do so.”
- “Far too long and just not that interesting; it spends too much time juggling all of its characters instead of telling the emotional story it feels like it's trying to go for.”
- “It's glaringly obvious that the developers didn't have the resources for proper writers (or editors) to pull off a dialogue-driven plot laden with lore.”
gameplay
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The gameplay of "A Guidebook of Babel" features a unique "rewriting" mechanic that allows players to manipulate events and create butterfly effects, which can be both rewarding and frustrating due to its complexity and occasional lack of clarity. While some players appreciate the clever integration of time manipulation and puzzle-solving, many find the gameplay overly guided and simplistic, with a reliance on trial-and-error that detracts from the challenge. Overall, the game offers a charming narrative experience, but its mechanics may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking more depth and difficulty in puzzle design.
- “Central to the game’s identity is its rewrite mechanic, an elegant system that blends investigation, problem-solving, and time manipulation.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are bolstered by a clever use of a notebook, guiding players to assemble evidence and construct logical chains of reasoning.”
- “The solving mechanics of progressing was unique, and I loved the concept of using the butterfly effect and going back to previous stories to change the future.”
- “The game teases deep butterfly-effect mechanics but then holds the player’s hand with an intrusive logic UI that removes any real challenge.”
- “Gameplay-wise, the solutions to the puzzles felt pretty spoon-fed most of the time; the time-warping butterfly effect could have been taken to a more punishing approach to present more challenging obstacles for the players.”
- “What's less understandable is the game's inability to properly explain its key gameplay system, thus introducing completely unnecessary friction.”
graphics
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
65%
8%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, hand-drawn art style that blends retro charm with modern aesthetics, creating a whimsical and imaginative world filled with quirky designs and expressive characters. While many players appreciate the charming visuals and creative world-building, some criticize the overall visual quality as simplistic and lacking depth compared to contemporary standards. Despite mixed opinions on the graphics, the art style effectively complements the game's heavier themes, adding a layer of intrigue to the narrative.
- “The world is imaginative and bizarre in an interesting way—ice-cream-cone plants harvesting memories of the dead, an elfin race guiding human reincarnation—and the hand-drawn art style helps sell this strange atmosphere.”
- “Its art style merges retro charm with modern stylization—bold outlines, expressive characters, and delightfully quirky animations lend both comedy and heart to every scene.”
- “While the gameplay doesn't rise to the difficulty, complexity, or immersion of other similar puzzle narratives, Babel's charming art style, character design, and sound design all leave a very positive impression.”
- “It's unclear if this is due to a lack of budget to arrange someone who can create graphical assets properly, or a lack of talent.”
- “Regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is very low, beneath what PC gamers have come to expect in this era of cutting-edge photorealistic 3D graphics.”
- “While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
emotional
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to balance humor and sorrow, creating a narrative that resonates deeply with players. Many reviews note the impactful character arcs and the intertwining fates that evoke strong feelings, often leading to tears, especially towards the end. While some found the pacing and character juggling detracted from the emotional storytelling, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a heartfelt experience enriched by its unique setting and poignant themes.
- “The tonal balance between humor and sorrow is carefully maintained, preventing the narrative from becoming too heavy while still allowing emotional beats to resonate.”
- “More importantly, the game’s emotional throughlines gain impact as you begin to understand how each character’s fate is tied to another’s, and how your interventions can mend, complicate, or illuminate their lives.”
- “The story line made me cry with the ending which was so heartbreaking and so emotional.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
12%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the emotional depth and whimsical atmosphere, creating a memorable experience. While some players find the soundtrack lively and enjoyable, others criticize it for being obnoxious and monotonous, particularly due to the inability to adjust the volume independently. Overall, the music is often highlighted as a strong aspect that complements the game's art and storytelling, despite some dissenting opinions.
- “The music supports this world perfectly, drifting between playful buoyancy and quiet melancholy, underscoring the oscillation between absurdity and emotional depth.”
- “The soundtrack is equally impressive, perfectly capturing the game's whimsical and mysterious atmosphere.”
- “A masterpiece with charming art and music and characters I will never forget.”
- “I find the music obnoxious, especially because I can't turn it off or down independent of all sound effects.”
- “The monotonous music and gameplay just made me feel tired, and the story didn’t grip me, mostly because I was seeing things twice or three times.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it charming and enjoyable, others feel it often misses the mark, becoming tedious over time. The balance between humor and emotional depth is noted as a strength, allowing for both lighthearted moments and poignant storytelling. However, issues with timing and writing quality detract from the overall comedic impact, leaving some players wishing for a more polished execution.
- “The tonal balance between humor and sorrow is carefully maintained, preventing the narrative from becoming too heavy while still allowing emotional beats to resonate.”
- “Its mix of humor, sorrow, creativity, and thematic depth gives the game a soul of its own.”
- “The game's unique mechanics and clever writing will have you thinking outside the box and laughing out loud.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with many expressing frustration over repetitive tasks and backtracking. However, some quality of life features help alleviate the monotony, making the experience slightly more bearable for those who appreciate the game's art style and humor. Overall, the grinding can feel like a slog, but it varies in intensity depending on the context.
- “Text-heavy experience that quickly becomes tedious.”
- “I really wanted to like this; the art style and focus on some humor sounded good, but it's just so tedious.”
- “Such a tedious slog!”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its imaginative and bizarre world, featuring unique elements like ice-cream-cone plants and an elfin race, all enhanced by a hand-drawn art style. The combination of sound design and visual details creates a comforting yet somber ambiance, while the impressive soundtrack further enriches the whimsical and mysterious experience.
- “The world is imaginative and bizarre in an interesting way—ice-cream-cone plants harvesting memories of the dead, an elfin race guiding human reincarnation—and the hand-drawn art style helps sell this strange atmosphere.”
- “The sound design and visual touches combine to create an atmosphere that feels comforting even when the themes grow somber.”
- “The soundtrack is equally impressive, perfectly capturing the game's whimsical and mysterious atmosphere.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Character development in the game is noted for its charming art style and character design, which some players found appealing, though others felt it lacked depth and complexity. While the story and game mechanics received praise, the overall character development did not engage players as much as in other similar titles, leading to a mixed reception.
- “I loved the story and game mechanics, but the artwork felt lacking, and I was reminded of Picrew characters with the crewmembers' character designs.”
- “While the gameplay doesn't rise to the difficulty, complexity, or immersion of other similar puzzle narratives, Babel's charming art style, character design, and sound design all leave a very positive impression.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its short length, which limits its replayability; however, it is still recommended for purchase if found at a low price.
- “The only downside is it's very short with minimal replay value, but if you can get it cheap, definitely pick it up.”