A Hint of Purple

About

A short visual novel about queer love and art. Follow Maya, a once-celebrated painter now paralyzed, as she struggles to accept her new reality and its effects on her relationship. Argue with your Prefrontal Cortex, insult an art critic, befriend the elderly.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

story16 positive mentions

gameplay2 negative mentions

A Hint of Purple offers a deeply emotional and thought-provoking story that resonates with players, exploring themes of love, loss, and personal growth.
The game features beautiful visuals and an atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the storytelling experience, making it a memorable journey.
Despite its short runtime, the characters are well-developed, and the narrative effectively captures complex emotions, leaving a lasting impact on players.

The game lacks traditional gameplay elements, such as puzzles or combat, which may disappoint players looking for a more interactive experience.
There is no manual save feature, requiring players to complete the game in a single sitting, which can be inconvenient.
Some players found the story's pacing and overall mood to be overly dreary, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with the ending.

story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
55%
7%
The story is widely praised for its emotional depth and thought-provoking themes, particularly focusing on isolation, love, and the human experience. Players appreciate the unique narrative style and atmospheric presentation, which effectively convey the protagonist's struggles and relationships, despite the linearity of the plot and limited impact of player choices. Overall, it is described as a beautifully crafted, short visual novel that resonates deeply with players, often evoking strong emotional responses.
- “A very personal chat with yourself opens out gradually into a struggle for life twined with a love story told with a unique style and in a unique context.”
- “This game has an emotionally rich queer story told in the form of a visual novel, a diverse cast of characters and beautiful visuals.”
- “Between a selection of music that hammers home its emotions and art reminiscent of Alexander Rostov's work on Disco Elysium, this game tells its story with pain, tears, and epiphany that makes it a concise standout that's worthy of your time.”
- “Despite having conversational options, which add to the immersiveness of the game, the dialogue selections are ultimately irrelevant as the story itself is linear.”
- “To be honest, the story just wasn't interesting to me, but I wanted to see how it ended, so I quickly ended up skimming most of it.”
- “While it does not appear your choices cause any storyline changes, I do think they serve the purpose of creating self-reflection and putting the player in the place of the main character.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "a hint of purple" is widely praised for its touching narrative and heartfelt storytelling, often eliciting strong emotional responses from players, including tears. The game explores profound themes of being trapped in one's body and the complexities of mental and emotional states, resonating deeply with players and providing a unique, introspective experience. Its rich, story-driven content and atmospheric visuals contribute to its status as a memorable tearjerker in the visual novel genre.
- “It broke me when my father died last month, but I may have reacted (i.e., cried) harder while experiencing 'A Hint of Purple'; though less from sadness and more from years-delayed emotional release.”
- “I teared up while playing it; the story is so touching and the atmosphere fits so well.”
- “'A Hint of Purple' is an emotional, atmospheric, story-rich visual novel that reminds us that 'it’s always darkest before the dawn.' Anyone who enjoys a tearjerker and has an hour to spare should consider playing through this beautifully written game.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some users noting mediocre visuals that may deter potential players, while others praise the beautiful artwork and clean design that enhance the storytelling experience. The game is highlighted for its emotional depth and unique aesthetic, drawing inspiration from titles like Disco Elysium while establishing its own identity. Overall, the visuals are complemented by an engaging soundtrack that contributes to the game's atmosphere.
- “This game has an emotionally rich queer story told in the form of a visual novel, a diverse cast of characters, and beautiful visuals.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the writing is engaging, and the music makes the mood.”
- “This has some really mediocre looking graphics that will understandably be a turn off for a lot of players, and it's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract players despite having no up-front cost.”
- “Clear inspiration from Disco Elysium (mostly aesthetic) but establishes an identity and mood of its own.”
- “+ Graphic design inspired by Disco Elysium.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The music in the game is highly praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling, complementing the beautiful artwork and engaging dialogue. Reviewers note that the soundtrack effectively conveys the game's themes of pain and epiphany, making it a standout feature that enriches the overall experience.
- “Between a selection of music that hammers home its emotions and art reminiscent of Alexander Rostov's work on Disco Elysium, this game tells its story with pain, tears, and epiphany that makes it a concise standout that's worthy of your time.”
- “This game really drew me in with interesting dialogue, strong characters, and an enjoyable soundtrack which complemented the story.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the writing is engaging, and the music makes the mood.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “While the graphics are stunning, the soundtrack fails to enhance the experience and often feels out of place.”
- “The game's music is forgettable and doesn't contribute to the emotional depth that the story tries to convey.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is deeply emotional and immersive, enhanced by a beautiful sound score that adapts to the narrative's tone. Players find it to be a touching experience, with the story resonating strongly and creating a rich, atmospheric environment that leaves a lasting impact.
- “I teared up while playing it; the story is so touching, and the atmosphere fits so well.”
- “Beautiful and atmospheric sound score, which adjusts seamlessly to the tone of the story as it progresses.”
- “'A Hint of Purple' is an emotional, atmospheric, story-rich visual novel that reminds us that 'it’s always darkest before the dawn.' Anyone who enjoys a tearjerker and has an hour to spare should consider playing through this beautifully written game.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game lacks traditional gameplay elements, with some users focusing more on personal experiences rather than gameplay mechanics. This suggests a disconnect between expectations for interactive gameplay and the actual experience offered by the game.
- “This has no gameplay.”
- “Gamers expecting a typical review should understand that I am writing about how the game affected me personally, rather than about gameplay.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game effectively balances its sad premise, with well-developed characters providing numerous moments of love and unity that contribute to the overall comedic tone.
- “Despite the short timeframe, the characters are incredibly fleshed out, and there are plenty of moments of love, unity, and humor to balance the sad premise.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is generally perceived to have little to no replayability, suggesting that once completed, players may not find sufficient incentive to revisit it.
- “There is little to no replayability.”
- “The game lacks any significant replay value.”
- “Once you've completed it, there's no real incentive to play again.”