A Night at the Watermill
- January 26, 2024
- Neon Tales
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"A Night at the Watermill" is a point-and-click adventure game featuring a simple interface and hand-drawn comic-art. Players wake up in an old watermill with no memory. They must explore to experience the narrative and find out what happened, with a short playtime of ~45min-1 hour and 3 different endings. The game has a thrilling ambiance sound and suspenseful soundtrack, as players try to escape and uncover the mysteries of their surroundings.
Reviews
- Charming art style and atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
- Engaging puzzles and multiple endings that encourage replayability.
- Short playtime makes it accessible for those new to the point-and-click genre.
- Game duration is very short, often completed in under an hour.
- Some puzzles can feel contrived or require random item combinations.
- The story may be predictable and lacks substantial character backstory.
- story11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as charming and nicely told, featuring engaging twists and a creepy atmosphere, though some players found it predictable and noted a lack of substantial character backstory. Overall, it combines intriguing puzzles with a compelling narrative, leaving players eager for more from the developers.
“A charming little point-and-click adventure with a nicely told story.”
“I appreciated the twists and turns in the story.”
“The story is very nice, makes you wonder what has been going on.”
“The cons were the characters and the lack of substantial backstory.”
“It does have mental health clichés, so I found the plot to be predictable.”
“And I'm not saying that to show off how much of a genius I am (I am not), but because you might find the story predictable.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their beautiful hand-drawn art style, which features bold colors and a moody atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the logical integration of visuals with the music and sound, creating an immersive environment without any technical issues. The unique comic book aesthetic and crisp artwork contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
“Hand-drawn graphics are beautiful, and the music and sounds set the mood along with the visuals. There are no technical shortcomings or bugs, and the puzzles, as few as they are, are logical.”
“I enjoyed the crisp, moody artwork featuring bold, dark lines and a cool, somber color palette.”
“For me, the biggest pros are the art style and atmosphere.”
“Would love to see more from Neon Tales, which just seems to be two people so far: Thekla Barck (story, game design, graphics) and Thomas Klein (programming and audio).”
“Interesting art style.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for effectively enhancing the mood and atmosphere, complementing the beautiful hand-drawn graphics and ambient sounds. While the soundtrack is deemed suitable, some players feel that it should have been included as part of the package given the game's price. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“Hand-drawn graphics are beautiful, music and sounds are setting up the mood along with the visuals, there are no technical shortcomings or bugs, puzzles, as few as they are, are logical.”
“Still, it should've come with the soundtrack and the artbook at this price.”
“The good ending is a definite letdown, especially compared to the other two options, but everything else—the art, music, puzzle solving, paranoia, oppressive atmosphere... it's all exceptionally good, and worthy of the small time investment.”
“The music was suitable, and the ambient environmental sounds were excellent.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally straightforward and offers a balanced level of challenge that maintains a good pace. However, some players feel that the duration of the experience, around one hour, may not justify the price point. Additionally, certain elements, such as plot twists, can be predictable early on.
“Also, not to brag, but I figured out the twist after like 20 minutes of gameplay.”
“Ehhh, that's debatable; 4€ is a bit much for 1 hour of gameplay.”
“The gameplay is straightforward, and I felt that it had just the right amount of challenge to keep the pace up.”
“Also, not to brag, but I figured out the twist after about 20 minutes of gameplay.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its exceptional art style, music, and a sense of paranoia that creates an oppressive environment, enhancing the overall experience despite some disappointment with the good ending.
“For me, the biggest pros are the art style and atmosphere.”
“The good ending is a definite letdown, especially compared to the other two options, but everything else—the art, music, puzzle solving, paranoia, oppressive atmosphere... it's all exceptionally good and worthy of the small time investment.”
