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Alicemare

Alicemare Game Cover
86%Game Brain Score
story, music
replayability, grinding
90% User Score Based on 735 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Alicemare Game Cover

About

Alicemare is a single player action game with horror and fantasy themes. It was developed by △○□× (Miwashiba) and was released on November 21, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Alicemare is a single-player Horror Adventure game with an intriguing story, good gameplay, phenomenal visuals, and an outstanding soundtrack. Players control Allen, a young boy who has lost his memory, as he investigates a rumor and uncovers the delightful yet highly emotional world of Alicemare. The game features subtle touches of horror, with a focus on exploration, storybook and fairytale elements, and memorable characters such as Allen, Letty, and Rick."

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Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
Alicemare screenshot
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90%
Audience ScoreBased on 735 reviews
story220 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The art style is beautiful and charming, effectively blending cute and eerie elements.
  • The story is well-written and emotionally engaging, with multiple endings that encourage exploration.
  • The puzzles are interesting and provide a good challenge, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The game can be confusing at times, with vague storytelling that may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
  • Some puzzles are overly cryptic or require knowledge that may not be intuitive, leading to frustration.
  • The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more depth and content.
  • story
    541 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Alicemare" is a blend of dark themes and fairy tale elements, exploring the lives of children in a group home, each with their own tragic backstories. While many players appreciate the emotional depth and unique storytelling, some find the plot confusing and disjointed, often requiring multiple playthroughs to fully grasp the narrative. Overall, the game is praised for its captivating art and music, but opinions vary on the clarity and execution of its story.

    • “Alicemare is a great game; the story is quite well done and has subjects that could be potentially upsetting, but it is done so well that a child could probably not even realize it.”
    • “The story follows Allen, a quiet boy who has recently lost his parents and is placed in a group home with other children, each with their own unique quirks and hidden struggles.”
    • “The story is portrayed in an amazingly captivating way and is also easy to understand.”
    • “Since the plot was confusing and the game was very short, the characters end up very forgettable as we don't have time to get to know them.”
    • “However, the game might feel jumbled and disconnected for the majority of your playtime with a story that crumbles bits and pieces for the player to deduce the true meaning from.”
    • “The story is short, I got all the endings within 3.8 hours, according to Steam, and it took a little over an hour to get my first run from a blind playthrough.”
  • music
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, perfectly complementing the visuals and storytelling. While many players appreciate the soothing and immersive quality of the soundtrack, some note issues with volume levels and a lack of original compositions. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.

    • “The concept is very interesting and the music was lovely, perfectly matching the aesthetics of the game.”
    • “Sound design further enhances the atmosphere, with gentle yet haunting music tracks and well-placed sound effects that contribute to the dreamlike tension.”
    • “The music complements the game really well, and the use of sound is surprising at times - certain areas are made more unnerving by the complete absence of sound, and the credits were hauntingly beautiful.”
    • “The music is bland and unoriginal.”
    • “I can go on about the massive, empty rooms; the awkward character speeds; the locked doors that never open; the misplaced music choices; the inventory screen that says nothing about the items; the recurring Tetris minigame that is tonally awkward.”
    • “The music is so loud.”
  • graphics
    123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which effectively blends cutesy aesthetics with darker themes, creating a unique visual experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful character designs and atmospheric environments, noting that the art complements the storytelling and enhances the overall mood. However, some critiques mention that the graphics can feel amateurish at times, and there are calls for a graphical overhaul to improve certain aspects.

    • “The art style and environments look great.”
    • “The visuals are amazing and the storytelling is absolutely incredible.”
    • “The aesthetic is adorable and creepy all at once.”
    • “The pixel graphics are quite amateur.”
    • “Ugly pixel graphics abound, and there’s basically no gameplay.”
    • “The graphics and soundtrack were ok, but the story was so boring, I barely remember anything.”
  • gameplay
    65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is primarily focused on exploration, dialogue, and solving simple puzzles, making it accessible and suitable for players seeking a calm, story-driven experience. While some find the mechanics engaging and atmospheric, others criticize the gameplay as repetitive and lacking depth, with many puzzles being straightforward and occasionally confusing. Overall, the game offers a blend of intriguing storytelling and basic gameplay, appealing more to those who prioritize narrative over complex mechanics.

    • “Gameplay is simple but effective, focused primarily on exploration, dialogue, and puzzles.”
    • “The gameplay is very chill, without survival elements and the puzzles are mainly short riddles; therefore this game is rather suitable for players looking for calm, story-driven gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay mainly consists of puzzles and just absorbing the beautiful atmosphere, getting enveloped in each new environment.”
    • “The gameplay is unpolished, the characters and setting are under-utilized and the pay-off for exploring and getting different endings is underwhelming.”
    • “The story is boring, the gameplay and the puzzles suck so there's not that much reason to bother with it.”
    • “If you are going to play it, just use a guide.. the gameplay itself is annoying and just seems pointless.”
  • atmosphere
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Alicemare" is a unique blend of cute pixel art and unsettling elements, creating a dreamlike yet creepy experience that enhances its fairy tale storytelling. The haunting music and sound design further contribute to the game's melancholic mood, making it an engaging atmospheric adventure despite its lack of traditional horror mechanics. While some players found the story's symbolism confusing, the overall ambiance successfully evokes a sense of eerie nostalgia and emotional depth.

    • “The cute pixel art mixed with the creepy atmosphere works perfectly and makes the game unsettling in a unique way.”
    • “Sound design further enhances the atmosphere, with gentle yet haunting music tracks and well-placed sound effects that contribute to the dreamlike tension.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game gave me chills; it's dark and creepy, although the characters are cute.”
    • “The cutscenes where you find notes are a nice touch, but the minimalism of the environments didn't add to the dark atmosphere.”
    • “But the game atmosphere (except for a select few locations) feels somewhat empty and void.”
    • “While not relying on jumpscares or an overly unsettling atmosphere, it kinda reminded me of Silent Hill, if Silent Hill was written with children in mind.”
  • emotional
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "alicemare" is a significant highlight, with many players expressing deep connections to the characters and their stories, often leading to tears and heartfelt moments. While some found the emotional impact inconsistent, the game's blend of unsettling themes and touching narratives resonated with many, creating a memorable experience that balances sadness and warmth. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its depth, though some players noted a lack of emotional engagement in certain parts.

    • “Despite these shortcomings, Alicemare stands out for its unique blend of storytelling, aesthetic design, and emotional undertones.”
    • “At times it was pretty sad and emotional, but because of that, I became attached to the story and its characters.”
    • “Uncovering the story was an experience that was just as heart-wrenching as it was heart-warming.”
  • character development
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the character development in "alicemare" is highlighted by its charming and visually appealing designs, which draw inspiration from fairy tales. While the character designs are consistently praised for their cuteness and uniqueness, some reviewers noted that the story lacks depth until the final act, suggesting that character development may not be as robust throughout the game. The combination of beautiful sprites and a captivating aesthetic contributes to an immersive experience, despite some critiques regarding narrative depth.

    • “Miwashiba's character designs are some of my favorites to this day, and I love the fairy tale inspired characters.”
    • “Any game Miwashiba makes is guaranteed to have art that's beautifully made; the character designs are some of my favorites and the game's color scheme is very fitting for the mysterious and dreamy aspect of the game.”
    • “The character designs of Allen and the teacher remind me of Oz and Gil from Pandora Hearts.”
    • “I very much enjoyed playing this, especially how the horror theme of this game was slipped in smoothly between the cracks of the cutesy artwork and character development.”
    • “The character designs and art are aesthetically pleasing, and all in all, I didn’t expect this game to be as casual as it was.”
  • replayability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the multiple endings and the opportunity to explore different choices for achievements, others find the overall experience short and lacking in incentive to replay after completing it once. Many reviews suggest that while there are elements that encourage revisiting the game, such as uncovering different resolutions and lore, the limited runtime and straightforward nature of the gameplay may deter players from multiple playthroughs. Overall, it appeals to those seeking a brief, story-driven experience but may not satisfy those looking for extensive replay value.

    • “This encourages replayability despite the game’s relatively short runtime of just a few hours, as players are motivated to uncover every possible resolution.”
    • “It does have some replayability, as going back and doing things differently allows for different achievements.”
    • “It's a great game and the fact that there are multiple endings gives it great replay value!”
    • “Would recommend if you are looking for a 'sad game' to spend a couple of hours on -- do not expect much replayability with this one.”
    • “Overall, this is not a game that has a ton of replay value; the game itself is a short completion, and the endings can mostly be obtained by making separate save files.”
    • “Once you've done it all, though, there's no replayability - so either look for the freeware version of this, or get this on sale.”
  • grinding
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the reliance on riddles and the need for extensive exploration and trial-and-error to achieve all endings. While some appreciate the challenge it presents, many feel it can become repetitive and time-consuming. Overall, the grinding is seen as a mixed bag, with some players valuing the effort for the rewards it offers.

    • “It gets quite tedious.”
    • “Some of the walking can be tedious, but it's nothing too extreme.”
    • “It has some points where the game feels a bit tedious because it requires you to reload your saves and explore a lot through trial and error to find all of the endings.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by clever musical choices that enhance the dreamlike atmosphere, amusing hidden achievements, and playful wordplay that elicits laughter. Players appreciate the lighthearted moments and unexpected comedic elements, contributing to an overall entertaining experience.

    • “A lot of 'classical' music is used to decorate the dream worlds, and while the choices may seem arbitrary, they actually work (though the obsession with triple meter is funny).”
    • “There are a few funny hidden achievements.”
    • “They even sprinkled in some light humor here and there.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization for newer hardware is noted, but users express frustration with the limited performance settings, which primarily control framerate and can lead to poor performance if not configured correctly. This could be problematic for less experienced players who may struggle to achieve optimal settings.

    • “Great game I played way back in 2013 (it was free then, I believe, but this version is optimized for new hardware).”
    • “There are a few performance settings, but all they do is limit the framerate.”
    • “I find this to be a very bad thing, as someone with lesser knowledge on settings could set the 'highest performance' setting and you're stuck with 15 frames a second.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report a high level of stability, with no glitches experienced during gameplay.

    • “I haven't encountered any glitches during my gameplay.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any interruptions.”
    • “I've been impressed by the overall stability; everything works as intended.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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3h Median play time
4h Average play time
3-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Alicemare is a action game with horror and fantasy themes.

Alicemare is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Alicemare.

Alicemare was released on November 21, 2016.

Alicemare was developed by △○□× (Miwashiba).

Alicemare has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

Alicemare is a single player game.

Similar games include Fran Bow, Stray Cat Crossing, My Big Sister, Dreaming Sarah, Ann and others.