Ambre

About

Ambre is a single player action game. It was developed by Träumendes Mädchen and was released on June 9, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A heartbreaking kinetic novel about the meeting of a depressed thirty years old man with a lost little girl he takes in his house.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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68%

Audience ScoreBased on 400 reviews

story109 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and surprising plot twist that keeps players engaged.
The art style and soundtrack are well-executed, enhancing the overall experience.
The story addresses complex themes related to mental health and societal pressures on women.

The initial portrayal of the relationship between the adult man and the young girl is disturbing and may be off-putting for many players.
The writing can be repetitive and lacks depth in character development, leading to a less immersive experience.
The game may trigger discomfort due to its handling of sensitive topics, including mental illness and societal expectations.

story
437 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it disturbing due to its initial pedophilic undertones, which are later explained through a significant plot twist. While some appreciate the emotional depth and themes of mental illness and societal expectations, others criticize the execution and pacing, feeling that it could have been handled more sensitively. Overall, the narrative is described as both captivating and unsettling, leaving players with a lasting impression, though opinions on its effectiveness vary widely.
- “Its hand-painted visuals and evocative soundtrack perfectly complement the poignant story, drawing you deep into a world where every moment feels raw and personal.”
- “As the title suggests, this game is heartbreaking. It seems very weird in the beginning, but as the story unfolds, it is so captivating!”
- “The story is very well done, told in two halves. It ebbed and flowed with the story.”
- “Though the game is really short - it takes about 1 to 2 hours to read - sometimes the text is so expository that it feels like you're reading a personal opinion, not a story.”
- “The writing is cringey at times (many times) and the setup is so ridiculous that it makes you wonder how any decent story could come out of it.”
- “The story is about a 30-year-old man who finds a little girl in the park. The man falls in love with the little 8-year-old girl like a pedophile, and the story gets darker and more disgusting.”
emotional
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "ambre - a heartbreaking kinetic novel" is widely recognized, with many players describing it as a deeply moving experience that evokes strong feelings of sadness and introspection. While some appreciate its poignant storytelling and artistic presentation, others criticize its handling of sensitive themes, leading to discomfort and mixed reactions regarding its portrayal of relationships and mental health. Overall, the game successfully delivers an emotional roller-coaster, though opinions vary on its effectiveness and appropriateness.
- “Ambre – a heartbreaking kinetic novel is a beautifully tragic narrative that masterfully captures the bittersweet essence of loss and hope.”
- “While its simplicity might leave some longing for more engagement, the game’s heartfelt narrative and exquisite art make it an unforgettable journey through love, despair, and ultimately, healing.”
- “It is definitely heartbreaking, and it is a kinetic novel, as advertised.”
music
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
42%
6%
The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many players praising its ability to complement the visuals and enhance the emotional depth of the story. While some found the soundtrack to be simple or repetitive, others highlighted its beauty and effectiveness in creating atmosphere, particularly during tense moments. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, even if it doesn't fully redeem the narrative for some players.
- “Its hand-painted visuals and evocative soundtrack perfectly complement the poignant story, drawing you deep into a world where every moment feels raw and personal.”
- “The music is beautiful, the art is good, and the story is so sad and good.”
- “The music was well done and flowed well with the story.”
- “Attractive art and music do not redeem an unbelievable story.”
- “The music was fitting, albeit neither here nor there in terms of remarkability.”
- “The art is cute and I guess the music is alright but the story isn't worth it.”
graphics
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
8%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their hand-painted visuals and cute, anime-inspired art style, featuring vibrant colors that enhance the emotional depth of the story. While many reviewers appreciate the artwork and its charm, some note that the execution feels unsaturated or lacks polish, leading to mixed feelings about the overall visual experience. Despite these criticisms, the graphics are considered a strong point, especially for a free game, with many finding them appealing and fitting for the narrative.
- “Its hand-painted visuals and evocative soundtrack perfectly complement the poignant story, drawing you deep into a world where every moment feels raw and personal.”
- “The graphics/art style is very good, very pleasing to the eyes and very cute. It has this nice anime-ish feel to it with very vibrant and bright colors, even in some of the more somber parts.”
- “The art style, however, was beautiful.”
- “All the visuals seem unsaturated in color, but at the same time, it gains its charm when combined with the charming narrative.”
- “Cute art style though, and the idea would be interesting if it was a bit more polished; but overall I really wouldn't recommend this game to anyone I know.”
- “Plain and simple graphics; nothing fancy but isn't shabby either.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay is primarily a visual novel experience, characterized by simple mechanics that involve clicking through text without meaningful choices, which some players find detracts from the narrative. Many reviews criticize the writing quality and the disturbing themes presented, while others note issues with repetitive elements and camera control. Overall, the gameplay lacks depth and interactivity, leading to a generally negative reception.
- “The gameplay is very simple; it's basically like any visual novel game where you just read the story. Unlike those games where you at least have some choice, this game doesn't give you a choice, which is good, as I believe having choices in this game would have hurt the story.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print.”
- “Okay, so let's talk about the gameplay:”
- “There is no gameplay; you left-click and read the story.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which presents the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “Sorry, but most of the story seems to be a pedophilia-supporting 'gameplay' (there is no actual choice, you only click through the novel) and it's exceptionally disturbing, especially for the fact that you really have to get through the entire story in one sitting to understand what's going on in the first place.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often likening it to a chore that requires significant time investment without rewarding engagement. Many express frustration with the slow pacing and repetitive nature of the gameplay, leading to a sense of monotony that detracts from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “After about 20 minutes in, it sort of felt like a tedious task to finish and get to the end because around then everything I thought would happen happened and there was no longer any suspense.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have noted that what initially appears to be glitches during gameplay is actually an intentional part of the game's design and narrative, suggesting a unique approach to stability that may confuse some players.
- “At first, I thought there were glitches happening as I played, but then I realized it was part of the game/story.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is critiqued for its portrayal of societal pressures through advertisements and media, highlighting the impact of these influences on the protagonist's self-image. While the narrative effectively builds tension and offers insightful commentary on values in advertising, some reviewers feel that these themes could be more effectively demonstrated rather than explicitly stated.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without constantly being bombarded by ads.”
- “I feel like the game prioritizes profit over player experience, with in-game purchases that are essential to progress.”
- “The constant push for microtransactions detracts from the overall enjoyment, turning what could be a fun experience into a frustrating grind.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, noting that even though it may lead to the same ending, the experience feels fresh due to the illusion of choice. This aspect helps compensate for the game's brevity, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
- “It's perfectly okay to end up at the same ending (illusion of choice); it's what Tristan is locked into from the start, but it adds a sense of replayability in an otherwise already too short game.”
- “The variety of choices and paths you can take makes each playthrough feel fresh, encouraging you to explore different outcomes.”
- “I love how the game rewards you for replaying it, with new dialogue and scenarios that you might miss on your first run.”
- “It's perfectly okay to end up at the same ending (illusion of choice); it's what Tristan's locked into to begin with. However, it gives a sense of replayability in an otherwise too short game.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless since the outcomes are often the same.”
- “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to play again, as the story doesn't change significantly with different choices.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere is enhanced by the hand-drawn art and engaging plot, with the music contributing positively despite being somewhat repetitive. Overall, the combination of visual and auditory elements creates a captivating experience.
- “I love the hand-drawn art, the plot, and the atmosphere.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The character development in the game is seen as lacking depth, particularly in the context of the unusual relationship dynamics between characters, which some players find unsettling. While the character designs and music are praised, the narrative could benefit from more substantial development to support its themes. Overall, the game is considered decent for a short free title, but the character interactions raise concerns.
- “I feel as if there could have been a little bit more character development to help back up that, but as a short free game, it's not bad.”
- “I feel as if there could have been a little bit more character development to help back up the story, but as a short free game, it's not bad.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is criticized for its misguided attempts to address serious issues like sexism and eating disorders, resulting in a tone that many players found offensive and distressing rather than funny.