Arkhangel: The House of the Seven Stars

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 45 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Arkhangel: The House of the Seven Stars Game Cover
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In Arkhangel: The House of the Seven Stars, players navigate a supernatural mystery set in a snowy village, using point-and-click mechanics to explore, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth behind a mysterious force threatening the main character's family. The game combines elements of horror, adventure, and drama, with a heavy emphasis on narrative and atmospheric storytelling. Characters' fates are influenced by the player's choices, leading to multiple endings in this haunting tale.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews
story27 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling Lovecraftian story with rich lore and interesting characters.
  • The soundtrack is beautifully composed, enhancing the atmosphere and immersion of the game.
  • There are multiple branching endings and solid puzzles that add depth to the gameplay experience.
  • The controls are clunky and the camera angles can be awkward, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • There is a lack of voice acting and ambient sound, which detracts from the overall immersion.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs that can cause the character to get stuck or become unresponsive.
  • story61 mentions

    The story of "Arkhangel: The House of the Seven Stars" is praised for its engaging, wholesome Lovecraftian themes, immersive world-building, and well-structured narrative, despite some predictability and clichés. Players appreciate the depth provided by optional lore texts and the atmospheric soundtrack, although some find the gameplay mechanics and technical aspects lacking. Overall, the game offers a compelling story experience that keeps players invested, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of narrative-driven adventures.

    • “Arkhangel: the House of the Seven Stars is a wonderfully playable story.”
    • “The world created here is very immersive and the story was great.”
    • “This is a story-driven game with amazing atmosphere and a phenomenal score.”
    • “The story is pretty predictable and full of clichés, though I did enjoy reading the bits and pieces of the lore.”
    • “There are cons: the game railroads the player to the story really hard, and exploration is limited.”
    • “At first, it bothered me a bit because it felt so overt and I don't believe this game is based on an actual story of his, but I settled in and was able to just flow with it.”
  • music41 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, particularly its orchestral and choral elements. However, some players criticize the inappropriate use of certain tracks, such as jaunty folk music in dark settings, and note a lack of ambient sound and voice work that detracts from the atmosphere. Overall, while the soundtrack is often highlighted as a standout feature, its execution and suitability for the game's tone are points of contention.

    • “The soundtrack to the game is worth the price of admission alone.”
    • “The incredible orchestral and choral music is, somehow, both soothing and jarring in an eerie way.”
    • “The music is beautifully ambient and fits the game and its atmosphere so well.”
    • “Some inappropriate background music.”
    • “There is no ambiance because of the lack of voices, music, and sounds.”
    • “No voices at all; the music is irritating and not really suited to the horror of the game.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the stylized environments and effective use of light and shadow to enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize the overall quality as subpar, with childish designs and poorly executed visuals. While certain scenes and cutscenes are noted for their artistic merit, many players feel that the graphics do not meet modern standards, describing them as lacking polish and reminiscent of low-budget asset flips. Overall, the visuals are seen as adequate for the game's style but fail to impress.

    • “The visuals are mostly great, with shadows and light used effectively in amplifying the uneasy atmosphere of the remote village setting.”
    • “I really love the art style!”
    • “The main scenes are nice, but what stands out in the graphics is the artwork on the cut scenes, which are actually transitions where the story unfolds before more game interactivity.”
    • “Then I was shocked by the bad quality of the game; the graphics suck, there are no voices anywhere, there are simple songs on loop, and the controls are bad. The drawings are childish.”
    • “Short (around six hours to finish), it is a point-and-click adventure that features a nice story and music, but the controls and graphics are not polished.”
    • “I couldn't get past the graphics; the game looks awful (a bunch of Unity asset flips, basically).”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its effective use of visuals, sound, and storytelling, creating a foreboding and immersive experience. The soundtrack, described as beautiful and fitting, enhances the overall ambiance, while the setting—ranging from a remote village to impressive caverns—contributes to a sense of tension and dread. Despite some technical roughness and minor visual critiques, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates players.

    • “The visuals are mostly great, with shadows and light used effectively in amplifying the uneasy atmosphere of the remote village setting.”
    • “This is a story-driven game with amazing atmosphere and a phenomenal score.”
    • “The horror focuses on building a foreboding atmosphere, tension, and sense of dread.”
    • “The creepy atmosphere affords it the gradual pace, and some of the 'cyclopean' architecture looks very impressive.”
    • “I thought the cel-shaded effect on the characters detracted from the atmosphere a little, but it wasn't really an issue.”
  • gameplay6 mentions

    The gameplay is generally engaging and immersive, with players noting that it can feel much shorter than it actually is due to its captivating storyline. However, some users criticize the animations as rigid and occasionally laggy, which detracts from the overall experience. While the gameplay offers a satisfying challenge, it can also become tedious at times, lacking a balanced progression.

    • “I loved the storyline and the gameplay; it got me playing for 4 hours, and it felt like 30 minutes!”
    • “Gameplay and unfolding the mystery required the right amount of challenge so that I didn't get frustrated or stuck, but when I figured something out, it felt really like I'd accomplished something.”
    • “Thankfully, it doesn't happen all of the time, but jerky lag mars the experience from time to time, and animations are rigid and rough throughout, unfortunately butting heads with the gameplay.”
    • “It is also the gameplay that gets tedious as well.”
    • “It's strange, but it feels as if Arkhangel has no middle portion of its gameplay.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The game effectively incorporates humor to relieve tension without disrupting the narrative, with players noting that it adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. Many found the humor enjoyable, particularly in relation to character revelations and the overall storyline.

    • “There is just the right amount of humor in it to occasionally break tension without altering the feel of the story.”
    • “The puzzles in the game were good and fairly easy, and the game has a sense of humor that made me smile.”
    • “By this time, I actually thought it was funny - especially when I learned who the 'good guys' are in this tale!”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game is praised for its ability to convey a wholesome yet Lovecraftian narrative, effectively blending emotional depth with intriguing storytelling elements. Players appreciate the balance of warmth and darkness, making for a compelling emotional experience.

    • “Tells a good, wholesome, Lovecraftian story.”
    • “The best kind of wholesome story.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often detracting from overall enjoyment, even if they don't completely dislike the game itself.

    • “The gameplay becomes tedious after a while.”
    • “I didn't hate the game per se, but it was more tedious than enjoyable.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, with most players completing it in 6-8 hours and finding little incentive to revisit it afterward.

    • “I'll probably finish in 6-8 total hours, with very little replay value.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game suffers from clunky controls and subpar optimization, which may hinder the initial experience; however, it compensates with fantastic music and an engaging story.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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