Belladonna

About

"Belladonna" is a single-player horror arcade game now available on itch.io, previously exclusive to Steam. As a corpse girl rising from the dead in a gothic, twisted setting, uncover the mysteries of your own death and reanimation. The story follows a doctor and his wife dealing with the tragedy of their child's death, leading to a dark obsession and Belladonna's descent into despair. Experience sensational graphics, masterful music, and a chilling atmosphere in this gothic adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 572 reviews

story224 positive mentions

replayability6 negative mentions

The artwork and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, creating a captivating gothic experience.
The story, while short, is intriguing and draws on themes from classic literature, particularly Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
The voice acting is decent and adds to the overall immersion of the game.

The game is extremely short, taking only about an hour to complete, which feels unsatisfactory for the price.
Puzzles are overly simplistic and do not provide any real challenge, making the gameplay feel lacking.
The narrative is delivered primarily through journal entries, which can be tedious to read and may detract from the overall experience.

story
662 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
4%
The story of "Belladonna" is a short, gothic narrative heavily inspired by Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," primarily conveyed through journal entries scattered throughout the game. While some players found the plot intriguing and atmospheric, many criticized it for being predictable, overly reliant on exposition, and lacking depth, leading to a rushed and unsatisfying conclusion. Overall, the game is seen as more of an interactive short story than a traditional adventure, with potential for expansion and improvement in future iterations.
- “The story is interesting and deep, and I liked the moral ambiguity of the characters.”
- “I did enjoy unraveling the mysteries behind Belladonna as the story progresses, and some of the twisted revelations throughout the game I did find satisfying.”
- “The dark and macabre nature of the story was interesting to me, and will interest those who are also fans of this type of story.”
- “The 'mystery' of the plot is spelled out so directly in pages of exposition on every screen that you'd have to be trying to be as oblivious as the protagonist, and the whole tale basically amounts to a bad fan fiction that just gets worse as the game goes on.”
- “The story simply is too short and doesn't explore enough of the dark themes, and felt like a wasted potential.”
- “The characters don't leave any lasting impressions (the central characters, despite being in a relationship, show no real emotion towards one another), too much of the story is told through journal entries rather than having revelations occur naturally, and the conclusion is very lackluster.”
graphics
164 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful and unique art style, which is often described as charming and atmospheric. However, some players noted inconsistencies in quality, with certain character designs feeling out of place and animations appearing minimal. Overall, while the visuals are generally well-received, they are sometimes overshadowed by the game's shortcomings in other areas.
- “The artwork and character design are memorable and the story is heart-warming and intriguing.”
- “The graphics in this game are amazing and the main heroine - the arizen lesbian maid - is great.”
- “The art style was haunting and beautiful, and the story was something special.”
- “I'm not really a fan of the art style, but it seems too crisp for what they were trying to pull off.”
- “The 'artwork' on the backgrounds looks like it was done by a child.”
- “I was really excited for this game because the art style promised so much, and I think that's the biggest disappointment of this whole experience.”
music
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
57%
3%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and how well it complements the art style. While some find the soundtrack enchanting and fitting for the game's tone, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point that enhances the game's ambiance, though it may not be memorable or groundbreaking.
- “The music, enchanting.”
- “The music fits the atmosphere pretty nicely.”
- “The soundtrack is well composed and the ambience has quality; it controls very fluidly and is quite responsive.”
- “The background music is a bit too loud and there's no options to balance it.”
- “Buttons are wonky, music gets old very quick, there's no achievements.”
- “The music does the job, but I can't say it's anything memorable.”
gameplay
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
81%
5%
The gameplay is primarily point-and-click, featuring straightforward mechanics that are user-friendly but lack depth, with minimal puzzles and a linear structure that limits replayability. Many players noted the game is quite short, averaging around an hour and a half, and often feels more like an interactive story than a traditional game, with excessive reading that pads playtime. While some appreciated the immersive narrative and art style, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is simplistic and could benefit from enhancements like faster navigation and more varied content.
- “The point-and-click mechanics are well-executed and offer an immersive and engaging gameplay experience.”
- “Overall gameplay was straightforward and engaging.”
- “Simple gameplay, user-friendly interface.”
- “There's no puzzle element to the story or the sparse gameplay.”
- “In terms of gameplay, there isn't much here; you wander about the castle solving minor point-and-click item fetch/search quests and trivial puzzle-solving sections. Mostly, the game is an interactive base for the story to be told, and it is all very linear, so little replayability here.”
- “The downside is the gameplay length; the game is really short, and you’ll likely have it finished before getting all the card drops. Unfortunately, it also has a single storyline with no branches, so there is not much replayability.”
atmosphere
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
40%
4%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning gothic and macabre beauty, complemented by excellent music that enhances the creepy ambiance. While the visuals and overall aesthetic are captivating, some players feel that the voice acting does not align well with the atmospheric tone, detracting from the experience. Despite its short length, the game successfully immerses players in a dark and atmospheric world, making it appealing to fans of gothic horror.
- “The atmosphere and setting of the game are simply stunning, with a gothic and macabre beauty that draws you in and keeps you hooked.”
- “The game is well made, with good graphics and music that bring about a creepy atmosphere.”
- “Yet the strong points of this game is the atmosphere it creates and most of that was due to its musical scores.”
- “The visual atmosphere doesn't match the voice acting, in my opinion.”
- “For a simple, linear indie game, it does have a bit of a gothic atmosphere, but the bland voice acting, in-your-face references, and 'plot twists' visible from a mile away didn't help.”
- “The game ended up being too short and quick-paced; sometimes it sort of skipped things over when the progression of the story would have been more enjoyable if time was given to build the atmosphere.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
65%
23%
The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that it features a linear storyline with no branching paths, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough. The puzzles are described as overly simplistic, and the short gameplay length further diminishes any incentive to replay. Overall, players feel that aside from collecting trading cards, there is little to draw them back into the game.
- “The downside is the gameplay length; the game is really short, and you’ll likely have it finished before getting all the card drops (unfortunately it also has a single storyline with no branches, so there is not much of replayability).”
- “Not much for replayability; unless I missed something, there is only one way for the story to end.”
- “This is overall a good game; I would recommend it if it weren't for the following: I've beaten it 10 times in just over 3 hours, and really the only reason I've been playing beyond the first time is to try to get a better completion time. There is no true replay value, and simply checking everything makes the game take a little over 40 minutes.”
- “Outside of trading cards, there is very little replay value. The puzzles are beyond easy, and if I had not gotten it on sale, the price would have left me very salty after finishing the game.”
- “The downside is the gameplay length; the game is really short, and you’ll likely have it finished before getting all the card drops. Unfortunately, it also has a single storyline with no branches, so there is not much replayability.”
- “This is overall a good game, I would recommend it if it weren't for the following: I've beaten it 10 times in just over 3 hours, and really the only reason I've been playing beyond the first time is to try to get a better completion time. There is no true replay value, and simply checking everything makes the game take a little over 40 minutes.”
character development
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
15%
15%
Character development in the game is often described as rushed and at times emotionless, despite the presence of memorable artwork and unique character designs. While some players appreciate the heartwarming story and the potential for deeper character exploration, many feel that the development lacks depth and fails to fully engage with the characters' arcs. Overall, the game showcases strong visual elements but falls short in delivering a satisfying character-driven narrative.
- “The artwork and character design are memorable, and the story is heartwarming and intriguing.”
- “Carrying the same rich character design featured in 'Monkey Island' or 'Day of the Tentacle', combined with the same developing in-game plotline featured in 'Whispering Willows', players find themselves thrust into a classically bleak gothic environment where science and mysticism converge.”
- “Great story; I loved the character design.”
- “Character development is very rushed and can be emotionless at times.”
- “Poor character development.”
- “You get a glimpse of what this game could have incorporated in the ending title card where you see a bunch of other character designs.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding the story heart-warming and surprisingly impactful, while others criticize it as boring and poorly written. The artwork and character design are noted as memorable, but many feel the storytelling lacks depth and emotional potency, particularly towards the rushed ending. Overall, the emotional experience varies significantly among players.
- “The artwork and character design are memorable, and the story is heart-warming and intriguing.”
- “Surprisingly emotional!”
- “Play time isn't always the most important thing if there is enough emotional impact.”
- “This game has a boring story and the writing is just plain bad.”
- “Very easy, kind of a boring story, awkward animations and super short.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the journal reading is essential for understanding the plot, it can become tedious and repetitive, especially during the first playthrough. The game's short length and reasonable pricing help mitigate some of the boredom associated with constant reading, but many still wish for more engaging gameplay mechanics.
- “Secondly, constant reading can feel boring and tedious.”
- “Most of the story is told through reading notes that got tedious.”
- “You will however spend a lot of time reading on your first playthrough, as there are a lot of journal pages to collect, which can get tedious but for me it was necessary to the plotline.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of black comedy and unexpected narrative twists that add a unique flavor to the classic Frankenstein tale, eliciting genuine laughter at times. However, while the initial setup is promising, the story's descent into a farcical tone is seen as a misstep, lacking the wit needed to effectively carry it off. Overall, the humor is a mixed bag, with moments of cleverness overshadowed by a less successful comedic turn.
- “There was a pleasant level of strangeness; small but unexpected narrative elements are planted throughout the game, turning the classic Frankenstein story into something we haven't seen before, and it made me laugh a couple of times too.”
- “It has a more black humor and is well written.”
- “The story starts out very promising, if predictable, but instead of continuing and ending on a more poignant note, it unexpectedly descended into a silly farce that wasn't witty or funny enough to pull it off, even if you like that type of story.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, indicating that players feel the game prioritizes profit over player experience.
- “Cash grab!!”
- “Cash grab!!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game's protagonist has been criticized for being unengaging, with some players finding the acting performance so lackluster that it detracts significantly from the overall experience.