Black Book: Prologue

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Black Book: Prologue is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Morteshka and was released on May 5, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

ADD FULL GAME TO YOUR WISHLIST About the Game Black Book: Prologue is a free standalone version of the game, featuring an essential part of the story - the First Day of Vasilisa becoming a witch. Welcome to the mysterious, yet intriguing world of Black Book - an Adventure game mixed with deck building turn-based combat, inspired by the likes of Slay the Spire. In the game, you’ll step forth …

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Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 286 reviews

story52 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of Slavic mythology and folklore, providing an intriguing narrative experience.
The card-based combat system is engaging and allows for strategic gameplay, with a variety of spells and choices.
The art style and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall immersion in the game's dark and mystical world.

The English translation has several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which can detract from the storytelling experience.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as the combat animations, can feel slow and tedious, potentially leading to a lack of engagement.
The prologue is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and depth in the story and gameplay.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The game's story is a captivating blend of Slavic folklore and dark themes, featuring a unique narrative that resonates with players familiar with Eastern European culture. While the prologue offers a promising introduction with intriguing lore and decision-making mechanics that impact the storyline, some players note issues with character development and translation quality. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a strong point, with potential for deeper exploration in the full game.
- “A good prologue showcasing what the full game can be; it's short but has enough content for a demo. The art is simple but nice, the music fits, and the story is unique to Eastern Europe. Even being Polish, I can relate to the mythos of the game.”
- “Endlessly original, armed with layers upon layers of intricate lore and backstory, the Black Book prologue tells only a small part of the life and deeds of a young witch, Vasilisa, as she's trying to learn to control the ominous Black Book, an endless compendium of the dark arts, meant only for those who are worthy enough.”
- “The story is compelling and has definitely left me wanting more. I love the setting and all the folklore elements, and the fact that my dialogue choices have an effect on the story.”
- “The main story seems too generic though - find someone to bring back to life, whom honestly I didn't care much about. I have just been told that I do, so I enter a pact with the devil, which is not a bad thing (but suicide is?)... it needs a bit of polishing.”
- “It feels obvious from the grammar and figures of speech that this game's first language is Russian, with many translations that are too direct, making the dialogues and story difficult to follow or appreciate in English.”
- “The game clearly relies on its general storytelling, but the dialogue is as if written by a child.”
gameplay
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
64%
4%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it average and lacking challenge, while others appreciate its unique blend of card mechanics and narrative depth. The card battles are seen as both confusing and rewarding, with potential for deeper mechanics in the full game, though some players noted issues with clunky combat and movement. Overall, the game shows promise with its atmospheric storytelling and engaging mechanics, but it may require further refinement to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The black book prologue is a great taste of the game which lasts over an hour and gives you a good idea of what all the important mechanics are going to be like.”
- “The gameplay is a mix of things that I am familiar with, and I must say, it's refreshing from a turn-based battle perspective.”
- “The game is wonderfully crafted and shows great promise - the setting, lore, music, and art are haunting, simple, and beautiful, while the card-based combat mechanics are fun and rewarding.”
- “No effective narrative, gameplay, or artistic hook.”
- “A good story ruined by card-game mechanics and turn-based combat.”
- “Slow and lengthy dialogue with characters who have not really been introduced, following slow and tedious combat, and linked together by brief point-and-click style exploration vignettes, which should have made up the bulk of the gameplay.”
graphics
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style that reflects Russian folklore and fairy tales, creating an engaging atmosphere. While some players find the visuals stunning and well-polished, others criticize certain character models and textures as simplistic or crude, suggesting room for improvement. Overall, the art style is generally appreciated for its charm and alignment with the game's narrative, though opinions vary on its execution.
- “The graphics are gorgeous and the story is interesting.”
- “The visuals are gorgeous but able to run on my MacBook computer with no performance issues.”
- “Wonderful graphics, wonderful atmosphere, very well made.”
- “If I were to say something negative about the game... well the certain graphic style is there, but the textures and the world are very crude and basic, to be honest.”
- “The game's art style is uninspired and very Unity.”
- “The graphics look very much like a Russian cartoon, which makes it very authentic and distinctive.”
atmosphere
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
22%
6%
The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by Slavic mythology, creating a dark and foreboding environment that is both immersive and intriguing. Players appreciate the combination of somber tones with moments of charm and humor, enhanced by excellent graphics, sound design, and a rich lore that draws them into the world. Overall, the atmosphere is consistently praised as a standout feature, contributing to a captivating and engaging gameplay experience.
- “The darker tone always makes for a delightfully somber atmosphere that often borders on horror. The Witcher series being the prime example in mainstream consciousness, and Black Book's world is positively soaked in Slavic folklore with a dark and foreboding atmosphere and plot.”
- “The flavor and mythology are very interesting and establish a dense, intriguing atmosphere.”
- “I'm thoroughly impressed by the visual design and the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack meets the atmosphere, but it isn't moving or inspirational in the spots that it needs to be.”
- “For a prologue, it has a decent amount of content (around 1 hour of gameplay) and does a fairly good job of introducing the player to the world by giving a good impression of the dark and foreboding atmosphere of the game's world.”
- “This game has Slavic atmosphere in spades, cherti (minor demons) haunting windmills, vodyanoys living in swamps.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
35%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, effectively complementing the unique Eastern European setting and enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's ability to shift in intensity during combat, creating a dynamic audio landscape that supports the game's themes. While some feel the music could be more eerie or impactful in certain moments, the general consensus is that it beautifully aligns with the game's art and narrative, contributing to a haunting and magical ambiance.
- “The soundtrack is pleasant and immersive, suits the atmosphere.”
- “When in combat, the music picks up volume and is introduced with flute and going more into orchestral dramatic/action style, creating mellow flute phases in between.”
- “The music in Black Book was great as well - it conveys both the thrill of adventure and also brings out the dark and daunting world ahead of the player.”
- “The soundtrack meets the atmosphere, but it isn't moving or inspirational in the spots that it needs to be.”
- “I do think the music could be a bit more eerie.”
- “- atmosphere and music”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game features a choice-based karma system and specific in-game locations that enhance replayability, with users noting a strong potential for long-term engagement. Additionally, the inclusion of a roguelike mode is considered essential for fostering community interaction and further increasing replay value.
- “It also has a choice-based karma system which has the potential to improve replayability in the long run.”
- “They function as intended and enhance the replayability of certain in-game locations.”
- “Replay value: 2/3.”
- “Roguelike mode is a must for this game, in my opinion, to be replayable and establish some community.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its nostalgic resemblance to old Russian horror films, creating a unique blend of comedy and eerie atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “It's funny because it looks like an old Russian horror movie.”
- “The humor is spot-on, blending absurdity with clever wordplay.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the quirky characters and their hilarious interactions.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Character development in the game is generally perceived as solid, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience. The minimalistic character design complements the richly detailed environments, enhancing the game's thematic atmosphere. However, some players find the mythological elements confusing, particularly regarding character morality.
- “The design choices were very fitting to the theme of the story, and it had vibes of both wanderlust and a medieval world - not to mention the minimal detail on actual character design that was a refreshing take on the heavy, overwhelming detailed environments of most games in this decade.”
- “The character development is engaging and allows for meaningful choices that impact the story, making each playthrough feel unique and personal.”
- “I appreciate how the characters evolve throughout the game, with their backstories and motivations becoming clearer as the plot unfolds.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me wanting more complexity and growth.”
- “The interactions between characters are limited, which diminishes the potential for meaningful relationships and development.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, citing slow dialogue, lengthy combat, and cumbersome exploration that disrupts the flow of gameplay. The need to frequently consult external texts for puzzles further detracts from the experience, suggesting a need for a more streamlined user interface.
- “Slow and lengthy dialogue with characters who have not really been introduced, following slow and tedious combat, and linked together by brief point-and-click style exploration vignettes, which should have made up the bulk of the gameplay.”
- “The walking around is unnecessarily tedious to collect objects in the zone.”
- “I enjoyed the demo, but turning spell book pages in turn-based spell fights quickly became tedious, and figuring out the correct answers to puzzles required me to drop the game and read texts that felt very separate from the game and its flow - I hope you can figure out a smoother UI for these activities.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features stunning visuals while maintaining excellent optimization, allowing it to run smoothly on lower-end systems like a MacBook without any performance issues.
- “The visuals are gorgeous but able to run on my MacBook computer with no performance issues.”

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1h Median play time

1h Average play time

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Frequently Asked Questions

Black Book: Prologue is a role playing game.

Black Book: Prologue is available on PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

On average players spend around 1 hours playing Black Book: Prologue.

Black Book: Prologue was released on May 5, 2020.

Black Book: Prologue was developed by Morteshka.

Black Book: Prologue has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

Black Book: Prologue is a single player game.

Similar games include Black Book, The Thaumaturge, The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales, INSOMNIA: The Ark, Tails Noir: Prologue and others.

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