Black Closet

About

Black Closet is a single player role playing game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Hanako Games and was released on September 16, 2015. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Black Closet" is a detective game set in a school where you play as the student council president, tasked with solving various cases and managing your relationships with other students. Each case requires you to make choices in investigating and interviewing suspects, with the outcome affecting your reputation and relationships. Balance your actions carefully to maintain your leadership and solve each case effectively.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 212 reviews

story40 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The writing is solid, with well-developed characters and engaging dialogue that captures the player's interest.
The gameplay mechanics are unique and challenging, requiring strategic thinking to manage resources and solve mysteries.
The game offers significant replayability due to randomized cases and the ability to choose different romantic paths.

The plot can become repetitive over time, with some cases feeling similar and lacking variety.
The game can be unforgiving, with a steep learning curve that may frustrate players who are not familiar with the mechanics.
Certain story elements and character interactions may feel forced or underdeveloped, leading to a lack of immersion.

story
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
67%
4%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-crafted, particularly appreciating the character development and branching paths that enhance replayability. However, others noted that the plot can become repetitive and lacks depth, with some feeling that the initial enthusiasm for the narrative wanes as the game progresses. Overall, while the story has its strengths, including intriguing mysteries and romantic elements, it may not satisfy all players, especially those seeking a consistently compelling plot.
- “The art style is unique and charming, the mood and music are awesome, the game mechanics are deceptively simple and novel, the story is cool, the characters feel layered and distinct, and the dialogue is very well-crafted and flexible.”
- “The characters are interesting and sometimes complex, the story is entertaining and contains some interesting branches, and the gameplay is a really fun application of resource management to solve mysteries.”
- “Black Closet packs intense and tactical gameplay with great storytelling, and I have yet to see a balance like this in other games.”
- “I feel like the writer themselves wasn't very enthusiastic about writing this part and felt insecure about some of the plot holes.”
- “The story is... better than average, but that's not saying much.”
- “And this is maybe just me, but I got tired and just followed a walkthrough, which doesn't bother me at all normally because I'm interested in the story, but this mini-games have nothing to do with it, and the story was pretty flat itself.”
gameplay
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The gameplay is a unique blend of visual novel elements and strategic mechanics, offering players engaging choices and a satisfying loop, though it can feel repetitive after multiple playthroughs. While the mechanics are initially challenging to grasp, they ultimately provide a rewarding experience that intertwines with the narrative, enhancing the overall immersion. However, some players noted issues with the user interface and endgame mechanics, which can detract from the enjoyment.
- “The gameplay is engaging and the characters are, for the most part, deep and interesting.”
- “The narrative beautifully intertwines with the gameplay and everything has a consequence.”
- “Black Closet offers an interesting blend of problem solving, resource management, and visual novel style gameplay which works to a surprising degree.”
- “The mechanics it sells itself on are ultimately shallow and easily predictable.”
- “Gameplay gets repetitive very quickly; I didn't really connect with the romanceable characters, and the game ends rather abruptly without ever quite developing a main plot.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive at times, especially after a few playthroughs, but the unique bits here and there make it fun.”
replayability
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
7%
The game boasts high replayability due to its randomized elements, diverse character routes, and multiple endings, allowing players to experience different outcomes with each playthrough. Many reviewers appreciate the blend of serious and humorous writing, alongside the strategic deduction required to identify the traitor, which enhances the overall enjoyment and encourages repeated play. While some note that the core gameplay can become repetitive, the variety in choices and customization options keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
- “The writing is excellent, with distinct and interesting characters and both serious and funny moments, and the amount of variation possible even within some individual routes is impressive and adds replay value on its own.”
- “Everything is randomized each playthrough and there are different overarching goals with different endings, so it's got more replayability than I expected when I picked it up.”
- “They've added tons of replayability, with different story paths for different choices, five romance options, case endings differentiating, and randomizing the traitor.”
- “The promise of replayability in its randomly-generated gameplay elements and different paths is overshadowed by the game's core gameplay of handling cases, which becomes repetitive well before you even finish your first playthrough, killing all my interest in giving this a second playthrough.”
- “There are a few small randomized variations to give it replay value, but it's mostly a standard linear story.”
- “The replay value isn't fantastic, but some major random variables (like exactly who - if anyone? - in your organization is actually a mole) keep some curveballs coming your way.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and charming art styles, particularly the two sets of character designs that offer distinct aesthetics. While some players find the visuals appealing and well-integrated with the game's atmosphere, others criticize certain artwork as mediocre or poorly executed, particularly in the first art style. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's immersive experience, despite some inconsistencies in quality.
- “What really works for me is just the whole atmosphere of the game, with the background music, art style, and UI design all working in concert.”
- “The art style is unique and charming, the mood and music are awesome, the game mechanics are deceptively simple and novel, the story is cool, the characters feel layered and distinct, and the dialogue is very well-crafted and flexible.”
- “The game comes with two different art styles - one sharp-cornered, contrasting photo manipulation, one soft-curved manga depiction - and both are simply gorgeous.”
- “The artwork is mediocre.”
- “I seriously don't know who was commissioned to do the artwork in this game, but I hope they weren't paid very much.”
- “The art style in the non-default set also looks like someone painted over pictures they grabbed from the internet, because none of the characters look the same when they're animated, also the proportions are seriously off.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The music in the game is generally described as simple and repetitive, with some reviewers noting it doesn't stand out but effectively complements the atmosphere. While it may not be groundbreaking, the ambient tracks contribute to the overall mood and tension, enhancing the game's aesthetic alongside its visuals. Overall, the music is appreciated for its fittingness to the game's theme, even if it lacks complexity.
- “What really works for me is just the whole atmosphere of the game, with the background music, art style, and UI design all working in concert.”
- “The art style is unique and charming, the mood and music are awesome, the game mechanics are deceptively simple and novel, the story is cool, the characters feel layered and distinct, and the dialogue is very well-crafted and flexible.”
- “The visuals and music are both well done, and like most of Hanako Games' releases, the presentation is top notch for this genre.”
- “Music: 4/10.”
- “It's not bad, but it is really simple looping music.”
- “Soundtrack is very simple and a bit repetitive, yet brilliantly fitting to atmosphere also.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its cohesive integration of background music, art style, and UI design, creating a tense and engaging environment. Reviewers appreciate the detailed and lovingly crafted settings, which enhance the thematic elements of the gameplay, while the soundtrack, though simple, effectively complements the overall mood. The combination of intriguing storylines and artistic choices contributes to a captivating experience that resonates well with players.
- “What really works for me is just the whole atmosphere of the game, with the background music, art style, and UI design all working in concert.”
- “Maybe it is the school's atmosphere (I went to a boarding school myself, thank god not girls only.. :) ), maybe because it is so delicately developed with a lot of details and a lot of love that went into it.”
- “The soundtrack is very simple and a bit repetitive, yet brilliantly fitting to the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere and the drawings suit the thematics and gameplay really well.”
- “The music and atmosphere create a surprising amount of tension.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is praised for its excellent writing and the ability to blend serious moments with unexpected comedic elements, creating a deeply immersive experience. Players appreciate the distinct characters and the variation in routes, which enhance replay value while maintaining a lighthearted tone, even in challenging situations. Overall, the game successfully balances drama and humor, making for a compelling narrative.
- “The writing is excellent, with distinct and interesting characters and both serious and funny moments, and the amount of variation possible even within some individual routes is impressive and adds replay value on its own.”
- “It was suspenseful and funny and romantic and deeply immersive, and I'm happy to have seen it through in one of many, many possible ways.”
- “Black Closet is thoughtful, expansive, dramatic, and very funny at times.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
Character development in the game is highlighted as a key element, with players appreciating the blend of storytelling and gameplay. While many characters begin as standard archetypes, the development throughout the game adds depth and intrigue, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The whole point of games like this is storytelling brought about through strong character development.”
- “Mixing excellent gameplay with some intriguing character development.”
- “I enjoyed the character development that I saw, even though most of them start off as pretty standard archetypes.”
- “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
- “I expected a rich narrative, but the characters lack depth and their growth is almost non-existent.”
- “The game fails to provide meaningful character arcs, leaving players feeling detached from the storyline.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its flawless performance, with no reported issues during gameplay. The mechanics encourage strategic thinking and adaptability, enhancing the experience without technical hindrances. A demo is available for players to assess the game's vibe and mechanics before committing.
- “If you're the kind of person who gets excited by the idea of 'pareto-optimization,' then you will probably enjoy these mechanics for the same reason I did. There's a demo available on the developer's website, which should give you a feel for the overall vibe of the game to see if it resonates with you.”
- “The game ran flawlessly for me, and I didn't experience any performance issues at all.”
- “It's up to you to examine their performance, like if they're failing simple tasks and their success rates are far below everyone else's.”
- “If you're the kind of person who gets excited by the idea of 'pareto-optimization,' then you too will probably like these mechanics for the same reason I did.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment, especially in late-game scenarios where procedurally generated content can become repetitive. However, the frequent story missions and character interactions help alleviate some of the tedium, though boss battles may still feel overly challenging and tedious in subsequent playthroughs.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Fighting the 'boss' (the game's true villain) can be a bit tedious, especially in later playthroughs; I feel like her having 100 in all stats is a bit much.”
- “The majority of gameplay is procedurally generated, so the late game can get a bit tedious.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game highly effective in fostering emotional attachment to its characters, with many expressing deep investment in the storylines across multiple routes. The emotional engagement is a standout feature, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a compelling narrative experience.
- “If you're looking to buy into a fantasy and get emotionally attached to characters, I highly recommend this game.”
- “I've played two whole routes and some partial ones, and each one had me emotionally invested as well as hooked.”