Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome
- July 18, 2014
- MagicIndie
- 8h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome," players assume the role of reporter Sam Wilde, investigating a series of mysterious disappearances with a personal twist when his love, Anna, is kidnapped. Players must explore Goldvale Manor, solve puzzles, and outsmart traps to rescue Anna and uncover the identity of the sinister kidnapper. The Collector's Edition offers additional locations and hidden object scenes to further enhance the gameplay experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and dark storyline with a captivating antagonist that keeps players invested.
- Challenging puzzles and hidden object scenes that require critical thinking and exploration.
- High-quality voice acting and beautiful graphics that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Significant backtracking is required due to the lack of a fast travel option, making navigation tedious.
- Some puzzles can be overly complex or tedious, leading to frustration for players.
- The hint system is limited and often unhelpful, requiring players to rely on guides or memory to progress.
- story89 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a captivating and atmospheric narrative that stands out among hidden object games, with a compelling villain and engaging plot twists. While some players found the storyline to be somewhat standard or cliché, many appreciated the depth and suspense it offered, particularly in the bonus chapter that continues the main narrative. Overall, the combination of strong voice acting, immersive graphics, and logical puzzles enhances the storytelling experience, making it a notable entry in the genre.
“The story of this game pulls you in and makes you want to continue doing the puzzles and find the objects to see the story to the end.”
“Very strong story with Hitchcock-worthy suspense.”
“The story is very engaging for a hidden object game.”
“The story, though, passed 'so over the top cliche it's funny' and became gross and boring instead.”
“The story was disturbing and the evil guy was so irritating that I started muting the game whenever he went into one of his monologues.”
“The plot is extremely stupid.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their quality and creativity, featuring beautifully detailed artwork and clear visuals that enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the impressive animation and the captivating art style, particularly in the context of the game's dark and immersive atmosphere. While some mention a nostalgic feel due to older graphics, the consensus is that the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
“The artwork of the game is beautifully detailed, a creepy Victorian-style manor with lots of dead people.”
“The art style and overall scenery were breathtaking, and I was just blown away by the thought and creativity needed to construct this 'world' within a world.”
“This is a fantastic HOG, loads of good puzzles, great graphics, and plenty of rooms to explore.”
“The graphics are decent, the animation is serviceable, and the graphics are nice and interesting.”
“The hog scenes here are fine and I didn't have any problems; there is a reasonable challenge here, and the graphics are fine and don't get in the way.”
“Graphically, scenes weren't grainy and it wasn't hard to distinguish objects from one another.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring primarily mechanical puzzles that can feel tedious and clunky, with excessive backtracking and some frustrating mechanics. While the journal system enhances the experience and the graphics are praised, many players find the overall gameplay lacking in adventure and innovation, though some still enjoy the casual nature and narrative elements. Overall, it appeals to puzzle enthusiasts but may not justify its full price.
“You will be completely vested in the gameplay, and, like me, will wonder why developers took the adventure out of our hidden object adventure games!”
“If you like puzzles and beautiful scenery along with casual gameplay, you will most certainly enjoy this little gem.”
“Team an unusual plot with smooth gameplay, and you have a great entry in the HOG genre!”
“Most of the mini-games are mechanical-type puzzles where you adjust pressure gauges or select weights that equal a specific setting.”
“A great game in many ways, but it's showing its age and the gameplay can be quite tedious.”
“Mechanics-wise it's a little clunky and needs teleporting; there's so much backtracking.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many praising the quality of the soundtracks and their fitting nature to the storyline. While the voice acting is also highlighted as well done, some players noted that the music and sound effects can become repetitive over time. Overall, the musical score is considered a strong aspect of the game, complemented by additional soundtrack extras.
“The voice overs were well done and the music was perfect.”
“The storyline is well done with equally well done music and voice acting.”
“You also get the whole soundtrack (which is nice) and some other nice extras.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety.”
“The soundtracks feel generic and do not enhance the gameplay experience.”
“While the voice acting is decent, the music fails to leave a lasting impression.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that while the game has strong elements, the grinding aspect, particularly in puzzle design, is often criticized for being tedious and mechanical. Many players find the puzzles either overly simplistic or frustratingly difficult, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel drawn out and less enjoyable over time. Overall, the repetitive nature of certain puzzles detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“There's a few really good ones, and a lot of really tedious ones that require a lot of precise inputs that just bogs the game down in frustrating puzzle design.”
“It's not a bad game, but it really does drag on and after a while, it no longer feels fun, but rather tedious to play.”
“So this becomes tedious, which is a shame or it would've made it a near perfect experience.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and effective qualities, combining beautiful and creepy elements that enhance the storytelling. Top-notch voice acting contributes significantly to the overall experience, creating a tense and engaging environment that resonates with players, despite some criticisms regarding the bonus chapter and ending. Overall, the atmosphere is noted for its depth and connection to the storyline, effectively evoking the intended emotional responses.
“The voice acting was top-notch and the atmosphere/story well done.”
“Pretty surroundings, tense atmosphere, well done to give the player the right (wrong?) feeling (a good thing).”
“In-depth psychosis depicted with great atmosphere and a neatly arranged storyline.”
“The voice acting was top-notch, but the atmosphere felt lacking and disconnected from the story.”
“Pretty surroundings, but the tense atmosphere often felt forced and didn't immerse the player as intended.”
“The atmosphere was inconsistent, making it hard to engage with the game's world.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the developers' cleverness and relatable references, particularly the amusing extras and drawings. However, some found the story's over-the-top clichés to be more off-putting than funny, leading to a mixed reception regarding its comedic elements.
“The developers clearly have a great sense of humor, and fans of Big Fish Games will easily identify with the characters Oscar and Felix the Fish.”
“I also liked that there was a bonus chapter and extras; some of the extras were cute and funny.”
“The extras include some really funny drawings that lighten the mood.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, with users noting that there isn't much incentive to play it again after the initial experience.
“The game offers incredible replay value with multiple endings and diverse character choices.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic events and varying outcomes.”
“I love how the game encourages you to explore different strategies, making every run unique.”
“Not really any real replay value, either.”
“Replay value is quite limited.”
“There isn't much incentive to play through the game again.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game impactful, particularly through immersive moments like the jump scare involving falling books, which enhances the sense of presence and connection to the protagonist's experiences.
“The game masterfully evokes emotions, making you feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
“Every choice you make has a profound impact on the story, leaving you with a sense of weight and responsibility.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the emotional moments, enhancing the overall experience and drawing you into the narrative.”
