Cahors Sunset
- January 13, 2015
- Locomotivah
Get on Steam"Cahors Sunset" is a light-RPG that puts you in the role of an elderly French man living in the small town of Cahors. The goal is to make decisions each month to keep him alive for as long as possible, balancing the positive and negative effects of each action on his health. Every choice you make has consequences, and not all outcomes are beneficial.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Cahors Sunset offers a touching narrative that explores the life of an elderly man, prompting players to reflect on their own lives and mortality.
- The game features a unique concept where players make choices that affect the protagonist's attributes, creating a sense of engagement and emotional investment.
- For its low price, the game provides a decent amount of content and a well-crafted story that can resonate with players, especially those interested in life simulation and decision-making.
- The game has significant technical issues, with many players reporting that it fails to start or is unplayable due to bugs.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with choices often feeling inconsequential and leading to a sense of randomness rather than meaningful decision-making.
- The overall tone of the game can be overly depressing, with a focus on negative experiences that may not appeal to all players, making it feel more like a 'depression simulator' than an engaging life simulation.
- story38 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "Cahors Sunset" is a poignant exploration of aging and life's final years, presented through a minimalistic, choice-driven format that engages players emotionally. While some reviewers found the narrative to be generic and lacking depth, others appreciated its ability to evoke reflection on personal life experiences and the struggles of old age. Overall, the game is noted for its touching storytelling, despite criticisms regarding its execution and gameplay mechanics.
“The narration is elegant and realistic, shedding light on the story of a life and an era while asking the player to empathize with someone residing in the winter of their life.”
“This game is really involved; the story is beautiful and touching. At some point, a tear rolled down my cheek; I would recommend it.”
“Seemingly being a tribute to the life of someone related to the developer, it's a touching story of an old man trying to live out the rest of his life and balance the elements of his life for a peaceful and fruitful end.”
“The opportunity wasn't taken, though, and the story is rather generic, with short, laconic sentences which don't really get to you.”
“The choices you're making don't really come together to form a cohesive story, and instead become a random mess of events that even start repeating themselves in more advanced levels.”
“I can admire what they were trying to achieve by making this a fully choice-driven story, where your decisions directly affect how long this man lives, but it takes the most stereotypical view of elderly people and just flops in trying to convey anything really deep and meaningful.”
- music14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as fitting and atmospheric, enhancing the emotional experience with a blend of melancholy and beauty. While some players appreciate the soundtrack for its ability to convey character emotions, others find it repetitive or unremarkable, with options to turn it off if desired. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, despite mixed opinions on its quality and replay value.
“On the positive notes, it has a really nice soundtrack, a lot of solid effort to convey what is going on within your character's life, full texts and decent length.”
“Maybe it was the beautiful violin soundtrack, but this was a relatively emotional and unique experience, which I wouldn't have expected from a CYOA game about finance management.”
“The royalty free music chosen blends well with the photography, making for a languid, melancholy atmosphere.”
“So long as you keep attributes at a stable level you'll live longer, so long as some random thing doesn't happen to make your anxiety or mood drop to a near nothing... like a song you don't like playing on the radio... at the end of it all, the payoff feels really unrewarding.”
“All that with a great look and horrible music.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally viewed as simplistic and minimal, serving primarily as a vehicle for the game's rich narrative rather than as a standout feature. While some players appreciate the light RPG mechanics and the clever design elements, many feel that the gameplay lacks depth and could benefit from more strategic complexity. Overall, the storytelling is highlighted as the main attraction, overshadowing the gameplay itself.
“Besides that simple mechanic, the game features a fleshed out background story of how the life of Valentin Puget came to be.”
“The light RPG mechanics work well enough, but to me the story is really the game's main draw and it delivers it well.”
“I really, really like the storytelling and gameplay ideas and the minimalistic style.”
“I do not like the idea and the game mechanics.”
“The gameplay stops.”
“The game has potential for deeper gameplay than it currently provides.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautiful violin soundtrack and a touching narrative that resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears. Many reviewers found the story, centered on an elderly man's reflections on life, to be a heartfelt tribute that prompts introspection about personal experiences and relationships, particularly with loved ones. Overall, the game successfully connects players to its protagonist, creating a unique and moving experience that surpasses expectations for a finance management CYOA game.
“This game is really involved; the story is beautiful and touching. At some point, a tear rolled down my cheek. I would recommend it.”
“Seemingly being a tribute to the life of someone related to the developer, it's a touching story of an old man trying to live out the rest of his life and balance the elements of his life for a peaceful and fruitful final chapter.”
“Wow, this caught me off guard and really got me emotional, thinking about my own life and my father and his passing.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game serve primarily to establish the mood and support the narrative rather than to impress with technical prowess. While some users criticize the reliance on artwork sourced from social media, they acknowledge that the visuals are not the main focus of a visual novel. Overall, the graphics are functional but not exceptional.
“Overall, the visuals are designed to create a certain mood for the background story as well as the entire premise of Cahors Sunset.”
“It's clearly not meant to be that type of game, but is any visual novel really about the visuals?”
“Overall, the visuals are only there to create a certain mood for the background story as well as the whole premise of Cahors Sunset.”
“+10 points to devs for stealing all the artwork from social media sites.”
“It's not amazing as far as gameplay, sound, and graphics.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Cahors Sunset is noted for its limited replayability, primarily due to the absence of multiple characters to experience the game with, which restricts players' opportunities for varied gameplay.
“The game offers a variety of choices that significantly enhance its replayability.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different paths and outcomes available.”
“The multiple endings encourage players to revisit the game and explore alternate scenarios.”
“Cahors Sunset lacks replayability.”
“The game could have had much more replayability if there had been more than one character to play through.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a languid and melancholy tone, enhanced by the well-chosen royalty-free music that complements the photography effectively.
“The royalty-free music chosen blends well with the photography, creating a languid, melancholy atmosphere.”
“The royalty-free music chosen blends well with the photography, making for a languid, melancholy atmosphere.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews suggest that grinding in the game can feel excessive, leading players to reflect on the value of their time and enjoyment. Many express that the grind may detract from the overall experience, prompting a desire for a more balanced approach to progression.
“It's only a grind for as long as it takes for you to realize that grinding your life away is not the life you should want to live.”
