Candleman: The Complete Journey

A solid platformer clothed in a heartwarming story and topped with some brilliantly designed levels and challenges. The looks are the cherry on top of the cake - and there's always room for more candles.

84%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

replayability, grinding

89% User Score Based on 175 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 13 reviews

Platforms

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About

Candleman: The Complete Journey is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Candleman Games and was released on January 31, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

In Candleman: The Complete Journey, players control a sentient candle navigating dark, mysterious environments with strategic light-based puzzle mechanics. The game features 10 chapters of narratively-driven levels, testing problem-solving and exploration skills while conveying a poignant tale of self-discovery and perseverance. Embodying the spirit of a humble candle, players must balance light usage to reveal the path ahead while avoiding the dangers lurking in the shadows.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Candleman: The Complete Journey screenshot

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 175 reviews

story28 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

Candleman features charming visuals and a heartwarming story that captivates players, making it an enjoyable experience.
The gameplay mechanics, particularly the unique use of light and shadow, create engaging puzzles that keep the experience fresh throughout the game.
The game is accessible for players of all skill levels, with a gentle difficulty curve and generous lives, making it a relaxing platformer.

The slow movement speed and occasional clunky controls can lead to frustrating moments, especially during platforming sections.
Some levels feel repetitive and lack challenge, which may lead to boredom for more experienced players.
The camera angles can be problematic, making it difficult to judge jumps and navigate certain obstacles effectively.

story
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
The game's story is widely praised for its heartwarming and charming narrative, centered around a little candle's journey of hope and self-discovery. Players appreciate the seamless integration of the story with gameplay, as it unfolds through beautifully crafted chapters and levels, often evoking strong emotions despite its simplicity. While some find the story minimalistic, it is generally regarded as a touching experience that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “I'm a huge fan of the artwork and thought that went into making this game, and I was surprised by how deep the story and message behind it ended up being.”
- “The poetry and storyline of the game is outstanding and they've made what could be a very boring game into an experience.”
- “On top of all of this, the story, while simplistic, is beautifully crafted and made me really feel all of the emotions the candle was feeling as I went on the journey with him.”
- “The story is minimal and secondary to the actual gameplay - there are only short cutscenes between some of the levels and every chapter.”
- “There isn’t much of a story to talk about really.”
- “It's a gentle and minimal story which is revealed very slowly after each level.”
gameplay
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
71%
4%
The gameplay of Candleman is characterized by its innovative mechanics centered around light and shadow, providing a unique and engaging experience as players navigate dark environments with a limited burn time for their candle. Each of the 12 chapters introduces new gameplay elements and puzzles, maintaining a balance between challenge and relaxation, though some players find the pacing slow and the overall difficulty not particularly high. The game's charming visuals and soothing soundtrack enhance the experience, making it a delightful platformer for those seeking a casual yet captivating adventure.
- “Great puzzle platformer with a nice message, very solid gameplay and difficulty on point (not too easy nor too frustrating), except for a couple of very hidden candles to find.”
- “The gameplay is quite straightforward, yet it remains challenging enough to stay entertaining the entire time.”
- “Exemplary environmental design, an innovative main mechanic that expertly ties in with the main character, and such amusingly adorable gameplay that you'll never want to stop playing.”
- “The atmosphere and graphics are impressive, the gameplay, however, is disgustingly slow and monotone.”
- “But the gameplay is just you going from point A to B in the dark, lighting X amount of candles along the way.”
- “Slow movement speed becomes grating, the campaign is a little bit too long and eventually starts to wear out its welcome, not enough gameplay mechanics.”
graphics
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
33%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and artistic style, contributing to an immersive and atmospheric experience. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals, clever use of light, and how the graphics enhance the storytelling and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a major highlight, making it a standout in the indie platformer genre.
- “The graphics are beautiful and combined with the audio and the playstyle, the game successfully manages to tell the story of the candleman and drag you into a vibrant and immersive world.”
- “It's a simple little 3D platformer, but the visuals are stunning.”
- “Candleman is a delightful platformer with nice graphics.”
- “Despite the graphical beauty, I couldn't be bothered to finish the game.”
- “The artwork is very vibrant and colorful once you get past chapter 1.”
- “If you couldn't tell from the artwork, the main draw of this game is the fact that you get to play as a candle with little legs, which ties into the main gimmick of the game: light.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The music in the game is characterized by its ambient and somber tones, effectively complementing the dark environments and enhancing the overall atmosphere. While some players find the soundtrack beautiful and calming, others describe it as forgettable or lacking traditional background music. Overall, the sound design, including environmental interactions and cutscene music, is praised for its quality and ability to create a relaxing experience.
- “The sound design and music is so good, I would listen to Mister Candle's metal pitter-patters all day if I could.”
- “The game manages to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere thanks to the beautiful visuals and the calming sounds and music at times with a certain degree of ASMR.”
- “This game is so beautiful in terms of scenery and soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is appropriate but forgettable.”
- “There’s no music as such throughout the game.”
- “Candleman does not actually have traditional background music, instead relying on an ambient soundtrack to fill the void of silence.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
23%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its impressive graphics, beautiful visuals, and immersive sound design, creating a calming and sometimes dark experience reminiscent of titles like Little Nightmares. Each chapter offers a unique ambiance, blending fairy-tale elements with clever lighting mechanics, although some players feel the gameplay itself detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen more as an atmospheric journey than a challenging platformer, appealing to those who appreciate a rich, artistic environment.
- “A (literally) dark atmospheric 3D puzzle platformer where a little candle needs to find its way out of a dark and dangerous world.”
- “The game manages to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere thanks to the beautiful visuals and the calming sounds and music, at times with a certain degree of ASMR.”
- “Candleman is a brilliant 3D platformer with clever lighting/shadow game mechanics and a nice atmosphere.”
- “It completely killed the atmosphere which was previously gentle and peaceful.”
- “The atmosphere may certainly recall to mind the darker and sinister worlds of Little Nightmares or Black the Fall, but from what little I've played, there is enough inventiveness and fresh ideas to set it apart.”
- “There is an ambient noise in the background which creates atmosphere.”
emotional
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its heartwarming story and emotional depth, particularly in how players form attachments to its charming protagonist, a little candle. Reviewers highlight the touching narrative and satisfying ending, which evoke feelings of hope and empathy, making it a memorable experience despite some gameplay frustrations. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a heartfelt journey that resonates on a personal level.
- “Cannot recommend this game enough to those who love puzzle games and getting emotionally attached to inanimate objects!”
- “Not only is it a game but a life experience, the hidden emotional support you'd like to hear when struggling.”
- “Who would have thought I'd ever have such an emotional attachment to a little candle?”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
40%
40%
The game's replayability is considered somewhat limited, as players feel the price may not justify the duration and replay value. However, the lack of replenishable resources during levels adds a unique challenge that could encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “The market price of 15 euros is, in my opinion, perhaps a bit much for the duration and replayability of the game, but it is definitely not too much.”
- “The market price of 15 euros is, in my opinion, perhaps a bit much for the duration and replayability of the game but is definitely not too much.”
- “I could see that being another replayability feature, given that, as far as I could tell, nothing during a level ever replenishes your wax amount.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both unintentional and charming, with players finding amusement in their own clumsiness and the absurdity of forming emotional attachments to quirky characters, like a sentient stick of wax. Overall, the game's lightheartedness and the developers' creativity contribute to its comedic appeal.
- “It’s an adorable quest, and it’s hilarious when I think about how emotionally attached I got to this sentient stick of wax, but that speaks only to the developer's credit.”
- “[b]Check out my [url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucjtq9htq19vhvyu-u4fomng?]YouTube channel[/url] for hilarious playthroughs of other such games!”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the absence of excessive collectibles, but express frustration with the game's checkpoint system, which can force them to replay tedious sections after failing at more challenging parts. This design choice contributes to a sense of grinding, as it disrupts the flow and enjoyment of progressing through levels.
- “While I'm happy that the devs didn't fill the game with a bunch of tedious additional collectibles, there isn't much reason to retread your steps if you lit the candles in each level.”
- “The mid-level checkpoint isn't really placed mid-level; sometimes it's placed after the easiest section, right before another long easy section. So when you get to the more difficult part and fail, you have to redo the tedious easy section.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Overall, users report mixed impressions regarding optimization, with some experiencing smooth performance while others encounter significant frame rate drops and stuttering. The game's optimization appears inconsistent across different hardware configurations, leading to varied experiences among players.
- “The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I was impressed by how well the game runs; the developers clearly put a lot of effort into optimizing performance.”
- “The frame rates are consistently high, and the loading times are minimal, showcasing excellent optimization throughout.”
- “The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the immersion.”
- “The optimization is so bad that loading times are unacceptably long, even for simple tasks.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is praised for its stability, featuring a bug-free experience and consistently smooth framerate.
- “The game runs bug-free and maintains a smooth framerate throughout.”
- “I experienced no crashes or glitches, making for a very stable gaming experience.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; I can play for hours without any issues.”

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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 13 critic reviews

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7h Median play time

8h Average play time

7-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Candleman: The Complete Journey is a role playing game.

Candleman: The Complete Journey is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Candleman: The Complete Journey.

Candleman: The Complete Journey was released on January 31, 2018.

Candleman: The Complete Journey was developed by Candleman Games.

Candleman: The Complete Journey has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

Candleman: The Complete Journey is a single player game.

Similar games include Omno, SCHiM, Unravel, Path of Giants, Snake Pass and others.

Candleman: The Complete Journey

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