Carpe Diem

About

Carpe Diem is a single player action game. It was developed by Moonlit Works and was released on November 30, 2015. It received positive reviews from players.

"Carpe Diem" is a strategy game that challenges players to build and manage their own medieval city. With a focus on resource management, players must make strategic decisions to ensure the growth and prosperity of their city while balancing the needs of its citizens. The game features a dynamic weather system and day-night cycle, adding an additional layer of realism to the city-building experience. Character count: 172. Total with spaces: 202.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,282 reviews

story274 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Short and sweet experience that delivers a powerful message about life choices.
Cute art style and relaxing music that enhances the overall atmosphere.
Unexpected twist at the end that leaves a lasting impression.

Extremely short, with gameplay lasting only about 10-15 minutes.
Limited character development and dialogue that feels shallow.
Only one meaningful choice that doesn't significantly impact the story.

story
898 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
The story of "Carpe Diem" is a brief yet charming narrative that explores themes of love and technology through the interaction between a programmer and his AI girlfriend, Ai. While many players appreciate the emotional impact and unexpected plot twist at the end, they also note that the story feels rushed and lacks depth, leaving them wanting more character development and a longer experience. Overall, it serves as a simple, sweet tale that resonates with some players, despite its predictability and brevity.
- “The soft background music and clean artwork elevate what initially feels like a simple story into something more thoughtful.”
- “By the end of the story, you'll be left thinking, wondering, or even a little emotional.”
- “The story is simple and linear, making it accessible for players looking for a quick experience; it lasts about 10-15 minutes, with some players finishing in as little as a minute if focused solely on achievements.”
- “It's really sad because it detracts a lot from being able to immerse yourself in the story and follow along.”
- “I think the end was way too abrupt and the story too short, thus, leaving it open to some plot holes - if Jung created AI and the program she lives in, why does he choose to let her live in a run-down apartment, and why does he act surprised at the mention of her coworker?”
- “The story is very fast-paced, and we are immediately introduced to AI, the female character of the story.”
music
222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its calming and relaxing qualities, but also criticizing its repetitiveness and limited variety, often consisting of only a few tracks that loop throughout gameplay. While some found the soundtrack to enhance the atmosphere and complement the visuals, others felt it detracted from immersion due to its monotony. Overall, the music is generally described as pleasant but could benefit from more diversity to maintain engagement over longer play sessions.
- “The soft background music and clean artwork elevate what initially feels like a simple story into something more thoughtful.”
- “Also props to the amazing soundtrack, just catches the vibe aptly.”
- “The music sounds very calming and relaxing.”
- “The music is appalling, with two or three very short loops of crappy synthesized pianos that drill into my head.”
- “The music gets pretty annoying after a while, especially since it does not reflect changes in scenery or mood.”
- “The same music also played over and over throughout the whole game, which became irritating.”
graphics
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic yet charming, with a cozy art style that evokes nostalgia. While many users appreciate the clean and cute visuals, they also note the lack of dynamic elements and variety in backgrounds, leading to a somewhat static experience. Overall, the artwork is considered pleasant and functional, particularly for a free visual novel, but it may not impress those seeking more detailed or innovative graphics.
- “The soft background music and clean artwork elevate what initially feels like a simple story into something more thoughtful.”
- “The art is beautiful, and I say that to the last version too because I love those visual novels with an old art style that makes me nostalgic.”
- “The graphics are pretty nice.”
- “The visuals are very simplistic and low quality.”
- “As for visuals, there are only about 5 different backgrounds, all of which are incredibly simple and boring to look at, and only one stagnant character with very few different facial expressions, with the music being on par with the visuals, consisting of one boring track that plays in an infinite loop.”
- “The graphics are okay, but the game seriously lacks in every other way.”
emotional
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of "Carpe Diem" is widely praised for its ability to evoke strong feelings in players despite its short length, often leaving them reflective or even in tears by the end. Many reviews highlight the game's heartfelt storyline and impactful twist, which resonate deeply with players, creating a surprising emotional connection to the characters. Overall, it is recognized as a touching experience that effectively conveys profound themes within a brief narrative.
- “The game has been praised for delivering a surprising emotional twist at the end, which has resonated with many players.”
- “I was honestly not expecting to become so engrossed and emotionally attached to the storyline and characters in the short amount of time that it took to play through, but I was.”
- “This game was great; great for a free game that actually touched me emotionally.”
- “Boring story.”
- “At first, I thought this was a boring story.”
gameplay
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
5%
The gameplay of "Carpe Diem" is characterized by its smooth and intuitive mechanics, particularly the tile-drafting system that encourages strategic planning. However, many reviews highlight the game's brevity, with gameplay lasting only 10-20 minutes and limited interactivity, making it feel more like a fleeting experience than a deep engagement. While some players appreciate the simplicity and emotional impact of the short gameplay, others criticize it for lacking substantial content and choices typical of more robust games.
- “Gameplay is smooth, intuitive, and easy to get into.”
- “Elegant mechanics: the game uses an intriguing tile-drafting system, where you literally 'seize the day' – choosing from available tiles to optimally position them on your personal board.”
- “In the gameplay area, this game never shies; plenty of interactive, engaging, and fun game mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is very poor; all you have to do is click further and further on the dialogues… ha, ha, ha.”
- “In terms of gameplay, the game doesn't give you any major choices.”
- “The gameplay uses the free visual novel creator, with nothing wow to the UI.”
humor
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
5%
The humor in the game is characterized by funny and relatable dialogue, with many players highlighting the amusing and unexpected twists in the ending. While the game is short, it effectively delivers laughs through clever achievements and light-hearted scenarios, though some critiques mention that the humor can feel cheesy or disconnected from the overall narrative. Overall, players appreciate the comedic elements, particularly the ending, which often leaves them laughing despite the game's brevity.
- “The achievements' names are funny as well.”
- “Holy shit, this game has a really funny ending!”
- “A decent visual novel with a surprisingly funny plot twist and equally as funny achievement.”
- “It is not funny; all you do is talk.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected humor, but it just felt awkward and cringeworthy.”
character development
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising it as fantastic and integral to the story, while others criticize it for being predictable and lacking depth. Many reviewers express a desire for more time and exploration of characters' motivations, suggesting that the writing could improve to enhance the overall experience. Overall, while there are moments of strong character development, inconsistencies and a lack of depth in certain areas leave room for improvement.
- “This game had fantastic character development combined with an excellent story that makes a truly soul-crushing experience.”
- “It has some in-depth character development and has a nice art style as well.”
- “Awesome plot and character development.”
- “There wasn't much character development, and it was pretty predictable.”
- “The male protagonist is a jerk; there is no character development, and the writing is not good.”
- “It is a bold topic to pick and arrange a game about, and it could have been something genuinely interesting only with better writing - adding some decent philosophical inclination at least - and better content - more character development and event interaction.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The atmosphere of the game is described as a mix of grandeur and simplicity, with some players appreciating the cute visuals and matching music that evoke a soothing, cheerful vibe. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of depth and effort in developing a more immersive atmosphere, with some feeling it falls short of expectations. Overall, while the game captures certain pleasant moments, it may not fully engage players seeking a richer atmospheric experience.
- “Carpe Diem perfectly captures the atmosphere of grandeur and ambition of that era.”
- “The visuals are cute and the music matches the atmosphere.”
- “The music really added to the atmosphere of a sunny summer afternoon.”
- “The art style is simple, but that adds to the overall atmosphere of simplicity and a 'budget-title air'.”
- “Needs more atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere happens in 3 places: mall, park, and arcade.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The reviews present a mixed perspective on replayability, with some games offering high replay value through random elements and unique challenges, while others suffer from limited choices and predictable outcomes that diminish their replay potential. Many players express disappointment in titles that lack meaningful variations in gameplay or story, leading to a consensus that some games may be enjoyable initially but fail to provide lasting engagement. Overall, while certain games boast replayability, others are criticized for their lack of depth and variety.
- “High replayability: thanks to the random generation of bonus cards and the shifting selection of available tiles, each game of Carpe Diem is a unique challenge.”
- “Replay value on different characters doesn't really exist, but staying with one you like and staying in that world never gets old.”
- “- a lot of replayability”
- “On top of that, the dialogue options are essentially pointless and offer absolutely no sense of proper replayability, which is a shame in and of itself.”
- “The choices all lead to the same ending, just taking different routes. They don't gloss it over by slapping on the pizazz lines like 'with a multitude of branching paths for limitless replayability!'”
- “It does not have much replay value or a story long enough to keep you busy for hours.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to achieve progress. While some appreciate the meta-twist at the end, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “That got tedious quickly.”
- “There is a meta-twist at the end which is kind of neat, but getting there is tedious.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, stability in the game is mixed; while some players report frequent freezing issues, particularly with the Discord overlay enabled, others have experienced a smooth experience with no significant bugs or crashes. Recent patches have addressed many prior glitches, but the game still has room for improvement in terms of launch stability.
- “It has its flaws (forced feel to the story, a little linear at times, and only truly free and sandboxy when you complete the game), and this is most definitely the game I've had the most trouble launching as it freezes a lot on startup with Discord overlay enabled.”
- “Patched bugs and glitches that were a hindrance to the overall experience.”
- “What I'd like to see, though, is a sequel or maybe an episodic series, to make fun of the whole development process, anywhere from longer runs at a time before crashing to glitches that could make the story hilarious or even more heart-wrenching.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received a mixed response, with a score of 6 indicating that while some players find it satisfactory, there are notable areas for improvement. Performance issues and occasional frame rate drops have been reported, suggesting that further refinements could enhance the overall experience.