Ceress and Orea
- April 20, 2018
- Plueschkatze
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Ceress and Orea" is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game with an intriguing story, compelling visuals, and outstanding music. Ceress, a young woman in love with another woman, is sentenced to death and calls out to an old deity for a chance to change her unrighteous fate. Embark on this soothing yet challenging 60-minute adventure, solving puzzles and discovering Ceress' memories in a linear journey with one ending: reaching Orea and overcoming death to be reunited with the woman she loves.
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and a lovely soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
- The story is heartwarming and engaging, focusing on a sweet lesbian romance that resonates emotionally.
- The puzzles, while easy, allow for a relaxing gameplay experience that complements the narrative.
- The game is very short, taking only about an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
- Puzzles are overly simplistic and lack challenge, making the gameplay feel less engaging.
- The narrative leaves some important plot points unexplained, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story116 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Ceress and Orea" is a heartfelt and engaging tale of forbidden love between two women, exploring themes of sacrifice and the quest for reunion after death. While the narrative is simple and unfolds through flashbacks, it effectively captures emotional depth despite its short length, leaving some plot points open to interpretation. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful art and music, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate story-driven gameplay, though some players felt it lacked depth and character development.
“It's a beautifully written story of star-crossed lovers that almost feels way too short but satisfying all the same.”
“Ceress and Orea is a short and sweet story about lovers separated by death, just because nobody thought they belonged together.”
“The story was sweet and gave just enough away at a time to make you curious for more and able to follow the plot line.”
“The story has a lot of potential, but the game is incredibly short, so it never has a chance to develop properly.”
“Both the plot and the love story are very plain and boring.”
“Without a proper unfolding of backstory, it's really hard to empathize with Ceress.”
- music34 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and beautifully composed soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience and mood. Many players find it relaxing and engaging, often expressing a desire to listen to it outside of gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, complementing the game's art and story effectively.
“The music and sound is subtle, but very good at presenting the mood at every point in the game.”
“The soundtrack was absolutely fantastic.”
“The original soundtrack isn't just suiting, it's downright golden, and I regularly listen to it on Spotify.”
“It creates a perfect atmosphere for the game and honestly, I'll probably just pull up the game just to listen to the music haha.”
“The attention to detail shows how much effort is put into this, from the character comments, environment, lighting to music.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Ceress and Orea" are widely praised for their stunning pixel art and vibrant aesthetics, which effectively enhance the game's emotional atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the beautiful artwork and cutscenes, noting that the visuals are above average for an RPG Maker game, contributing significantly to the overall experience. While some players wished for more visual content, the combination of lovely designs and a soulful soundtrack creates a captivating and immersive environment.
“This hour-long puzzle game has surprisingly gorgeous pixel graphics and an equally surprising level of storytelling depth for the allotted time.”
“Ceress and Orea's most striking feature is perhaps the visuals of the game.”
“The graphics are very similar to Rakuen; they're very bright and vibrant when the game needs them, and morose and dull when the game needs to project an atmosphere of dread.”
“I was hoping for something that would have really reflected the fact the lovers were reunited, a longer cutscene showing the girls ecstatic for being together again or some more CG artworks, considering that was the whole point of the game.”
“All I've gotten for beating the game was a CG without them talking and a single artwork (which was actually pretty, by the way).”
“This does not look like a game that only costs $2, even if only because of the art style.”
- gameplay21 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Ceress and Orea" is characterized by its simplicity and short length, allowing for a focused narrative experience without filler. While some players appreciate the lack of complexity and the emphasis on story and character empathy, others find the gameplay dull and the puzzles weak, leading to mixed opinions on its overall engagement. Overall, it offers a casual experience suitable for those seeking a light, story-driven game, but may disappoint players looking for challenging or innovative mechanics.
“The game's short length allows it to hit its story and gameplay beats without any filler, and even though the game is mechanically simple, it's got just enough going on to fit with the story.”
“I really appreciate that it was a game more focused on empathizing with a character who's trying to get back to the woman she loves and what she'll do to return to her rather than including combat or any other mechanics that might have been unnecessary or distracted from that empathy.”
“The game mechanics are simple but fulfill their purpose and the puzzles are fun.”
“The gameplay is incredibly dull.”
“"Ceress and Orea" is a cute little story, but don't expect any challenge or innovative gameplay: every stage of the game is a fetch-quest inside of a small labyrinth with a trivial puzzle in the end.”
“The puzzle gameplay was not very good, so I would not recommend it in that context.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, particularly the touching love story between a lesbian couple facing societal challenges. While some players found the dialogue to be generic and certain plot points unexplained, many appreciated the game's ability to evoke emotional responses through its charming characters and engaging story. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a brief yet impactful RPG experience that emphasizes love and connection.
“Definitely recommend this game for anyone looking for a bite-sized RPG experience that nonetheless packs a sweet, emotional punch!”
“A beautiful and heart-wrenching story about a girl who must get back to her lover by going through multiple puzzles in the underworld.”
“Basically in a short amount of time, the creator is able to depict a touching story without neglecting ambiance and the emotional pull of the story.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, featuring vibrant graphics and a captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers note that the visuals effectively convey a range of emotions, from hope to dread, making the atmosphere a key element of the game's success. Overall, the combination of appealing aesthetics and immersive sound design creates a delightful and engaging environment for players.
“It was very atmospheric - the tilesets are very pretty and the maps are put together in really appealing ways, and the music is gorgeous.”
“It creates a perfect atmosphere for the game and honestly, I'll probably just pull up the game just to listen to the music haha.”
“The graphics are very similar to Rakuen; they're very bright and vibrant when the game needs them, and morose and dull when the game needs to project an atmosphere of dread.”
“I think that atmosphere is something that the game hinges on for its success; it plays on the emotions of the player - hope, sadness, fear, relief - and I think that is the reason why I found the visuals so appealing.”
“The story and atmosphere were definitely the highlight of this experience.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its cute designs, though somewhat limited, and while the story lacks consistency, the ending is appreciated by players. Overall, the characters contribute positively to the game's charm despite narrative shortcomings.
“The character designs, though limited, are cute.”
“I liked the character designs, and the music was pretty good too. Even though the story was not consistent, I still liked the ending.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers a brief and enjoyable experience focused on storytelling and light puzzles, but it lacks significant replay value. However, for its low price, it is considered a worthwhile adventure for a single playthrough.
“Decent and short RPG Maker game that doesn't have any combat but instead focuses on storytelling combined with light puzzles. It has no replay value, but for 1 dollar, I think it's a fairly good adventure to embark on.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to some puzzles being overly easy, yet they acknowledge the impressive rendering and attention to detail in the game's design.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and often tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which quickly became frustrating and unfulfilling.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
