Children of Silentown

About

"Children of Silentown" is a suspenseful narrative-driven adventure game where players control a young girl named Lucy living in a secluded village surrounded by a foreboding forest. Lucy discovers dark secrets and supernatural events as she tries to solve the mystery of the town's silence. The game features a unique blend of puzzles, exploration, and musical rhythm mechanics, creating an eerie atmosphere that keeps players on edge.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 496 reviews

story195 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

Beautiful art style and atmosphere that captivates players.
Engaging story with a unique blend of mystery and emotional depth.
Challenging puzzles that encourage exploration and critical thinking.

Repetitive puzzles, particularly the cog puzzles, can be frustrating.
Lack of clear direction at times, leading to confusion about objectives.
Multiple endings require replaying the entire game, which can be tedious.

story
365 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
43%
3%
The story of "Children of Silentown" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its intriguing and atmospheric narrative, often likening it to a dark fairytale. However, criticisms arise regarding plot coherence, pacing issues, and a lack of satisfying conclusions, with some feeling that the puzzles detract from the storytelling experience. Overall, while the art and music are praised, the story's execution leaves some players wanting more depth and clarity.
- “The story is gripping and has multiple endings, all of them amazing!”
- “The story unfolds in a town shrouded in mystery, where every corner seems to hold secrets waiting to be uncovered.”
- “The storytelling in this game is excellent, retaining its eerie and mysterious aura throughout the entire game.”
- “Overall, I had 9 hours of gameplay for £6.50 (it was on sale), which isn't bad, but overall I was disappointed with the story, which felt a bit of a letdown.”
- “The story is very bare bones, so do not expect anything groundbreaking.”
- “I could make do with the repetitive puzzles, but the story is really important to me in games like this - especially when the prologue and the information about the game make it seem important, too.”
music
169 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful and emotional soundtrack, which complements the art style and enhances the overall atmosphere. Many players appreciate the unique integration of musical puzzles, although some find certain puzzles repetitive or challenging. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The music perfectly complements various scenes, not intruding or distracting.”
- “Great art style, amazing storytelling, and fantastic soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack to this game is amazing, a ballad of music that comes from the heart and soul.”
- “The scripting is disturbing, the music is annoying, and it started to get boring that I cannot be bothered.”
- “I had to mute the background music because it's very repetitive after a while.”
- “First, the music can get a bit repetitive.”
graphics
161 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
31%
2%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning and unique art style, which combines charming and eerie elements to create a captivating atmosphere. Many players noted the beautiful hand-drawn visuals and how they enhance the storytelling, making the game visually appealing and immersive. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, drawing players in and contributing significantly to their enjoyment of the game.
- “I adored every moment of it and the art style was amazing!”
- “The art style is stunning and the storyline kept me enticed till the very end.”
- “The atmosphere is rather creepy and the art style is gorgeous, the game deserves to be played just for that.”
- “The graphics don’t help the game, though I’ve heard people praise them; I have no clue what they’re talking about.”
- “The game looks very simple and uses a cheap and easy art style.”
- “While the art style, atmosphere, music, and voice acting are all wonderful, the graphics themselves leave much to be desired.”
gameplay
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
4%
The gameplay of "Children of Silentown" is primarily a point-and-click adventure that combines exploration, puzzle-solving, and unique mechanics like singing to progress the story. While many players appreciate the engaging puzzles and beautiful art style, some criticize the gameplay for being simplistic, repetitive, and at times disjointed, leading to a lack of clarity in objectives and a feeling of untapped potential. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable mechanics and challenges, but opinions vary on its depth and execution.
- “Everything fits in perfectly: the amazing art style, lovely soundtrack and sound design, cool point-and-click gameplay with a few twists, some nice minigames, and a perfect story to go along with everything else.”
- “The gameplay captures your attention and keeps you engaged, but is rather relaxing as well!”
- “The casual gameplay and cute characters belie the darker themes, and the experience is sure to please fans of point-and-click games with a sinister undertone!”
- “A lot of the gameplay I got out of this game was just walking from scene to scene, clicking randomly without being sure what I was supposed to do next.”
- “But gameplay-wise, it's a point-and-click adventure straight out of the 1990s, with all the pointless walking around, narratively inconsistent world and NPC behavior, and artificially squeezed-in puzzles that it entails.”
- “Overall, it's not a good sign when our top 3 moments were the opening cutscene, the nightmares with barely any gameplay, and the credit song in a story-based video game.”
atmosphere
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
37%
4%
The atmosphere of "Children of Silentown" is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, characterized by a beautifully crafted art style and evocative soundtrack that enhance the game's eerie, fairy-tale-like setting. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a suspenseful and captivating environment, although some find the puzzles detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is a standout feature, drawing players into its mysterious and melancholic world.
- “The atmosphere is incredible, both for the music and the art.”
- “Children of Silentown is a game that captivates from the very beginning with its haunting atmosphere and emotionally charged narrative.”
- “The developers have crafted a truly immersive experience, from the atmospheric sound design to the meticulously detailed environments.”
- “The atmosphere is closed in and confining, and part of the game's most defining part is interacting with the town's citizens and learning more about Silentown and the stories of these people.”
- “The ending is kind of ambiguous, which I don't mind, but after creating a grounded atmosphere for most of the game, having the metaphysical stuff thrown at you at the end after solving those stupid puzzles over and over just got to me.”
- “The town's chilling silence and the looming forest's ominous roars create an atmosphere that makes you second-guess each step.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive nature, with many players expressing frustration over the frequency and complexity of puzzles that detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. While some puzzles are appreciated for their challenge, the overwhelming number of tedious tasks and backtracking leads to a sense of boredom and disengagement, prompting players to consider alternative ways to experience the game, such as watching playthroughs. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback that hampers the game's potential.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but in the end I just found it too tedious. I made it through a lot of chapter 4, but I eventually just wasn't interested in continuing.”
- “It's tedious; the burn of the story is so slow, and the frequency of the puzzles is so often versus actual plot advancement that you might as well just watch a playthrough on YouTube.”
- “When there's nothing to solve and your objective is just to talk to this person, find this object, or interact with this for no other reason than to show you who the characters are, the game becomes tedious.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Children of Silentown" is highlighted by its haunting atmosphere, heartfelt storytelling, and rich character development, which resonate deeply with players. Many reviewers noted the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, particularly through its touching narrative and impactful music. While some found the journey to the multiple endings to be challenging and time-consuming, the overall experience is described as memorable and thought-provoking, making it a worthwhile emotional journey.
- “The visuals are amazing, the story is great, and the music is so fitting and emotional.”
- “Children of Silentown is a game that captivates from the very beginning with its haunting atmosphere and emotionally charged narrative.”
- “Gorgeous art style, compelling story (which on my first play-through the ending genuinely made me cry), likeable characters, multiple endings, the choices you make genuinely matter at points throughout.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
61%
22%
Replayability in this game is a mixed bag; while it features multiple endings and collectible rewards that encourage exploration, many players find the lack of chapter selection, save file manipulation, and the repetitive nature of certain elements significantly limit its overall replay value. Some appreciate the ability to skip cutscenes and puzzles after the first playthrough, but the absence of meaningful choices and the need to replay lengthy sections deter others from revisiting the game. Overall, while there are aspects that promote replayability, many feel it could be improved with more engaging mechanics and incentives.
- “Talking about replayability, this game has a great replayability feature (for example, you can skip cutscenes and puzzles after the first playthrough), but I think it can be improved further if we can also skip the dialogues because some chapters are long to replay, but it's fine.”
- “Collectables and four possible endings add to replayability.”
- “It's got multiple endings, which for me means great replay value because I love getting the most out of my games. Also, if you're someone who loves exploring every bit of the world, you can, and this game rewards you with cute stickers for doing so, and that's just adorable in my book.”
- “Overall a nice gaming experience; however, it presents some very severe flaws: to be a game that's meant to be replayed at least a few times, it does very little to encourage replayability without any evident chapter selection, the capacity to go back on your save file to change choices or actions, or skippable puzzles.”
- “The only two things that would make this game better would be better replayability because there isn't that much of it.”
- “To play through the game would mean 5 hours for each ending, and since there is no difference in the story except the ending, there is no replay value altogether.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The character development in "Children of Silentown" is enhanced by its striking visual art style, featuring unique and unsettling character designs that complement the game's eerie atmosphere. The hand-painted backgrounds and captivating cutscenes contribute to the overall charm and mystery, enriching the player's experience throughout the narrative.
- “The visual art style gave me interesting character designs and gorgeous backgrounds.”
- “The muted colors and character designs perfectly capture the eerie silence that hangs over the town.”
- “Children of Silentown’s developer, Elf Games, is no stranger to creating eye-catching art, and Silentown is no exception: hand-painted backgrounds and cute if unsettling character designs add to the world’s charm and mystery alike, and the game’s handful of chapters are broken up by occasionally breathtaking cutscenes.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “While the character designs are visually appealing, the actual development of the characters is disappointingly minimal.”
- “I expected more growth and complexity from the characters, but they remain one-dimensional throughout the game.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of cute and innocent moments, with some genuinely funny scenes that evoke laughter alongside emotional depth. Players appreciate the lighthearted secrets and the story's ability to convey messages without being overly preachy, while minor glitches, like walking through a wall, add an amusing touch without detracting from the overall experience.
- “Cute, funny, innocent, sad -- and the story has something to tell without being too lecturizing about it.”
- “Some parts of this game genuinely made me laugh, some bits made me emotional, and I just enjoyed this so, so much!”
- “Fun little secrets and some mixed in humor.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, with users reporting smooth performance on the Steam Deck and no noticeable frame drops, bugs, or glitches during gameplay. Overall, players found the experience enjoyable and free from technical issues.
- “Still runs great on Steam Deck, though.”
- “I didn't run into any bugs or glitches, and overall it just felt really fun to play, even if it was a bit slow and vague in its direction.”
- “Other than that though, no other performance issues. I never dropped a frame while playing, there were no bugs or glitches, I never got stuck on some random objects, etc. The game played smoothly, not that this game has any quick time events or anything that you need to do, but it's definitely nice to have.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
Overall, the game is well-optimized, with users reporting a smooth performance and no noticeable frame drops, bugs, or glitches during gameplay. The absence of quick time events further contributes to the seamless experience.
- “Other than that, though, no other performance issues. I never dropped a frame while playing, there were no bugs or glitches, and I never got stuck on random objects. The game played smoothly, not that this game has any quick time events or anything that you need to do, but it's definitely nice to have.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Despite the interesting gameplay, the optimization is lacking, resulting in long loading times and inconsistent performance.”
- “I experienced numerous bugs and glitches that severely impacted my enjoyment of the game, making it feel unpolished and poorly optimized.”