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Children of Silentown

Children of Silentown is an atmospheric, story-rich point-and-click adventure game with a dark aesthetic and some unique musical mechanics.
Children of Silentown Game Cover
79%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
grinding, replayability
85% User Score Based on 574 reviews
Critic Score 73%Based on 18 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox OneXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
Children of Silentown Game Cover

About

Children of Silentown is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Elf Games and was released on January 11, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"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.

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85%
Audience ScoreBased on 574 reviews
story232 positive mentions
grinding20 negative mentions

  • The art style is stunning and beautifully crafted, creating an immersive atmosphere.
  • The story is engaging and emotionally resonant, with themes of fear and curiosity that resonate with players.
  • The puzzles are generally enjoyable and provide a good challenge without being overly frustrating.
  • Some puzzles, particularly the cog puzzles, can be tedious and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience.
  • The game lacks a hint system, which can lead to confusion and prolonged periods of being stuck.
  • The endings feel rushed and unsatisfying, leaving many questions unanswered and diminishing the impact of the story.
  • story
    436 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Children of Silentown" is often described as engaging and atmospheric, with a blend of mystery, darkness, and emotional depth that resonates with players. While many appreciate its intriguing narrative and character development, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, plot coherence, and a lack of satisfying resolutions, particularly towards the end. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful art style and music, which enhance the storytelling experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “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.”
    • “Children of Silentown delivers a compelling story told through stunning hand-drawn graphics and spearheaded by a hauntingly beautiful score that perfectly encapsulates the feelings of melancholy and dread that pervade Lucy’s thoughts.”
    • “I know I only saw 1 of 4 endings, but I'm really bummed that the endings had already shown up at all because it felt like there was far too much story left to tell to cram into a cutscene.”
    • “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 feels unfinished.”
  • graphics
    203 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which effectively enhances the storytelling and atmosphere, often described as both charming and haunting. Many players appreciate the unique visual aesthetics, likening them to works by Tim Burton, while noting that the visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive experience. However, some critiques mention that while the art is beautiful, the gameplay can be hindered by unclear puzzle mechanics and pacing issues.

    • “The visuals are super good and really pull you into the story.”
    • “The art style is amazing too...”
    • “Children of Silentown delivers a compelling story told through stunning hand-drawn graphics and spearheaded by a hauntingly beautiful score that perfectly encapsulates the feelings of melancholy and dread that pervade Lucy’s thoughts.”
    • “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 atmospheric, the art style might not appeal to everyone due to its dark and somber themes.”
  • music
    189 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Children of Silentown" is widely praised for its haunting and emotional quality, effectively complementing the game's atmosphere and narrative. Many players appreciate the unique integration of musical puzzles, although some find the soundtrack can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's beautiful art style and engaging story.

    • “The music is haunting and understated, matching the slow build of tension as you unravel the mystery.”
    • “Children of Silentown is not the typical cozy adventure: it’s a melancholic, eerie tale wrapped in beautiful art and music.”
    • “The soundtrack, the art, the plot, the puzzles, the choices matter!?”
    • “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.”
    • “The music portrays the atmosphere and evokes emotion very well, but it is not devoid of flaws with its slightly repetitive soundtrack.”
  • gameplay
    98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Children of Silentown" is primarily a point-and-click adventure that combines traditional mechanics like item collection and puzzle-solving with a unique singing mechanic that allows players to interact with the environment and characters in innovative ways. While many players appreciate the engaging story and beautiful art style, some criticize the gameplay for being linear, repetitive, and at times lacking depth, with certain puzzles feeling disconnected from the narrative. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable puzzles and atmospheric exploration, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay.

    • “The gameplay follows traditional adventure design: talking to villagers, collecting items, solving puzzles.”
    • “Where it stands out is in its unique 'song' mechanic, where Lucy learns melodies that reveal secrets or influence the world around her.”
    • “The gameplay captures your attention and keeps you engaged, but is rather relaxing as well!”
    • “Overall, a decent art style and good world-building that is marred by antiquated point-and-click gameplay, poor pacing, and little story development.”
    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay didn't feel like it added much; there were some small parts where the game showed that you have choices, but they barely impacted the story.”
  • atmosphere
    71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Children of Silentown" is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful art and a captivating soundtrack. Players appreciate the game's eerie yet charming environment, which effectively conveys a sense of mystery and emotional depth, despite some criticism of the repetitive puzzles. Overall, the game's atmospheric storytelling and artistic design create a compelling experience that resonates with fans of atmospheric adventure games.

    • “The atmosphere is beautifully haunting and drew me in from the beginning while the ending almost made me cry.”
    • “Children of Silentown is an atmospheric, story-rich point-and-click adventure game with a dark aesthetic and some unique musical mechanics.”
    • “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.”
    • “Seemed like a decent atmosphere, but I found myself walking around in circles with nowhere to go and no answers unless I just happened to hover over the right pixel.”
  • emotional
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Children of Silentown" is widely praised for its haunting atmosphere, compelling storytelling, and evocative music, which together create a deeply immersive experience that resonates with players. Many reviewers noted that the game elicits a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, particularly highlighting the impactful endings that, while sometimes feeling anticlimactic, still manage to leave a lasting impression. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to touch players' hearts and provoke thoughtful reflection on its themes of community and fear.

    • “The atmosphere is beautifully haunting and drew me in from the beginning while the ending almost made me cry.”
    • “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.”
    • “Children of Silentown delivers on a quirky and charming art design, with a captivating, creepy, and emotional narrative that pulls you through the pain points.”
  • grinding
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many puzzles feeling disjointed and overly complicated. While some puzzles are enjoyable and challenging, the frequency of tedious tasks and slow pacing detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a desire for more engaging gameplay. Many reviewers suggest that the game could benefit from better puzzle variety and quality of life improvements to enhance player enjoyment.

    • “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 I say this game has puzzles, I really mean it because 99% of this game is puzzles, and some of them are very tedious.”
  • replayability
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate features like multiple endings and collectible rewards, many criticize the lack of meaningful choices, limited chapter selection, and the inability to skip dialogues or puzzles, which detracts from the incentive to replay. Consequently, while there are elements that could enhance replay value, significant flaws lead to a general consensus that the game falls short in this aspect.

    • “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, 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.”
  • humor
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is well-received, with engaging dialogue that balances fun and emotional moments effectively. Players appreciate the mix of cute and funny elements, alongside clever jokes that enhance the overall experience without feeling preachy. While there are minor glitches, such as walking through walls, they add a humorous touch rather than detract from the enjoyment.

    • “Speaking of dialogue, it's mostly good - I never got tired of reading what they had to say, and the jokes, humor, and tone landed pretty well.”
    • “Cute, funny, innocent, sad -- and the story has something to tell without being too lecturing about it.”
    • “Some parts of this game genuinely made me laugh, some bits made me emotional, and I just enjoyed this so much!”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with smooth performance and no significant bugs or glitches reported. Some users experienced freezing between scenes, particularly on low-end hardware, but the game runs well on devices like the Steam Deck, indicating good optimization for various systems.

    • “Still runs great on Steam Deck, though.”
    • “The game freezes between scenes, but I'm running it on low-end hardware, so that might be on me.”
    • “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.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 as they navigate through the story.

    • “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 growth and evolution of the characters throughout the game are disappointingly minimal.”
    • “I expected more from the character arcs; they seem to follow predictable paths without any real surprises or emotional impact.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without major issues, bugs, or frame drops. However, some players may find the pace slower than expected, especially if they are accustomed to faster-paced adventures. Overall, the performance is solid and free of technical glitches.

    • “On the technical side, the game runs smoothly with no major issues, though the pace might feel slow for players used to faster adventures.”
    • “Other than that, there were no performance issues; I never dropped a frame while playing, and there were no bugs or glitches. I never got stuck on random objects, etc. The game played smoothly, and while it doesn't have any quick time events, 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 gaming experience, making it frustrating to play.”
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7h Median play time
7h Average play time
6-9h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Children of Silentown is a action adventure game with horror theme.

Children of Silentown is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 7 hours playing Children of Silentown.

Children of Silentown was released on January 11, 2023.

Children of Silentown was developed by Elf Games.

Children of Silentown 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 grinding.

Children of Silentown is a single player game.

Similar games include Röki, Call of the Sea, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, Fran Bow, The Night is Grey and others.