[Chilla's Art] Jisatsu | 自撮
- December 15, 2023
- Chilla's Art
"Jisatsu | 自撮" by is a deeply introspective and emotional platformer that explores themes of mental health and self-reflection. Players control a character who must confront their inner demons and overcome despair, making choices that determine their fate. With hauntingly beautiful pixel art visuals and a poignant soundtrack, the game encourages self-expression and understanding.
Reviews
- The game features an immersive and creepy atmosphere, enhanced by stellar sound design and unsettling visuals.
- Jisatsu offers a unique found-footage horror experience that effectively builds tension and dread throughout the gameplay.
- The storyline, while abstract, is intriguing and encourages players to piece together the narrative through exploration and video tapes.
- The gameplay can feel linear and simplistic, often relying on fetch quests that may lead to moments of boredom.
- Many players experienced performance issues, including stuttering and poor optimization, which detracted from the overall experience.
- The story can be confusing and lacks clear direction, leaving some players feeling lost and unsatisfied with the ending.
- story56 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its intriguing and creepy elements, particularly the use of VHS tapes to unfold the narrative. However, many found the storyline confusing and disjointed, often leaving them feeling lost or frustrated. Overall, while the atmosphere and plot twists were praised, the execution and clarity of the story left much to be desired for several players.
“The story was also compelling and had my friends and I piecing together the puzzle between the VHS tapes and real-time gameplay.”
“The story is very well told... and the game itself is a lot of fun to play.”
“The atmosphere got intense, scary parts started to happen and the story got more and more interesting.”
“While we recommend playing the game, the story was confusing and we were left running around a lot in the dark at the mercy of the game, waiting for the next prompt.”
“There is a story, but it really is pretty incoherent and disjointed, more of an abstract set of circumstances.”
“We know what you can create but it feels like along the way you've traded storytelling for rapid releases of games with zero substance, it feels like you don't believe in yourselves anymore and that's very sad to see, because so many people do believe in you, myself included at one point.”
- atmosphere44 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intense creepiness, enhanced by effective sound design and visually striking graphics that evoke a retro VHS feel. Many players noted the game's ability to create a suspenseful and unsettling environment, with elements like moving dolls and eerie soundscapes contributing to a nail-biting experience. However, some reviewers felt that the reliance on walking simulation mechanics and a lack of coherent jump scares detracted from the overall horror experience, despite the strong atmospheric foundation.
“Atmospherically creepy, I loved the sounds and some of the subtle but amazing things like dolls turning to watch you or statues moving to surround you as you pass certain tasks.”
“The story, atmosphere, and sound in this game are absolutely spot on, and it's been a while since I've had a game throwing my headset at the screen, so Jisatsu definitely succeeded in scaring me.”
“But Jisatsu exceeded my expectations on how well it created a creepy and dreaded atmosphere that made my heart skip multiple beats.”
“Although the atmosphere is very tense and creepy, I felt like it was mostly a walking simulator than horror... and the 'jump scares' don't really make sense with what's going on in the narrative and feel more like an afterthought.”
“The only pros I can think of is that the atmosphere/setting is scary, but the lack of gameplay and jump scares really hurts this game.”
“This game really feels like a copy/paste of other productions from the past, and although the trademark atmosphere has to be kept (and this game is not the case, it feels very weak), some changes would be beneficial to the game.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their retro VHS aesthetic and high-quality visuals, contributing to a creepy atmosphere that enhances the horror experience. However, some users noted performance issues, such as lag and stuttering, as well as minor graphical artifacts and unpolished assets. Overall, while the visuals are considered some of the best in Chilla's games, there is room for improvement in optimization and consistency.
“The graphics have that retro VHS feel and uncanny valley character models, which help to really establish the creepy atmosphere along with the sound design.”
“The visuals were awesome and looked so clean.”
“The creepy-unique story, atmosphere, and graphics are some of the best out there.”
“At all graphics levels, there is constant stuttering where the game pauses, and when it unpauses, my view is drastically different.”
“Thought there was a game graphics bug with black squares appearing at some points in the game, but checking some videos on YouTube, it seems to be part of the game. Not sure what that's about.”
“There is some roughness around the edges—certain (unintended) artifacting with some graphical elements, as well as some unpolished assets.”
- gameplay21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple and straightforward, often resembling a walking simulator focused on exploration and item collection. While some players appreciate the horror elements and graphics, many criticize the gameplay as repetitive and lacking excitement compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, it appears to be a mixed experience, with some finding it worth a playthrough for its atmosphere, despite its gameplay shortcomings.
“The gameplay was very straightforward and didn't need a lot of explanation to find everything we needed to complete the game.”
“The horror style they've gone for is well done and the gameplay is good.”
“I will be honest, the gameplay in this game sucks.”
“Gameplay is mostly restrictive exploration through the house in which you are trying to find the next item/location to develop the story.”
“The gameplay is not exactly riveting.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received criticism, with players reporting issues such as lag, stuttering, and slow loading times across all graphics settings. While some found the performance problems manageable, others experienced significant disruptions that hindered gameplay progression. Overall, it appears that the game falls short of the optimization standards set by previous titles from the developer.
“On the negative side, the game didn't seem to be optimized as well as some of Chilla's previous games, so the game was slightly laggy in certain moments (although this wasn't too bad) even on low graphics settings.”
“I had a lot of issues with the game, performance issues coupled with the fact the story was locked and I couldn't advance any further.”
“At all graphics levels, there is constant stuttering where the game pauses, and when it unpauses, my view is drastically different.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a divide in the perception of humor within the game, with some finding it unintentionally funny, particularly in the portrayal of the antagonist, which detracted from the horror experience. While some appreciate the humor as a contrast to the horror elements, others feel it undermines the intended atmosphere. Overall, the humor appears to be a polarizing aspect of the game's reception.
“The bad guy's face was not scary at all; if anything, it was a bit funny, which broke the horror atmosphere.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic commitment akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, including frequent glitches and camera problems that hinder visibility and gameplay experience.
“Not to mention the darkness and camera glitches (sharp cuts), which make it difficult to see what's even happening.”
“A lot of glitches.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express concern that Chilla's Art has shifted towards a monetization strategy focused on quick cash grabs, with frequent game releases lacking depth and substance. This trend has led to disappointment among players who feel the quality of the games has declined.
“So, Chilla's Art is currently on the decline when it comes to the games they make now. It feels like it's quick cash grabs now, with games releasing about a month or so apart. There's no substance to their games anymore.”
“This game feels like a cash grab to me.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the game offers only one ending, which limits its replayability, players find that the impactful and entertaining nature of that ending makes the journey worthwhile.
“Unlike other games, there's only one ending on offer here, so replayability is limited; however, that single ending is impactful and entertaining, and well worth the journey to get there.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game adds a subtle layer of tension, creating a mildly scary atmosphere without overwhelming the player.
“The music adds an eerie atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive environment.”
“The blend of different musical styles keeps the experience fresh and engaging.”
“The music kind of makes it scary, but not in a good way.”
“The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety.”
“The music doesn't fit the game's atmosphere at all.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game may not resonate emotionally for those seeking a more realistic and topical experience, suggesting it might be better suited for players looking for a different emotional engagement.