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Cibele

Sat in front of a stranger’s desktop, I felt like an intruder.
57%Game Brain Score
story, emotional
gameplay, grinding
51% User Score Based on 1,045 reviews
Critic Score 69%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindows

About

"Cibele" is a single-player Role Playing game that tells a wholesome and intriguing story of a 19-year-old girl named Nina's online relationship. The game unfolds in three acts, featuring multiple short films and an interactive desktop that offers an intimate glimpse into Nina's life. With amazing visuals, a beautiful soundtrack, and a richly illustrated online game world to explore, "Cibele" provides a dense and unique gaming experience, though it is not very replayable.

Cibele screenshot
Cibele screenshot
Cibele screenshot
Cibele screenshot
Cibele screenshot
Cibele screenshot

51%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,050 reviews
story228 positive mentions
gameplay97 negative mentions

  • Cibele offers a unique and intimate look into the complexities of online relationships, resonating with many players who have experienced similar situations.
  • The game's presentation, including the use of a desktop interface and FMV cutscenes, creates a voyeuristic and immersive experience that enhances the storytelling.
  • The voice acting and writing capture the awkwardness and authenticity of teenage interactions, making the characters relatable despite their flaws.
  • The gameplay is minimal and often tedious, consisting mainly of clicking on enemies in a poorly designed MMO, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • The story feels rushed and ends abruptly, leaving many plot points unresolved and failing to provide a satisfying conclusion.
  • The characters, particularly the male love interest, are often unlikable and their dialogue can be cringeworthy, making it difficult for players to connect with them.
  • story
    1,294 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Cibele" is a personal and intimate exploration of a young woman's first online romance, told through a mix of multimedia elements such as chat logs, emails, and video cutscenes. While some players found the narrative relatable and emotionally resonant, many criticized it for being predictable, underdeveloped, and lacking depth, with gameplay that felt tedious and disconnected from the story. Overall, the game is seen more as an interactive story than a traditional game, appealing primarily to those interested in personal narratives about online relationships.

    • “The story of Nina and Blake's relationship unfolds naturally through chat messages and voice conversations, capturing both the unique intimacy and complicated nature of online relationships.”
    • “But despite these limitations, Cibele succeeds as a time capsule of early-2000s internet culture that tells a very human story about connection, vulnerability, and growing up in a digital age.”
    • “Cibele is a narrative-driven game which stands out for its story and presentation.”
    • “Overall, I can't recommend this game unless you want a poorly told teen drama story.”
    • “The story itself is really lacking, so the contents of the chats are vapid and meaningless.”
    • “The story was underwhelming, the gameplay is atrocious.”
  • gameplay
    414 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Cibele" is largely criticized for being minimal and tedious, primarily consisting of repetitive clicking in a faux MMO environment while the narrative unfolds. Many reviewers describe it as a vehicle for storytelling rather than a traditional game, with mechanics that are clunky and unengaging, often detracting from the overall experience. While some appreciate the narrative focus, the lack of meaningful gameplay and the short duration leave many feeling disappointed.

    • “The gameplay consists of exploring the main character’s desktop and grinding in a rudimentary MMO.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, don't expect much there.”
    • “The gameplay allows you to investigate and dive deeply into the main character's thoughts and feelings.”
    • “The gameplay is basically nonexistent, so the story is the sole focus and it's pretty poorly done.”
    • “The gameplay consists of a weirdly designed MMO-type game where you attack AI that don't fight back while you hear a conversation between two online lovers.”
    • “The gameplay is uninspired, and can be glitchy at times; stuttering on my decent PC.”
  • emotional
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Cibele" resonates deeply with players, evoking nostalgia and personal reflection on online relationships and first love. Many reviewers appreciate its heartfelt storytelling and the intimate portrayal of the protagonist's experiences, though some criticize the lack of character development and abrupt ending. Overall, the game is seen as a touching, albeit imperfect, exploration of vulnerability and emotional connection in the digital age.

    • “Cibele is an intensely emotional game for anyone who's ever fallen in love over the internet.”
    • “Heartfelt and incredibly personal.”
    • “Cibele is a touching personal recount of someone's first love.”
    • “These two problems just made sitting through the boring story elements even more tiresome.”
    • “Cringey, boring story; the gameplay is literally nonexistent.”
    • “Boring story and boring gameplay.”
  • graphics
    94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game are a mixed bag, with many reviewers appreciating the unique art style and aesthetic presentation, which often feels authentic and personal due to its autobiographical nature. However, criticisms arise regarding the quality of certain graphical elements, particularly in the gameplay segments, which are described as simplistic and poorly executed. Overall, while the visuals are generally seen as charming and engaging, they are not the main focus of the experience, which leans more towards narrative than traditional gaming.

    • “The highly artistic presentation works well as simulation, and superior graphics, music, sounds, and assets are all on-theme.”
    • “The art style is really nice with bright colors and well-drawn backdrops.”
    • “Whilst the graphics aren’t really a main focal point in Cibele, I did find the art style extremely pleasing to look at; it has a very clean look, and the animations of everything in the game are near enough perfect.”
    • “The art, photos, dialog, etc. feel 'real' (because they are without exception utterly crap, as real life typically is), as if the developer just took images from that time from their hard drive and used them as the game's graphical assets.”
    • “Weird game.. did not enjoy it at all.. low quality everything: graphics, voices, movement, design.. stuttering while in 'game'.. I am feeling robbed of valuable minutes from my life after I tried this.”
    • “Aside from that, the game has, within itself, a simulation of an MMO with terrible Adobe Illustrator graphics, terrible animations, and even worse gameplay.”
  • grinding
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious, repetitive, and unengaging, often serving as a frustrating vehicle for the narrative rather than an enjoyable gameplay experience. Many players found the MMO elements to be a dull simulation of grinding, detracting from the story's potential and leading to a sense of monotony. While some appreciated the attempt to capture the essence of online gaming, the overall consensus is that the grinding mechanics are poorly executed and detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The gameplay consists of exploring the main character’s desktop and grinding in a rudimentary MMO.”
    • “The gameplay elements, which, let's face it, are just vehicles to carry the story, are tedious and painful to get through.”
    • “The 'gameplay' in the MMO is just tediously clicking on monsters and watching them die, all the while doing more important things like checking your private messages, emails, some kind of Instagram-like app, and of course, listening to the voice chat.”
  • music
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as beautiful and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. Although a few users found the music to be a highlight, many felt it was overshadowed by gameplay elements and did not evoke strong emotions. Overall, while the artistic presentation and music are appreciated, they are not enough to redeem the game's shortcomings.

    • “The soundtrack is stunningly beautiful, and as is the art.”
    • “This game utilizes the modern minimalist art style coupled with soft, ambient synth music.”
    • “The music is beautiful and so is the art.”
    • “Sounds or music is lacking and there's not much about them.”
    • “No music or sound effects that makes me feel something.”
    • “As for the musical score, I honestly believed that all the maps had the same music as the damn repetitive sound that your attack makes drowns anything else out.”
  • replayability
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that it offers minimal content—typically under two hours—and no meaningful choices that would encourage players to revisit it. While some appreciate its unique concept and personal storytelling, the consensus is that the short playtime and absence of replay value make it feel overpriced and unfulfilling.

    • “It's a relatively quick game to play through, but it has a substantial amount of replay value - you can go back and reexamine the game the same way you might dissect your own old diaries.”
    • “It is in no way a standard game with lots of replay value built in but I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a very personal, dialogue-driven experience.”
    • “It is remarkably short, which is a very brave thing to do in a world where we want our games 'replayable'... if only more games would accept that sometimes 90 minutes is enough.”
    • “Barely an hour of content, no replayability, nothing interesting.”
    • “Its an interesting concept for a game but I don't believe this is worth anybody's money, it has 0 replayability and has under an hour of content.”
    • “Unique and beautiful in its own way, but extremely short and unfulfilling with zero replay value.”
  • stability
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and poor optimization that detract significantly from the overall experience. Many found the gameplay to be repetitive and tedious, with issues such as pathfinding errors and character movement problems further compounding the frustration. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings overshadow its storytelling ambitions, leading to a lackluster experience.

    • “But do not come here looking for gameplay, as the only game you will find between the steamy pics and the romance dialogue is a buggy mess of repetitive clicking.”
    • “The narrative is poorly made (cliché story), the 'game' was buggy, and the interactions were repetitive.”
    • “It's buggy, it's laggy (my machine is more than capable of a lag-free experience so I don't know where that came from), and it's uninspired.”
  • atmosphere
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive storytelling and emotional depth, effectively capturing the essence of social interactions within an MMORPG setting. Users appreciate the combination of video cutscenes, music, and the organization of in-game content, which enhances the narrative experience, despite some critiques regarding the story's predictability and pacing. Overall, the atmosphere is described as genuine and engaging, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy narrative-driven games.

    • “As the game progresses, you'll see video cutscenes which give you a glimpse of Nina's world outside of her computer, and these videos do a good job of capturing the atmosphere of her story.”
    • “Looking through her horrifyingly organized folder tree (she names photos 'blah' sometimes) at the new pictures and poems and chat logs between sessions in her MMO adds atmosphere and a sense of advancing time to the story.”
    • “If you enjoy short, extremely narrative-focused games with a quite relaxed atmosphere and very realistic story, you'd probably enjoy Cibele.”
    • “The story starts off well in my opinion, but then as the game fast-forwards and the whole tone of the game changes, you end up feeling like you missed out on something important which has really changed the relationship atmosphere.”
    • “This is a simple game, whose sole aim is to facilitate the feeling and atmosphere of socialization through MMORPGs, including multiple parallel private chats and even more multitasking with the mail client and an Instagram app, all while playing the game.”
    • “The game is just much better at conveying emotions and re-creating the atmosphere.”
  • humor
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some moments eliciting genuine laughter, such as a funny scene between characters and awkward dialogue, while other parts fall flat or feel forced. Players noted that the game often straddles the line between intended tragedy and unintentional comedy, leading to a mixed reception regarding its comedic elements. Overall, many reviewers suggest that the humor does not significantly enhance the experience, with some recommending alternative forms of entertainment instead.

    • “Ps: that scene with Rikku and Gippel was hilarious.”
    • “It's not a terrible plot but it's kind of predictable and honestly it made me laugh more than feel sorry for the characters.”
    • “I think it was supposed to be tragic or something, but it was actually pretty funny.”
  • optimization
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues, including poor coding, bugs, and stuttering even on capable hardware. Many players experienced gameplay disruptions due to inadequate pathfinding and low-quality graphics, leading to an overall frustrating experience. Despite some decent performances from the cast, the technical shortcomings overshadow any positive aspects of the game.

    • “Overall, they gave a somewhat believable performance that made me smile a couple of times.”
    • “The performances of both actors... I wouldn't call them bad.”
    • “Most of their performances are played through audio, so you're not getting much visual feedback other than clicking on little monsters or checking her messages.”
    • “The optimization is so bad in the game that they even pretend that you need 4GB of RAM, even though games of similar caliber will run with 512MB - 1GB of RAM.”
    • “It’s poorly optimized and the gameplay segments are rather buggy in that enemies/AI partners will walk across areas that they aren’t supposed to, and the player character gets stuck quite often on the edges of the pathways (this is mostly due to poor pathfinding, it seems).”
    • “The game is also very poorly optimized.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, reviews indicate a significant lack of character development in the game, with many players noting the absence of choices and meaningful arcs, reducing the experience to a scripted narrative akin to a soap opera. While some appreciate the character designs and find the premise interesting, the consensus leans towards disappointment in the depth and growth of characters, with comparisons made to other games that offer superior storytelling and development.

    • “Ultimately, this game deserves a solid 7/10 for its interesting premise, down-to-earth charm, and character development.”
    • “I actually very much enjoyed the game, and I loved the character development throughout my gameplay.”
    • “That said, I think the game has some interesting ideas and the character designs are, for the most part, alright.”
    • “There's no character development beyond following the developer's step-by-step autobiographical story.”
    • “Behind the minuscule niche market this narrative is aimed at, there is no arc, no lessons, no character development, not even a sensible exploration of the underlying social issues that are glimpsed through in the script.”
    • “Sure, it's a simple enough story, but the problem doesn't lie so much with the barebones plot, but the lack of character development.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for being unrealistic, with players noting a lack of microtransactions but expressing concerns about the developer's focus on self-promotion rather than genuine gameplay. Additionally, the grinding experience is perceived as too brief, detracting from overall engagement.

    • “This project is just the developer making his own ads.”
    • “The monetization is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The game feels more like a cash grab than a genuine effort to create an enjoyable experience.”

Buy Cibele

2h Median play time
5h Average play time
1-3h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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