Cleo: A Pirate's Tale
- December 12, 2021
- ChrisGreycap
- 61h median play time
Get on Steam"Cleo: A Pirate's Tale" is an action-adventure game set in a vibrant, hand-drawn world. As Cleo, a cunning and ambitious pirate captain, players will navigate treacherous seas, battle rival pirates, and search for legendary treasure. Along the way, they'll recruit a diverse crew, upgrade their ship, and make choices that will shape the story. With a unique blend of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving, "Cleo: A Pirate's Tale" offers a swashbuckling adventure full of intrigue and excitement.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Beautiful pixel art and charming visuals that evoke nostalgia for classic adventure games.
- Engaging story with well-developed characters and excellent voice acting that enhances the experience.
- Puzzles are enjoyable and balanced, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
- The game is relatively short, taking around 4-5 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more.
- Mandatory card game mini-game (Kraken Fodder) can be frustrating and feels out of place in the adventure context.
- Movement controls using WASD instead of traditional point-and-click mechanics may be unintuitive for some players.
- story366 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The story of "Cleo: A Pirate's Tale" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, charming characters, and beautiful voice acting, creating a captivating experience reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. While many players appreciate the humor and emotional depth, some express disappointment with the game's short length and a rushed conclusion that leaves certain plot threads unresolved. Overall, the game is celebrated for its well-written dialogue and the heartfelt journey of its protagonist, Cleo, as she embarks on a whimsical pirate adventure.
“Cleo tells a very heartfelt and charming story of a young girl on her first pirate adventure.”
“A beautiful and poignant story told with humor and wit.”
“The story is engaging, the writing is witty and the voice acting is really professional and well-done.”
“The story is surprisingly complex and layered, which leads to my only real complaint about the game: all that careful story-building pretty much just gets swept away in a cutscene at the end. You don't even get to foil the villain yourself; it just takes place as part of the cutscene, and several plot threads I was looking forward to resolving myself either get tied up for you or left dangling with no resolution.”
“Some parts of the story feel unfulfilling, like the realm of death could have been another open area for exploring, but overall the narrative is still completed.”
“Cleo is a very likable protagonist, but the story doesn't really offer her any closure or change, and it ultimately ends up feeling a bit empty.”
- graphics100 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant pixel art style, charming animations, and attention to detail, creating an engaging and immersive visual experience. Many reviewers highlight the art style as a standout feature, noting its colorful and cute aesthetics that complement the game's narrative and humor. While some minor issues like blurriness during animations and covered paths are mentioned, the overall consensus is that the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.
“If you’re a fan of Monkey Island or Day of the Tentacle, you’ll totally enjoy this game, crafted by a single passionate developer in a gorgeous pixel art style.”
“The graphics are lush, and while in line with some of the more colorful pixel art games out there with that cartoonish vibe, the attention to detail is a bit more on point.”
“The art style is adorable, the voice acting is amazing, the story is beautiful and captivating, and the puzzles are clever.”
“The user interface can be a bit clunky at times and the graphics are quite indie.”
“I was a little skeptical about this game, as I am wary of some pixel graphic games for being a little too simple, but it seemed worth trying.”
“The graphics are a little blurry, mostly while animations are happening.”
- humor87 mentions
- 95 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, with many reviewers highlighting the funny characters, well-written dialogues, and a light-hearted tone reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. While most find the humor delightful and engaging, a few critiques mention moments where the humor falls flat. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with a poignant story, making it a standout experience for fans of the genre.
“This game doesn't miss another important thing that makes a story a good story: humor.”
“[b]"Cleo - A Pirate's Tale" is an indie point and click adventure that offers an amazing story, well-written dialogues, some clever mechanics, and an entertaining mini card game inside a gorgeous colorful world full of unique characters and an amazing sense of humor.”
“The art style is appealing and the writing, humor, and voice acting are the best I've seen in years; the quality definitely lives up to the LucasArts adventures it's paying homage to.”
“Unfunny humor.”
“Move on please, it's not funny anymore.”
- music67 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its fitting and delightful quality, enhancing the overall experience with a charming soundtrack and effective voice acting. However, some players noted that it can become repetitive during extended gameplay segments, and while enjoyable, it may not be as catchy as nostalgic tunes from childhood games. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, with standout moments like the end credits song receiving particular acclaim.
“The art, the music, and most of all, the story were all so wonderful.”
“The story was amazing, the music was spot on, and the art is wonderful!”
“It's a lighthearted storybook tale full of beautiful pixel artwork, mesmerizing soundtracks and some great voice acting in between the puzzles.”
“The music can feel a bit repetitive during the 'meat' of the game, where you are free to roam and solve the puzzles and no notable action is occurring.”
“The game's music is quite fitting as well.”
“The soundtracks plus the credits song is something you'd want to listen to for quite some time.”
- emotional60 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Cleo – A Pirate's Tale" is highlighted by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, which features a charming cast of characters and unexpected plot twists that resonate deeply with players. Many reviewers noted that the game's ending evoked strong feelings, often leading to tears, as it conveys poignant messages about memory and appreciation for loved ones. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to blend humor with touching moments, creating a memorable and impactful experience.
“It made me cry a little bit, I'm not going to lie.”
“The ending of this game made me feel so emotional; it reminds us to keep people's memories alive, to appreciate the people around us and never take our lives for granted.”
“I did not expect this game to be so deep and to have such an emotional impact on me.”
- gameplay58 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Cleo - A Pirate's Tale" is a modernized take on classic point-and-click mechanics, featuring smooth controls and a charming aesthetic. While it offers engaging puzzles and a unique card-and-dice minigame, some players found the lack of complex mechanics, such as inventory item combinations, to be a drawback. Overall, the game balances humor and storytelling with satisfying, if somewhat standard, puzzle-solving experiences.
“The gameplay is pretty standard point-and-click puzzle solving but with a lot of heart.”
“Game play mechanics build upon that of a classic point and click while also feeling modernized; you can move around the world smoothly, not at all in the clunky way that could sometimes be fatiguing in the classic point and clicks.”
“It’s clear a lot of heart went into this game, and it shows in the clever writing, fun gameplay, and memorable characters.”
“Cute game with a cute story, but gameplay and puzzle-wise it's pretty poor.”
“The gameplay interface has a strange critical flaw: there is no 'point and click'.”
“Then with the gameplay, it is one aspect that is a bit lacking for me, but mostly because I've been spoiled by modern games in the same genre; with straight objectives laid out, interactable objects highlighted, and the game telling me where to go.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game, particularly related to fishing and optional achievements, to be tedious and time-consuming, often recommending the use of guides for those aiming for 100% completion. While the core gameplay remains enjoyable, the grind can detract from the overall experience, especially for those who dislike repetitive tasks.
“The fishing was a bit tedious though…”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Kinda hated the fishing - it's neither reaction nor skill based, so discovering what line/bait combinations provide what kind of catch got tedious quickly and the animations take too long in my opinion.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the game features excellent voice acting and well-written characters, particularly praising the protagonist Cleo for her likability. The combination of beautiful art and engaging performances contributes to a fun and challenging point-and-click experience, though specific mentions of technical optimization are absent.
“Very fun and challenging point and click with beautiful art and fantastic voice-over performances!”
“Cleo herself was written extremely well, and came off as an incredibly likable protagonist who I enjoyed spending time with.”
“I want to shout out voice actor Ava Hauser for a super performance here.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautiful art and effective pixel design, which contribute to an immersive experience. Players appreciate the atmospheric narration and fully synchronized dialogues, enhancing the overall adventure. Overall, the combination of visuals and sound creates a captivating atmosphere that stands out, especially for an indie title.
“The art is beautiful; maybe not the best pixel art out there, but it does the job perfectly, and the atmosphere is spot on.”
“Atmospheric narration and fully synchronized dialogues, which was kind of unexpected in such a small indie game.”
“This is a wonderful small adventure with great atmosphere and visuals.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive plot twists and emotional moments, providing players with both laughter and depth in the narrative.
“There are some really incredible plot twists, character developments, hearty laughs, and touching moments in this.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its exceptional stability, with users noting a lack of glitches and an overall polished experience.
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, noting that the puzzles can be tackled independently without the need for hints or walkthroughs, allowing for a fresh experience with each playthrough.
“The game offers a variety of puzzles that can be tackled in multiple ways, ensuring a fresh experience with each playthrough.”
“Each decision I made led to different outcomes, making me want to replay the game to explore all the possibilities.”
“The dynamic environments and random events keep the gameplay exciting, encouraging me to dive back in for another round.”
“The game lacks variety, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“Once you complete the story, there’s little incentive to go back and play again.”
“The limited choices and outcomes mean that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an adventure.”
