Coralina
- January 6, 2023
- Guilherme Alexander (@guigagliardo)
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Coralina" is a single-player, mystery role-playing game that takes about 3 hours to beat. As cinema student Cora, you'll find yourself in the Limbo, a land of oblivion, after a traumatic event. Joined by a crow claiming to be a god of death, you'll solve the mystery of your presence in Limbo and other deaths through an investigation across time and space, encountering original soundtracks and various art styles in this retro RPG.
Reviews
- The art style is unique, beautiful, and diverse, showcasing impressive creativity.
- The game has a complex and intriguing story that draws players in, reminiscent of titles like Yume Nikki and Undertale.
- The developers are responsive to feedback, showing a commitment to improving the game experience.
- The writing is confusing and poorly executed, making it difficult to follow the story and character motivations.
- The gameplay feels shallow and lacks coherence, with events that don't seem to impact the characters meaningfully.
- The game is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and depth.
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story shows significant potential, but many users feel it lacks depth and development, particularly regarding character backstories. As this is the first part of a planned series, players are eager for future installments to expand on the narrative. However, the unique setting and storyline of Coralina are highlighted as standout features that contribute to its charm.
“Keep in mind Coralina has its very special story and world, though that's what makes it unique in its own way.”
“The game has a lot of potential, but I think they could have developed the story and the backstory of the characters more overall.”
“This is the first part of the game, which means it is kind of a first chapter and the continuation of the story is currently being created, not out yet.”
“One big thing about this game is the story.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their unique and haunting art style, blending retro RPG aesthetics with surrealist elements and symbolism. Reviewers highlight the flexibility of the visuals, which contribute to an immersive and distinctive experience, complemented by cool music and sound design. Overall, the game's graphics stand out as a significant strength, offering a fresh take on indie game visuals.
“One thing I liked a lot is the graphics; big up to the artists!”
“A retro RPG indie game with an arthouse aesthetic that follows the titular character of Coralina through a surrealist setting with puzzles and plenty of symbolism.”
“The art style is flexible and haunting, and the dialogue feels provocative.”
“A retro RPG indie game with an arthouse school aesthetic that follows the titular character of Coralina through a surrealist setting with some puzzles and plenty of symbolism.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players initially found it annoying, many grew to appreciate its unique qualities. The soundtrack is often praised for complementing the game's distinctive art style and psychedelic atmosphere, although some critics feel that the overall experience lacks depth in its narrative.
“The good: unique art style, cool music and sound design, psychedelic setting and surrealist characters, and is unlike anything I've played before.”
“To be honest, I found the music and sounds kind of annoying at first, but I ended up appreciating them.”
“The scenarios are cool, the soundtrack is good, but the story is a never-ending mess. I understand that it might be intentional, but I really didn't like that it felt like something just 'pleasing to the eye'—something beautiful on the surface, but very shallow in its lore, even though it tries to use deeper elements like limbo, reality, etc.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with some players suggesting that potential buyers should watch trailers for a clearer understanding. While there are no major negative feelings reported, some users expressed disappointment in the story's attempt at depth, which they felt lacked coherence with the gameplay.
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging and keeps you on your toes throughout the entire experience.”
“The mechanics are intuitive and allow for a smooth learning curve, making it accessible for new players.”
“Each level offers unique challenges that require strategic thinking and creativity to overcome.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the controls to be unresponsive, which made the gameplay frustrating.”
“The mechanics are poorly designed, leading to a lot of confusion during gameplay.”
