Culpa Innata
- January 18, 2008
- Momentum Digital Media Technologies
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Culpa Innata," players assume the role of Phoenix Wallis, a Senior Peace and Security officer, tasked with solving a high-profile murder case in a seemingly utopian society called the World Union. As she delves deeper, she uncovers enigmatic clues and disturbing secrets challenging her faith in the world she has sworn to protect. This game boasts a 3D engine, dynamic cameras, and impressive facial animation technology for an immersive and cinematic experience.
Reviews
- The game features a rich and intriguing story set in a well-developed dystopian world, drawing inspiration from literature and offering deep social commentary.
- Character interactions are engaging, with a variety of dialogue options that allow for non-linear gameplay and multiple paths to explore.
- Despite its age, the game runs smoothly without crashes, and the visuals, particularly the character animations, are commendable for their time.
- The gameplay is slow-paced and often tedious, with excessive dialogue and mundane tasks that can detract from the overall experience.
- Navigation and controls are clunky, with frustrating camera angles and pathfinding issues that make moving through the game world cumbersome.
- The game leaves many plot threads unresolved, feeling incomplete due to the lack of a sequel, which can lead to disappointment for players seeking closure.
- story49 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its intriguing world-building and well-developed characters, drawing inspiration from Alev Alatlı's book, but it suffers from poor pacing and a lack of closure, leaving many plot elements unresolved. While the narrative is engaging and offers multiple avenues and endings, the gameplay mechanics often detract from the storytelling experience, leading to frustration among players. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point, but its presentation and structure hinder its full potential.
“Good things: both the story and the world are interesting and well fleshed out (the game is based on/inspired by Alev Alatlı's book 'Schrödinger'in Kedisi', I presume a lot of the world lore originates from there).”
“Culpa Innata has a really nice world building that is mixed with a nicely typical noir convoluted story, where all the threads point to different directions in vertiginous speed.”
“Great story (based on a book, if I recall correctly), nice characters, interesting puzzles, multiple endings (based on our choices).”
“So some aspects of the story remain unanswered.”
“It's more concerned with sequel baiting than finishing its own story.”
“A game that is sold as an independent entity should contain a proper ending for its story, especially a game that revolves around solving a case.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with many reviewers noting that while the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they still possess charm and effort, particularly in character animations. Some players appreciate the vintage aesthetic reminiscent of older titles, while others find the overall quality lacking, especially in environments. Despite these criticisms, the graphics do not detract significantly from the game's engaging story and gameplay experience.
“Great graphics and quests.”
“For its age, the visuals are great and the facial animation is solid.”
“It's a classic point-and-click adventure with plenty of puzzles to solve, but it does not stop there: the game also offers fantastic details and graphic animation for all its many characters throughout the game.”
“Graphics apart from character faces are hideous.”
“The outdated graphics are not an issue (you can follow a guide on Steam to improve them a bit).”
“Only downside is, the graphics are a bit low quality and pathing is confusing.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by clunky area transitions and unpredictable camera angles, leading to a frustrating experience for some players. While the point-and-click mechanics and dialogue-heavy interactions offer an interesting narrative, they can become repetitive and tedious, with uneven puzzles and a lack of in-game guidance. Overall, the game features strong writing and voice acting, but its gameplay mechanics leave much to be desired, prompting calls for a sequel to improve upon these aspects.
“If you can endure the gameplay hardships, it's an interesting take.”
“Gameplay: the game is highly non-linear.”
“Great writing (humor! sarcasm!), strong acting, well-chosen camera angles and facial expressions that artfully telegraph believable hints.”
“Gameplay turns out to be repetitive after a while.”
“The puzzles, voice acting, and gameplay are uneven, and the ending begs for a sequel that was never written.”
“Amazingly long dialogues, most of them useless, minor gameplay issues, and technically way below average.”
- music9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its variety and thematic coherence, featuring a diverse range of tracks that enhance the overall atmosphere. Reviewers note the absence of repetitive voice lines and commend the quality of the soundtrack, which includes over nine distinct songs and is available on Spotify. Overall, the music effectively complements the game's mood, making it a standout aspect for players.
“You're not gonna hear a lot of repeating voice lines and such, lots of locations with different music each.”
“The soundtrack is nice too, fits the mood well.”
“It ranges from 'this is good video game background music' to 'must learn the name of this downtempo track so I can buy it'.”
“Music: a futuristic dystopian nightmare.”
“3 points for sounding good, 3 points for more than 9 songs, 3 points for thematic soundtrack, 1 point for being on Spotify.”
“I haven't yet been tempted to turn off the music and play out-of-game tunes yet.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is a mixed bag; while some players find the sarcasm and writing to be sharp and effective, others feel that many attempts at humor fall flat. Overall, the strong acting and well-executed visual cues enhance the comedic moments, though the effectiveness may vary among players.
“There is much delicious sarcasm and humor in this game.”
“Great writing (humor! sarcasm!), strong acting, well-chosen camera angles and facial expressions that artfully telegraph believable hints.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often requiring extensive navigation and time spent searching for solutions, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. While the writing and acting are praised, the repetitive nature of conversations and minor glitches contribute to a sense of frustration during gameplay.
“You can spend hours searching (I recommend following a walkthrough the instant you're stuck if you want to enjoy the game), and the conversations can sometimes be tedious.”
“Great writing (humor! sarcasm!), strong acting, well-chosen camera angles and facial expressions that (while a bit mechanical if you think too much about it) artfully telegraph believable hints; the list of things done right in the conversation scenes is getting tedious, isn't it?”
“Minor glitches and navigation can be tedious.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences minor glitches and occasional navigation issues, typical for an older title. However, these stability concerns are overshadowed by its compelling story, which maintains its status as an excellent adventure game.
“Minor glitches and navigation can be tedious.”
“It's got a few glitches, being an older game, but the story alone is enough to keep it at the top of excellent, engrossing pure adventure games.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is rated low, with users indicating that there is limited incentive to play again after the initial experience. Many feel that once the main content is completed, there are few new elements or variations to encourage a return. Overall, the lack of diverse gameplay options contributes to a disappointing replay value.
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel pointless.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its strong sci-fi atmosphere, effectively immersing players in a futuristic setting that enhances the overall experience.
“The game creates a captivating sci-fi atmosphere that immerses you in its world.”
“The atmosphere is rich and engaging, making you feel like you're truly part of a sci-fi universe.”
“The ambient sounds and visuals combine to form an incredible sci-fi atmosphere.”
