Deluge: Sermon for the Dead
- May 17, 2024
- leaves
Get on SteamIn the streets of Abbotsford, a girl daydreams of cataclysmic floods. Descend into the depths of her tempestuous sorrow. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.
Mac OS
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Reviews
- The story is compelling with interesting characters and strong lore, making it an engaging visual novel experience.
- The game expands on familiar characters from the previous installment, providing a rich narrative that keeps players invested.
- Despite some minor issues, the overall production shows care and effort, with a mix of serious themes and cultural references.
- The use of AI-generated art detracts from the visual novel experience, as it feels out of place and undermines the artistry of the genre.
- The main character lacks depth and agency, often feeling like a passive participant in the story rather than an active player.
- Some players found the dialogue and pacing to be slow and unengaging, leading to a lack of meaningful interactions and progression.
- story22 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with many praising its compelling narrative and character development, particularly in certain routes like Riku's. However, some players criticized the main character's lack of appeal and the presence of filler dialogue, suggesting that the writing could have been stronger. Overall, while the story is considered a significant strength of the game, inconsistencies in art style and character interactions detracted from the experience for some players.
“The entire story, with all the divergent tracks, is still extremely compelling.”
“Absolutely good story, as I expected after Threnody, especially Riku's route.”
“The characters, especially Marisa, are developed well and the progression of the story hit me hard.”
“Visuals simply do not make up for the lack of meaningful dialogue, storyline, characters, and basically everything with meaning.”
“Most of the story and dialogue felt like filler, and along with some other characters/interactions were just fantastically stupid.”
“If the devs invested half as much time into writing reasonable plot and dialogue as they did crafting the perfect visuals - this is a visual novel still, right!?”
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting a jarring mismatch in art styles between scenes and characters. While the visuals are appreciated by some, they are criticized for overshadowing the lack of depth in dialogue and storyline, leading to a perception that the graphics prioritize style over substance.
“While I do recommend this game, especially for its story, the mismatching art styles between some scenes and characters are jarring.”
“Visuals simply do not make up for the lack of meaningful dialogue, storyline, characters, and basically everything with meaning.”
“Deluge #2 managed to undercut what little premise it had in favor of ever more well-endowed artwork of high school girls.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in Deluge is highly praised for its quality, enhancing the overall experience alongside the art, plot, and characters. Additionally, Wagner's compositions are noted for their surprising depth and appeal.
“Deluge is always a high recommend; it features quality art, plot, characters, and music, and it's free to play.”
“Wagner's music is better than it sounds.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurd moments, such as a scene featuring Rika's bikini sprite, which appears to be drawn by someone with little experience in anime art, adding a layer of comedic inconsistency.
“What's even more hilarious is that Rika's bikini sprite in one scene looks like it was drawn by a completely different person - one who struggles with anime characters.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud; it's like the game knows exactly how to poke fun at itself.”
“I love how the game mixes clever puns with slapstick humor, making every interaction a delightful surprise.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is critiqued for its lack of originality, particularly with Bernard, who visually resembles Sigurd but contrasts sharply in personality, being portrayed as arrogant and unpleasant. This inconsistency raises questions about the depth and uniqueness of character portrayals.
“Bernard appears to be a carbon copy of Sigurd's character design but behaves like a royal jerk.”
“The character development feels shallow, with no real growth or change throughout the game.”
“Many characters lack depth, making it hard to connect with their stories or motivations.”
