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Departed Away

Departed Away Game Cover
89%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, replayability
89% User Score Based on 123 reviews

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PCWindows
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Departed Away Game Cover

About Departed Away

Departed Away is a single player casual role playing game with horror, romance and mystery themes. It was developed by Alperen Torun and was released on January 29, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Translation English & Turkish Proofreading/Editing/Translation (DONE!) : Oğuz Kaan Aybak (Truthful Road) Japanese Translation (CANCELLED) : Yuki Fujita 藤田 優輝 Spanish Translation (DONE!) : Facundo Seghezzo (facuseghezzo) Chinese Translation (MISSING) : Amor噬鱼 Russian Translation (MISSING UwU) : Daria Braude (unexpectedeath) Portuguese - Brazil (DONE!) : Rocotroco About …

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Reviews

89%Audience ScoreBased on 123 reviews
story34 positive mentions
stability2 negative mentions
  • Unique and engaging story with multiple endings that encourage replayability and exploration of plot twists.
  • Beautiful pixel art style and fitting soundtrack that create a distinctive and atmospheric experience.
  • Impressive achievement considering it is the developer's first game; shows potential and promise for future updates and expansions.
  • Lack of basic visual novel features such as a skip or fast-forward option for previously read text, causing frustration during replay.
  • Story and character development feel incomplete and rushed, with many mysteries and character routes left unexplored or abruptly ended.
  • Writing quality is inconsistent; some dialogue is immature or repetitive, and there are issues with translation errors and technical bugs.

  • story

    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    37% positive mentions, 60% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions

    The story is generally praised for its emotional depth, intriguing psychological themes, and nuanced portrayal of trauma, with players appreciating the layered narrative and multiple endings that reveal more upon replay. However, many find it unfinished or underdeveloped, with inconsistent plot elements, shallow character development beyond key figures, and a lack of payoff in the current state, though updates and expansions are anticipated to enhance the experience. Overall, it offers a unique and compelling narrative for fans of dark, introspective storytelling despite some rough edges.

    • “Set primarily in the halls of a new school, the story follows a young protagonist whose transfer marks not just a change in scenery but the beginning of a series of emotional upheavals. This emotional dislocation, coupled with the awkwardness of adolescence and the weight of family dysfunction, sets the stage for a story that balances between realism and quiet psychological tension.”
    • “The story’s premise seems simple, but beneath it lies a layered study of human behavior. Through choices in dialogue and tone, the player can shape relationships that range from tender to hostile, with every decision subtly shifting the story’s emotional center. As the story progresses, their interactions reveal not only their individual struggles but also the ways in which trauma and misunderstanding can ripple through an entire group of people.”
    • “It is clear that the developer prioritized narrative immersion over mechanical innovation, and this decision pays off for those who appreciate literary storytelling in interactive form. Rather than relying on contrived plot twists or dramatic spectacles, it draws tension from human vulnerability and social fear. It is a story about misunderstanding—but also about resilience and the slow, uncertain process of healing.”
    • “The "psychological thriller" plot is shallow and edgy. To add to this, the representation of mental health is kindergarten-level, serving only as a cheap plot device.”
    • “It reads like a rough draft rather than a finished story. Even more bizarrely, the game logic is inconsistent across saves — in one instance, a relationship marker for a character (Marcel) was triggered from the very start of the game, placing her story item in the protagonist's room before I had even interacted with her.”
    • “My biggest criticisms though are to do with the story, it feels a bit unfinished. There are a couple of areas where you're hit by a game over screen, where I was kind of hoping for an alternate path in the story, and it just feels like there could have been a bit more to it.”

  • graphics

    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    55% positive mentions, 35% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions

    The game's graphics feature a charming and creative pixel art style that is both nostalgic and visually appealing, with a minimalist yet detailed aesthetic that complements the story well. While some note a clash of different art styles, the overall artwork is praised for its personality, emotional impact, and unique design, earning positive comparisons to retro and indie visual novels.

    • “Visually, the game embraces a minimalist pixel art style that complements its emotional restraint.”
    • “I’ve always appreciated pixel art, and it’s especially difficult to make something truly eerie using static visuals—but this game manages to pull it off.”
    • “The game's aesthetic is simple yet detailed, and it pops so much more than most games of this genre.”
    • “The game suffers from a jarring clash of different art styles.”
    • “The graphics are average.”
    • “I really liked the artwork and design, I felt like it was inspired by DDLC, and I realized while playing that there are a lot of things that could be improved and made better, but these are small details.”

  • music

    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    65% positive mentions, 23% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for fitting the tone and enhancing the emotional and thematic experience, often described as enjoyable, whimsical, and well-complemented by the art style. While some tracks are noted as possibly borrowed or inspired by other games, the overall soundtrack receives positive ratings, though occasional technical issues like abrupt cuts during dialogue were reported.

    • “The characters are just off enough to be unsettling—uncanny and nearly human, but never quite right, and throughout the game, subtle hints embedded in the soundtrack and background reveal pieces of the truth behind the bizarre events affecting the protagonist.”
    • “The subdued palette and simplistic backgrounds serve as an understated backdrop to the dialogue, allowing the words and the music to guide the emotional tone.”
    • “The music in it fits perfectly with the vibe the game gives off.”
    • “This dev shamelessly steals music and assets from other pre-recorded content.”
    • “This game is clearly inspired by DDLC with some of the music tracks sounding like they were modeled after the ones Toby Fox composed for Undertale, but Departed somehow managed to be the complete opposite from those two games.”
    • “However, there were some parts of the game where the music abruptly cuts off if you take too long to get through the text.”

  • emotional

    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game delivers a deeply emotional experience centered on adolescent struggles and family dysfunction, with player choices shaping complex relationships and shifting the story's emotional tone. Its minimalist pixel art and subdued atmosphere enhance the story's realism and psychological tension, creating a poignant, personal journey. The concise runtime allows for focused immersion, culminating in endings that resonate with bittersweet acceptance or quiet tragedy.

    • “Set primarily in the halls of a new school, the story follows a young protagonist whose transfer marks not just a change in scenery but the beginning of a series of emotional upheavals.”
    • “Through choices in dialogue and tone, the player can shape relationships that range from tender to hostile, with every decision subtly shifting the story’s emotional center.”
    • “What truly elevates Departed Away is its emotional authenticity.”

  • gameplay

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    30% positive mentions, 40% neutral mentions, 30% negative mentions

    The gameplay emphasizes narrative immersion and dialogue over traditional mechanics, appealing to players who enjoy literary storytelling in an interactive format. It includes branching choices and some mini-games, though parts may feel repetitive or incomplete. Overall, the gameplay is well-received, scoring around 8 to 8.5 out of 10.

    • “The game’s focus on dialogue and narrative progression, rather than interactive mechanics or mini-games, reinforces the idea that the real action takes place internally—in thoughts, in emotions, in the spaces between words.”
    • “It is clear that the developer prioritized narrative immersion over mechanical innovation, and this decision pays off for those who appreciate literary storytelling in interactive form.”
    • “A nice, goofy/horror story with some great music, cool art, and interesting gameplay mechanics.”
    • “The game has several choices, which determine the route you will follow and even features sections of 'gameplay minigames'; simply spamming enter for 45 minutes to see a route is not something everyone will do.”
    • “But the game is also fairly incomplete, both in terms of story and gameplay (although the last part is inconsequential, the developer fixes/adds stuff really quickly).”
    • “Gameplay: visual novel.”

  • humor

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's humor is a mix of goofy, satirical, and occasionally unsettling elements, balancing funny moments with a darker tone. While not all jokes land perfectly, many players appreciate the quirky atmosphere and clever parody of visual novel tropes. Overall, the humor contributes to a unique and memorable indie visual novel experience.

    • “There were even some moments that made me laugh.”
    • “I expected the game to be more serious, and while I didn't find the humor landing all the time, the goofy atmosphere and an occasional chuckle are nice as well.”
    • “This game does an absolutely masterful job of balancing its humor and its creepiness.”

  • atmosphere

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere effectively conveys a sense of isolation and introspection through its minimalist visuals and melancholy sound design, drawing clear inspiration from titles like Doki Doki Literature Club. While some find the tone lighthearted and occasionally goofy, adding charm and nostalgia reminiscent of indie visual novels, the overall atmosphere is engaging and well-executed.

    • “While the limited visual variety might seem restrictive to players accustomed to more elaborate productions, the simplicity becomes a strength here, reflecting the protagonist’s isolation and the confined atmosphere of the school.”
    • “The sound design adds a layer of melancholy and atmosphere, underscoring the game’s tone of uncertainty and introspection.”
    • “Right from the start, the atmosphere is top-notch—reminiscent of Doki Doki Literature Club (DDLC), from which the game clearly draws inspiration.”

  • character development

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    60% positive mentions, 40% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The character development features intriguing and visually appealing designs, particularly with unique traits like an artist character whose hair resembles a color palette. However, inconsistencies such as the mix of English and Japanese names in a Japanese school setting create some confusion. Overall, the character design stands out and contributes positively to the game's style.

    • “To be fair, the initial concept is interesting, and the core character designs are quite good.”
    • “I love the character designs like how one of the girls is an artist and her hair colors are like a palette.”
    • “I'd love to see more indie visual novels go for this pixel art style of character design and environments in the future; it was very refreshing.”

  • replayability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, with minimal branching paths, though it can be enjoyed a few times beyond the initial playthrough.

    • “Definitely replayable a few times more.”
    • “The game does an extremely poor job of portraying any real branching or replayability.”

  • stability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game experiences frequent technical issues and bugs that significantly impact its stability, resulting in an overall unreliable performance.

    • “The game is riddled with technical issues that go beyond simple glitches.”
    • “Feels buggy at times too.”
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Departed Away is a casual role playing game with horror, romance and mystery themes. Common tags for Departed Away include indie, psychological, pixel graphics, psychological horror, cute and others.

Departed Away is available on PC and Windows.

Departed Away was released on January 29, 2024.

Departed Away was developed by Alperen Torun.

Departed Away has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked Departed Away for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Departed Away is a single player game.

Similar games include Return to Shironagasu Island, Crystalline, Ethereal Enigma, Synergia, ACE Academy and others.