Elegy for a Dead World

58%
Game Brain Score Based on 110 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Elegy for a Dead World Game Cover
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"Elegy for a Dead World" is a game that allows players to write their own stories as they explore mysterious, abandoned planets. Players journey through hand-painted landscapes, using written prompts to inspire their narratives. The game provides a unique platform for creative expression, blending elements of adventure and writing in a visually striking setting.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews
story7 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful artwork and unique atmospheres that inspire creativity and writing.
  • It serves as a useful tool for writers, providing prompts and a freeform writing option to help overcome writer's block.
  • The concept of exploring dead worlds and writing about them is innovative and can be enjoyable for those who appreciate creative writing.
  • The game lacks content, with only three small worlds and limited writing prompts, making it feel short and repetitive.
  • Many players experience technical issues, such as freezing when trying to publish or access stories, rendering the game unplayable for some.
  • It is not a traditional game, which may disappoint those looking for more interactive gameplay or a larger community to engage with.
  • story39 mentions

    The game offers a unique storytelling experience where players create their own narratives by interacting with various prompts and environments, though it lacks a cohesive overarching story. While the diverse backdrops and writing prompts inspire creativity, some players have encountered technical issues that hinder their ability to publish or access their stories. Overall, the game is praised for its potential to foster writing but criticized for its short worlds and misleading genre tags.

    • “You play as an astronaut and you choose one of three worlds to go through and you make up the story as you go along.”
    • “Each world creates a unique atmosphere and each one can make an interesting story, along with the unique prompts and situations.”
    • “Diverse backdrops and story prompts, mixed with a rich soundtrack, create an overall wonderful experience that's one of a kind.”
    • “There is no story per se in this game.”
    • “While the worlds are interesting, they're far too short to be worthwhile and considering they don't really have a story of their own, it loses a lot of appeal.”
    • “I was inspired and started writing a story, then hit that stupid limit and it just killed it for me.”
  • graphics20 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and unique art style, effectively creating an engaging sci-fi atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. However, some users note that the limited number of environments and simplistic visuals detract from its potential as a creative writing tool. While the visuals and music are appreciated, there is a sentiment that more content and features are needed to fully realize the game's artistic promise.

    • “It has a beautiful, unique art style and hits that odd sci-fi feel perfectly.”
    • “I loved the gorgeous visuals that greeted me when the game launched.”
    • “My internal drive to write is why the gorgeous visuals and mysterious audio only added to the richness of the scene before my eyes, amplifying my enjoyment of the writing experience.”
    • “The graphics are simplistic, the colors are garish, the sounds are annoying, the prompts are uninspired and childish.”
    • “Really good idea and graphics, but it lacks the necessary audience unfortunately.”
    • “If you always wanted a journal that pried words out of you with an aesthetically pleasing crowbar, this is for you.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is described as eerie yet vibrant, enhancing the atmospheric experience across diverse planets. While some players appreciate the unique soundtracks that complement the visuals, others feel that the music sometimes clashes with the scenery, creating a tense rather than inspiring mood. Overall, the combination of minimalistic yet stimulating music and the option to import personal tracks contributes to a rich and immersive writing experience.

    • “You walk around on 3 different beautiful planets (2D side scroller), each with their own unique art and soundtrack, and write about what you see.”
    • “Diverse backdrops and story prompts, mixed with a rich soundtrack, create an overall wonderful experience that's one of a kind.”
    • “The soundtrack didn't really fit the sceneries and made it more tense than inspired.”
    • “The soundtrack is eerie but with some vibrant vibes too.”
    • “The art and music are minimalistic yet stimulating.”
  • gameplay8 mentions

    The gameplay has received a low rating of 3/10, with users noting a lack of depth and fun, particularly due to its limited side-scrolling mechanics and only three small worlds to explore. While the gameplay runs smoothly, it ultimately feels repetitive and underwhelming, serving more as an artistic outlet than an engaging gaming experience.

    • “Oh, and gameplay has been quite smooth.”
    • “With three relatively small worlds to select from, and with a small number of writing objectives for each, the strength of Elegy isn't its gameplay, but rather its use as an artistic outlet.”
    • “The game just doesn't have much gameplay, and what it does have is not very fun.”
    • “As soon as gameplay hits 61 seconds, you start to realize that there's really nothing to the game.”
    • “There's definitely room for improvement; the gameplay can get boring since it is essentially just a side scroller, and the worlds are very limited at only 3.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its vibrant and unique world designs, complemented by a haunting yet subtle audio backdrop that enhances the storytelling experience. While many players appreciate the aesthetic and atmospheric qualities, some find the sound effects repetitive and the prompts limiting, particularly for younger audiences. Overall, the atmosphere is engaging but may not resonate with everyone.

    • “Each world creates a unique atmosphere, and each one can tell an interesting story, along with the unique prompts and situations.”
    • “The design is very colorful and atmospheric.”
    • “The audio crept up on me—mysterious, subtle, haunting, but never too overwhelming—which helps to evoke the atmosphere of the world.”
    • “The audio crept up on me, mysterious, subtle, haunting, but never too overwhelming, which helps to evoke the atmosphere of the world.”
    • “The environment felt lifeless and dull, lacking any real sense of immersion or excitement.”
    • “Despite the beautiful graphics, the atmosphere felt flat and uninspired, failing to draw me into the game's world.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it to have infinite replay value due to its unique design, others criticize it for lacking content, leading to a quick loss of interest. Overall, the consensus suggests that more prompts and worlds could significantly enhance replayability.

    • “It's a wonderful game with infinite replay value.”
    • “[*][b][u]Replayability[/u][/b]: high”
    • “I feel as though this game would have more replay value if there were more to it -- more prompts, more worlds, and perhaps, more space in which to write.”
    • “Replayability is nearly nonexistent, so I quickly uninstalled the game.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game exhibits significant stability issues, particularly freezing when users attempt to publish or access their stories, which hampers the overall experience. While there are no major glitches reported, the frequent freezes detract from its intended purpose as a source of inspiration.

    • “Seems like an interesting game, but it freezes every time I try to publish or access my stories.”
    • “When I tried to publish a story, the game froze, and now it freezes whenever I try to access any of my written stories.”
    • “It's supposed to come as a help for inspiration, but the few oniric scenarios (with buggy keyboard control) and the few pre-created stories with blanks don't justify the price.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often leading to frustration. Despite its repetitive nature, some may still engage with it due to the game's overall appeal.

    • “Tedious as hell.”
    • “However, it is so tedious.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization model for "Elegy for a Dead World" is straightforward, as it requires a one-time purchase with no additional in-game purchases or microtransactions. Users appreciate this approach, highlighting the absence of in-game monetization strategies.

    • “I purchased 'Elegy for a Dead World', even though I had never bought any games or in-game purchases before.”
    • “I had to purchase 'Elegy for a Dead World', even though I had never bought any games or in-game purchases before.”
    • “In-game purchases: none.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users report that the emotional aspect of the game is impactful, with personal stories, such as one about a dog, evoking strong feelings and resonating deeply with players.

    • “I wrote a story about a dog, and it made me feel something deep inside.”
    • “The game's narrative resonated with me on a personal level, evoking a range of emotions I didn't expect.”
    • “Every character's journey touched my heart, leaving me with a profound sense of empathy.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be a highlight, with many enjoying the amusing stories shared by others, which can be exceptionally funny and add to the overall enjoyment of the experience.

    • “Reading other people's stories is a delight, and some of them can be exceptionally funny.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
7-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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