Elena
- December 16, 2016
- Catch A Cat
"Elena" is a first-person exploration game where players, as Anna, search for answers about their husband's disappearance. By examining items and documents in their home, players uncover the story of a young couple and unravel the mystery with the help of a mysterious caller. The game is playable on desktop PC, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive, and does not require a VR headset.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- The story is intriguing with unexpected twists, keeping players engaged throughout the gameplay.
- The game offers a unique blend of walking simulator and escape room elements, providing an interesting narrative exploration.
- The game is very short, lasting only about 1 to 2 hours, which may leave players wanting more.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with object interaction and game mechanics that can lead to frustrating experiences.
- The ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying, leaving many questions unanswered and diminishing the overall impact of the story.
- story32 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its intriguing and multi-layered narrative, with many players appreciating its pacing and immersive elements. However, some found the ending unsatisfying and the storytelling inconsistent, leading to confusion about the plot. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a story-driven experience, despite some gameplay frustrations.
“Great graphics, great intriguing story until the end, the game runs smoothly and interacting with objects is very easy.”
“I was expecting a psychological drama for women, but I rather found a mature and unsettling story and environment that recalls games like Silent Hill, amongst others. The game has some quite interesting and original VR moments I did appreciate.”
“I recommend to everyone who's looking for a story-driven adventure game/experience.”
“The storytelling, however, is all over the place with a very random ending that had nothing to do with the events prior to it.”
“To solve the story, you mostly just pin notes and pictures to a cork board.”
“I still don't really understand the story.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the amazing visuals and smooth performance, while others report issues such as blurriness on high settings and glitches that affect gameplay. Despite these drawbacks, many appreciate the overall aesthetic and integration with the game's soundtrack.
“Great graphics, great intriguing story until the end, the game runs smoothly and interacting with objects is very easy.”
“Short but great game with amazing graphics!”
“The graphics and soundtrack were great.”
“Very short, very glitchy, and bad graphics.”
“Some minor bugs (e.g. menu and game graphics doubled for some reason, which led to lags - a quick restart of the level did the trick).”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Gameplay is criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with a promising "tying together clues" mechanic introduced but never utilized again. Players find the mechanics poorly explained, leading to confusion, particularly with the sticknote feature. Additionally, the game concludes abruptly after only about 30 minutes, leaving many feeling unsatisfied and bewildered by the ending.
“Didn't understand the sticknote mechanics at first (hint: you need to stick them on the pegboard).”
“- Game mechanics are not explained well enough - or I somehow managed to completely ignore every instruction ever.”
“They introduce a 'tying together clues' mechanic at the start of the game, and then that mechanic is never used again.”
“And worst of all, the ending comes very suddenly (after about 30 minutes of gameplay) and makes no sense at all.”
“Elena features minimal gameplay, and the story is illustrated through dialogues, the environments, and in textual form.”
- music6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, with many users highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. The combination of a captivating soundtrack and impressive graphics contributes significantly to the game's appeal, encouraging players to continue their adventure.
“The graphics and soundtrack were great.”
“Wonderful music.”
“But the bizarre mature scenario and the very good music made me continue the adventure.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent graphics and engaging story, with users noting that it runs smoothly and offers easy interaction with objects, indicating strong optimization overall.
“Great graphics, great intriguing story until the end, the game runs smoothly and interacting with objects is very easy.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report experiencing minor glitches in VR mode, indicating a need for potential fixes from the developers. Overall, while stability is generally acceptable, these issues may affect the user experience.
“There are some minor glitches in VR mode, so hopefully the dev will go to fix them.”