Eliza

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 705 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Eliza Game Cover
A mirror for mental health counseling and the tech industry's role in it.
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"Eliza" is a single-player visual novel centered around an AI counseling program. As protagonist Evelyn, players explore thought-provoking themes about humanity, technology, and the value of human connection. With its masterful gameplay, stunning visuals, and emotional depth, "Eliza" invites players to question the true impact of artificial intelligence on our lives.

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

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 705 reviews
story184 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game features well-written and thought-provoking dialogue that explores complex themes such as mental health, technology, and human connection.
  • The voice acting is top-notch, adding depth and emotion to the characters and their stories.
  • The art style is beautiful and complements the narrative, creating an immersive experience.
  • Most choices in the game feel inconsequential, with only the final decision impacting the ending.
  • The pacing can be slow, especially in the early chapters, which may lead to moments of boredom.
  • The game lacks significant interactivity, making it feel more like a linear story than a traditional game.
  • story514 mentions

    The story of "Eliza" is a poignant exploration of mental health, technology, and personal connection, set against the backdrop of an AI-driven counseling service. While the narrative is largely linear with limited player agency, it effectively engages players through relatable characters and thought-provoking themes, prompting reflection on contemporary societal issues. Despite some critiques regarding its pacing and depth, many players found the writing, voice acting, and emotional resonance of the story to be compelling and impactful.

    • “A very poignant story that grows in relevancy with the age of technology and rise of mental healthcare.”
    • “Eliza blends beautiful character-driven storytelling with meaningful discussions around big social issues and somehow never feels like it's compromising either.”
    • “The storytelling rests on a smart premise (an AI engineer discovering and confronting the impacts of her AI on humans by serving as the AI's mouthpiece and being face-to-face with its clients), and develops a host of relatable characters who either struggle with modern society or struggle with their relationship with the technology industry.”
    • “The story is very thought-provoking in its themes of mental health, AI, privacy, and loneliness.”
    • “The story tries to juggle all these difficult themes like workplace conditions/burnout, AI development, exploitation of private data, depression, but does so on a very surface, almost childish level without saying anything even remotely meaningful.”
    • “The story is presented in a way that feels like opus magnum and exapunks.”
  • graphics74 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique and charming art style, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful visuals and professional voice acting that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some critiques mention a lack of animation and dynamic visuals, leading to a somewhat static presentation that may detract from the overall engagement. Overall, the artwork is considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and narrative depth.

    • “The whole presentation is top notch, with beautiful visuals and fantastic music and voice work.”
    • “The artwork is beautiful and simple, which is good because this way it doesn't distract from the excellent writing.”
    • “Stunning artwork and the game dynamics are simple and intuitive.”
    • “This thing was... it was just like a 2D pancake graphics render of my life, wth?!”
    • “I found the graphical content very poor, nothing is animated, and there were no decisions I had to take, just click and listen.”
    • “Eliza’s graphics are a bit plain for a game.”
  • music73 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with a minimalistic and emotive soundtrack that complements the dialogue and visuals effectively. However, some players noted that certain sections lack music entirely, which can create a flat experience, suggesting that additional ambient music would improve these moments. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received, though its effectiveness is often tied to the game's context rather than standing alone.

    • “The cosy, 'blue' aesthetic of it and the minimal, emotive soundtrack are a big part of the deal.”
    • “The soundtrack is minimalistic and very well done, following the principle of not competing with the dialogues.”
    • “The music and voice acting blend nicely with the story and game setting.”
    • “The soundtrack is decent, and I would not recommend buying it for fun.”
    • “It certainly helps with the atmosphere of the game, but the music itself does not work well outside of it other than atmospheric sounds.”
    • “It's so boring; the story and the soundtrack, along with the characters, make it not worth playing the game.”
  • emotional58 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its touching narrative and deep exploration of themes such as mental health, individuality, and the impact of technology on human connections. Players find the story to be both thought-provoking and relatable, with exceptional voice acting that enhances the emotional weight of the characters' experiences. Overall, the game is described as a heartfelt journey that resonates on multiple levels, often evoking strong feelings and reflections on personal struggles and societal issues.

    • “The writing is touching, and the voice acting is top notch.”
    • “A very touching, mature production that can strike a chord for you on so many levels.”
    • “It's a beautifully told story that does a really good job of exploring some of the emotional impacts of technology in a way a lot of sci-fi is too up itself to do.”
  • gameplay53 mentions

    The gameplay in this title is primarily focused on narrative and dialogue choices, with minimal interactive elements, making it more of a visual novel than a traditional game. While some players appreciate the thought-provoking story and character development, others find the lack of meaningful choices and gameplay mechanics frustrating. Overall, the experience is described as calming and engaging, but those seeking deep gameplay or active mechanics may be disappointed.

    • “Engaging gameplay.”
    • “It's a casual game with very simple gameplay involving mainly dialogue choices.”
    • “Touching and relevant story-driven gameplay.”
    • “Eliza does not feature gameplay and your choices are not meant to matter, and the story will be linear.”
    • “There's not much gameplay in Eliza.”
    • “If you're looking for interactivity and gameplay, then this is probably not the right game for you.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its authenticity, particularly in capturing the essence of Seattle and its tech culture, resonating deeply with players who share similar backgrounds. The combination of excellent voice acting, engaging music, and thoughtful narrative branches creates an immersive experience, although some players feel the music could be more impactful outside the game context. Overall, the atmosphere effectively draws players in, making it a standout feature of the visual novel.

    • “Great story, awesome atmosphere.”
    • “All in all the atmosphere got me from the first minute and it was easy to just let the characters talk and give their impressions.”
    • “The atmosphere, the music, the voices of the characters, the availability of subtitles in different languages, etc. are excellent.”
    • “It certainly helps with the atmosphere of the game, but the music itself does not work well outside of it other than atmospheric sounds.”
    • “The story is short, and some themes weren't fully developed - though those are mostly minor themes that are mostly meant to either create the atmosphere to support the story, or to provide a thought-provoking idea for the player.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find enjoyment in exploring multiple endings and making different choices, many feel that it lacks significant replay value beyond a single playthrough. The experience is often likened to rereading a good book, suggesting that while it may be enjoyable, it doesn't offer substantial new content upon replay. Additionally, certain gameplay elements, like the solitaire game, are noted to have higher replay potential.

    • “That said, it was enjoyable to play and the solitaire game has plenty of replay value.”
    • “The choices make it something I think might have some good replayability to it.”
    • “There's much soul searching to be done, and although I've only played through once so far, I think that it's a very replayable game.”
    • “Has multiple endings that stem mainly from a decision near the end, so not overly replayable aside from the bit at the end.”
    • “One sad part of this visual novel is that it has no replay value except for the endings, which you can select one by one after you have been there for the first time.”
    • “Unfortunately, even when you clear the air of all incorrect expectations going into this game, there is one especially bad flaw with this game: replayability.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and realism, with strong dialogue and exceptional voice acting enhancing the experience. While some players appreciate the unique approach to choices and endings, others feel that the character designs and artwork do not match the high quality of the writing. Overall, the game is recommended for those who value substantive storytelling and relatable characters.

    • “Top-notch writing, character development, some of the best voice acting I've ever heard in a game, art direction, etc. It's all quality, and I'd recommend the experience to everyone.”
    • “If you value substantive dialogue options, existential themes, and realistic character development, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than Eliza.”
    • “I also wanted to point out that the voice acting was top rate, along with the character development.”
    • “The character design is diverse and believable; as a PNW resident, all of these people look like someone you might pass on the sidewalk at any time.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing stuttering issues that may be related to performance rather than the game itself. Despite these technical hiccups, the minimalistic voice acting and compelling writing have been praised, contributing to an engaging experience that compensates for any mechanical sparsity. Overall, while there are some optimization concerns, the strong performances and narrative quality shine through.

    • “In fact, the writing and performances are so good that I didn't mind at all how mechanically sparse the game is, even for a visual novel.”
    • “The writing is excellent throughout, and every single performance in the game is voiced perfectly.”
    • “Honestly, the performances alone may have sold this even if the writing weren't quite as stellar.”
    • “The game is about 5 hours long give or take, right now my Steam says my playtime is 1.6 hours for some reason, but hopefully that gets ironed out. I also found some stuttering here and there, but I'm not sure if it's a game issue or a performance issue.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players noting its funny voice acting and clever moments that enhance the storytelling. Many found the comedic elements, including subtle jabs and amusing scenarios, to be a highlight, making the game enjoyable even for those who typically don't favor visual novels. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's fun and engaging experience.

    • “Plus, it was funny voice acted, so that was helpful. I would 100% recommend this game to anyone who doesn't usually like visual novels; it's definitely worth it and was really fun.”
    • “The game also has a lot of funny moments, and an intriguing solitaire game. I spent at least two hours straight on it.”
    • “The way that you're asked to give a keynote when you work for Reiner, but your conference submission is rejected if you go independent, felt like a subtle but funny jab.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect overall stability. Despite these issues, the experience remains enjoyable.

    • “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
    • “I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay.”
    • “The frame rate drops significantly during intense moments, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly when pursuing multiple endings, but appreciate the chapter selection feature that allows them to bypass repetitive dialogue and streamline the experience.

    • “For the five different endings, the developers very smartly added a chapter selection feature because they knew that nobody in their right minds would spend eight hours clicking through dialogue each time they wanted to get a new ending: the game is downright tedious sometimes.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
    • “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over just to level up, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

Buy Eliza

Play time

6hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
5-18hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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