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Embers of Magic

84%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
monetization, gameplay
84% User Score Based on 146 reviews

Platforms

PCWindowsWindowsLinuxLinuxMac OSMac OS
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About

Embers of Magic is a short, adventure visual novel that tells the story of Liana the witch. She takes an airship down to the surface of the dangerous and corrupt earth beneath her flying city home.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot
Embers of Magic screenshot

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 146 reviews
story20 positive mentions
monetization14 negative mentions
  • Exceptional voice acting that adds depth and emotion to the characters.
  • Beautiful and engaging character art and visuals that enhance the experience.
  • Free to play, making it an accessible introduction to the world and style of the developers.
  • The story feels incomplete and ends abruptly, leaving players wanting more.
  • Limited interactivity with only one meaningful choice, making it feel more like a prologue than a full game.
  • Some dialogue and voice acting quality issues detract from the overall experience.
  • story
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Embers of Magic" is praised for its engaging characters, beautiful art, and professional voice acting, but many reviewers note that it feels incomplete and too short, often leaving players wanting more depth and resolution. While it serves as an enjoyable introduction to a larger narrative universe, the linear plot and limited choices may disappoint those seeking a more substantial experience. Overall, it is seen as a charming but brief visual novel that offers a glimpse into a colorful fantasy world.

    • “The actors breathe life into the characters, adding depth and emotion to the story.”
    • “Beautiful art, professional voice acting, intriguing and very diverse characters (feels really inclusive!), and great story.”
    • “The story doesn't hold back information the audience can piece together on its own; it knows you probably already have connected the dots, and then it goes deeper, and takes you on a more thrilling, engaging ride.”
    • “Is it still a visual novel when you have only one choice, and the story seems unfinished and leaves you with many unanswered questions?”
    • “It basically just stops where you would expect the story to really get started.”
    • “The story is unfortunately too short, but okay.”
  • graphics
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and engaging art style, featuring vivid visuals and charming character designs. While the artwork is a highlight, some reviewers note that the game lacks substance, offering more aesthetic appeal than a compelling narrative. Overall, the colorful and atmospheric visuals, combined with good voice acting, make it a worthwhile experience, especially considering it is a free visual novel.

    • “The visuals are great and the music atmospheric, which almost makes it quite worth playing on its own.”
    • “Even this quick little romp teased an entire world recovering from a magic-induced apocalypse, spells and sorcery, fantastical creatures, charming and entertaining characters, lush, gorgeous artwork, and well-done voice acting.”
    • “Overall, for this being free, I definitely recommend it if for no other reason than to enjoy the vivid and beautiful artwork.”
    • “Free visual novel with more aesthetic than substance.”
    • “A beautiful artwork visual novel game but sadly, the good story comes short.”
    • “I am still giving thumbs-up despite the mangled closure since the plot is thrilling, characters sympathetic, visuals cute and voice acting pleasant.”
  • music
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and smooth transitions, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted that the sound effects can be overly loud and intrusive, detracting from the enjoyment of the music. Overall, the combination of music, voice acting, and art contributes positively to the game's appeal.

    • “The visuals are great and the music atmospheric, which almost makes it quite worth playing on its own.”
    • “The music is wonderful and it's short enough to enjoy in one sitting :) it did end kind of abruptly, or maybe I just want more!”
    • “The background music is pretty and not distracting.”
    • “And well, from one point it has voice acting, music that seems to shift smoothly and interesting art with some animation so you can see there is an effort there.”
  • monetization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of this title is criticized for being misleading, as it is essentially an advertisement for another product rather than a standalone game. Users express frustration that it occupies space on Steam that could be better utilized by actual games, and while it is free, its lack of meaningful content and poor writing detracts from its value. Overall, the presentation as a full game rather than a demo or DLC is seen as a significant misstep.

    • “This is an advertisement/misplaced DLC for another, full e-book called 'Brilliant Shadows'.”
    • “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
    • “This advertisement is taking up marketing space and visibility that would be better made available to a developer that's done the right thing and created a full game.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning and diverse character designs, which effectively convey each character's personality. Reviewers appreciate the colorful art style and high-quality voice acting, noting that the designs inspire a desire to cosplay. Overall, the characters are seen as intriguing and visually appealing, enhancing the game's overall charm.

    • “The character designs are amazing; colorful, diverse, I kind of want to cosplay half of them!”
    • “The character design was good, easily showing what kind of personality each character might have.”
    • “The character designs are beautiful, and there is just the right amount of intrigue.”
  • gameplay
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is criticized for being minimal and primarily consists of clicking through poorly written dialogue, lacking any engaging or notable interactive elements. Reviewers question the quality of the writing and how such a product was allowed on the platform.

    • “As an advertisement for a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which presents the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books to be tedious, likening it to a frustrating experience where the narrative unfolds slowly, requiring constant clicking to progress rather than a seamless reading experience. This repetitive action can detract from the enjoyment of the story, making it feel laborious.

    • “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey or Twilight (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with stunning visuals and immersive music that significantly enhance the overall experience, making it almost worthwhile to play for these elements alone.

    • “The visuals are great and the music atmospheric, which almost makes it quite worth playing on its own.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by stellar writing and high-quality voice acting, which together create a genuinely funny experience for players.

    • “The writing is stellar as always, and the voice acting is funny and surprisingly of high quality.”

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