Emil: A Hero's Journey - Prologue | Game Brain

Emil: A Hero's Journey - Prologue Game Cover

About

Thanks for playing the prologue of Emil: A Hero's Journey!STORYAfter Nazi forces take his father away, 11-year-old Emil must use the only two things he has left—creativity and imagination—as he embarks on a perilous journey to find his father. Inspired by the true coming-of-age story of a Holocaust survivor.GAMEPLAYEmil: A Hero's Journey is a Cinematic 2.5D Puzzle-Platformer that combines intense …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Emil: A Hero's Journey - Prologue screenshot

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

story8 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful art style and graphics that effectively capture the emotional weight of the story.
It presents a heartfelt narrative based on real events during WWII, providing an intimate experience through the eyes of a child.
There is significant potential for the game to evolve into a masterpiece, with many reviewers expressing eagerness for a full release.

The game is very short, with gameplay lasting only 30-40 minutes, leaving players wanting more.
Some animations and mechanics are not fluid, leading to awkward gameplay experiences, particularly during climbing and jumping sections.
As a demo, it lacks optimization and polish, with several bugs and limited keybinding options affecting the overall experience.

story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
58%
12%
The game presents a poignant narrative set during World War II, focusing on Emil's journey as a young boy experiencing the harrowing realities of survival. While the story is rooted in real events and is complemented by immersive gameplay and atmospheric elements, some players feel it lacks depth and could benefit from further development. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its emotional impact and historical significance, though there are calls for a more expansive narrative.
- “The game has a great storyline as it is based on real events.”
- “Emil's journey showed us a heartbreaking story of salvation during the Second World War, through the eyes of a little boy.”
- “The story is moving and the gameplay is great!”
- “Sadly, despite having good promise and a great story to tell about World War II and its survivors, this is not a game (demo) I can recommend at all, for several reasons.”
- “But I do need more story.”
- “The story here has a real historic root, and comes with photos of the man this game's story is based on.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
8%
8%
The game features beautiful and impressive graphics, particularly for its simplicity, with a unique art style that effectively conveys the mood. However, character animations are noted to be less smooth, and performance issues arise on integrated graphics, affecting resolution options. Overall, while the visuals are a highlight, technical limitations may detract from the experience.
- “The graphics are amazing for such a simple game.”
- “On the one hand, the graphics and sound capture the mood perfectly and let you experience what Emil is feeling.”
- “The game has an interesting art style and score.”
- “On integrated graphics, the game is slow as the resolution choices are not working.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players finding the mechanics lacking and unoriginal, particularly in comparison to titles like Limbo and Inside. However, others appreciate the immersive experience and strong narrative, noting that the 2D side-scrolling format effectively complements the storytelling. Overall, while the gameplay shows potential, it may not appeal to everyone.
- “The 30-40 minutes of gameplay truly immersed me in the spirit of the era and the narrative of the story.”
- “The story is moving and the gameplay is great!”
- “It's a copy of the games Limbo and Inside, but honestly, I like those silent story type of games, and the 2D side-scrolling play tends to work well with this mechanic.”
- “Unfortunately for me, I found the mechanics rather poor for me to consider buying the full game, and I've had more than enough media covering WWII to last a lifetime for it to be interesting enough to buy it.”
- “Its a copy of the games Limbo and Inside, but honestly, I like those silent story type of games, and the 2D side-scrolling play tends to work well with this mechanic.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a deeply emotional and intimate experience, portraying the heartbreaking journey of a young boy named Emil during the darkest times of World War II. With its masterful storytelling, evocative atmosphere, polished animations, and touching music, it resonates profoundly with players, making it a potential masterpiece.
- “It still displays a very emotional and intimate personal experience as a child in the darkest time of humanity.”
- “Emil's journey showed us a heartbreaking story of salvation during the Second World War, through the eyes of a little boy.”
- “It has all the features needed to become a masterpiece - great atmosphere, many polished animations, heart-touching music, a well-made story with subtle references, and enjoyable puzzles.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow and tedious, particularly noting issues with grappling and movement mechanics. Additionally, the lack of keybind remapping options contributes to the frustration, making the experience feel cumbersome.
- “The grinding in this game feels slow and tedious, making progress feel more like a chore than an adventure.”
- “The lack of keybind remapping adds to the frustration, as the controls feel clunky and unresponsive during grinding.”
- “Overall, the grinding mechanics detract from the experience, turning what could be exciting gameplay into a monotonous task.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate a significant lack of optimization in the game, with multiple users expressing disappointment over this issue.
- “However, unfortunately, there is no optimization.”
- “However, unfortunately, there is no optimization.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, featuring polished animations, evocative music, and a well-crafted story filled with subtle references, all contributing to a potentially masterpiece experience.
- “It has all the features needed to become a masterpiece - great atmosphere, many polished animations, heart-touching music, a well-made story with subtle references, and enjoyable puzzles.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its heart-touching quality, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and emotional depth, which enhances the storytelling and gameplay experience.
- “It has all the features needed to become a masterpiece - great atmosphere, many polished animations, heart-touching music, a well-made story with subtle references, and enjoyable puzzles.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is a point of contention among users, with some viewing its bugs as either a clever design choice that adds depth or as a result of poor programming, reminiscent of Bethesda's titles.
- “It's one of those things that make me wonder if this is pure genius or spectacularly buggy programming that adds depth to the game... like a Bethesda game.”
- “It's one of those things that make me wonder if this is pure genius or spectacularly buggy programming that adds depth to the game... like a Bethesda game.”