EMMA The Story

About

"EMMA The Story" is a visual novel game that follows the journey of Emma, a young girl who wakes up with no memory of her past. The game is set in a mysterious world where Emma must navigate through her lost memories and make choices that will determine her fate. With various endings and multiple story paths, EMMA The Story offers a unique and immersive experience for players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 98 reviews

story50 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Beautiful artwork and music create an immersive atmosphere.
The story, though short, is thought-provoking and touches on themes of life decisions and regrets.
Low price point makes it accessible for a brief but meaningful experience.

Extremely short playtime (around 10-20 minutes) leaves players wanting more.
Lacks interactivity and meaningful gameplay, feeling more like an e-book than a game.
Writing quality is inconsistent, with some dialogue described as bland or poorly executed.

story
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
54%
3%
The story in "Emma" is a brief yet engaging narrative that explores themes of decision-making and personal growth, centered around a young man named Elliott facing a pivotal life choice. While the storytelling is praised for its emotional depth and artistic presentation, many reviewers note that its short length (approximately 10-25 minutes) limits the development of its themes and characters. Overall, it is considered a touching experience, though some feel it could benefit from a more expansive narrative.
- “Beautiful art and music, and a short but thoughtful story.”
- “A poignant story about a young man, Elliott, who is paralyzed with fear on undertaking a long journey.”
- “A short and touching story which teaches us about decisions we take in life, some we might regret forever.”
- “Emma the story is not a game, it's an e-book that's been dumped on Steam masquerading as a game.”
- “What the story wants to tell is nothing new or incredible.”
- “There are no choices or consequences; you'll just have to read the story and wonder how it will end.”
music
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
33%
2%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall atmosphere and storytelling experience. Many reviewers highlight the excellent soundtrack, describing it as immersive and fitting, although some note minor issues like crackling or glitches. Overall, the music is considered one of the game's standout features, contributing significantly to its artistic appeal.
- “From the artwork to the music, there isn't a negative thing to say about this game.”
- “The excellent soundtrack is included for free, by far its best asset.”
- “Music is beautiful and touching, a good addition to the story's atmosphere.”
- “The only negative note is that (maybe only for me, idk) the music was pretty glitchy.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their beautiful, hand-painted visuals and unique art style, which combines elements of realism with artistic flair. Many reviewers highlighted the character design and overall aesthetic as standout features, contributing to an immersive experience, despite some noting a lack of visual effects. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, enhancing its artistic journey.
- “The artwork and visual style is on point, and the writing is pretty tight (if a little on the self-indulgent side).”
- “The graphics for the visual novel are by Frédéric Jamain, using a beautiful style much like when acrylic is rendered over photographs, giving it a high-quality realism.”
- “Emma is a short science fiction, kinetic visual novel, with gorgeous artwork and neat ambience and music.”
- “Art style is alright but very light on visual effects.”
- “The graphics to the visual novel are by Frédéric Jamain using a beautiful style much like when acrylic is rendered over photographs, giving it a high-quality realism.”
- “The art style is pretty unique, different from most other visual novels (especially from Japanese VNs).”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching and well-written story, which explores themes of life decisions and regrets. The beautiful music and soundtrack enhance the overall atmosphere, leaving a lasting impact on players. It is recommended for those who appreciate short, poignant narratives that provoke reflection.
- “It's a small story, very well visualized, supported by a perfect music and soundtrack, emotional enough to stay with you for a while once you've finished it.”
- “A short and touching story which teaches us about the decisions we take in life, some we might regret forever.”
- “Music is beautiful and touching, a good addition to the story's atmosphere.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is largely criticized for its lack of meaningful interaction, consisting mainly of poorly written dialogue that offers no real choices or engaging mechanics. While some users appreciate its aesthetic qualities, the overall experience is described as more of a passive reading exercise than a game, leading to disappointment among those seeking interactive elements.
- “Gameplay: 7”
- “A short, beautiful game/visual novel full of wistful yearning over paths not taken.”
- “As 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 poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “A short (if you're a fast reader then you will finish in ~quarter of an hour), beautiful game/visual novel (no real choices or 'gameplay' mind you) full of wistful yearning over paths not taken.”
- “Better if it comes with 'made your own choices' gameplay mechanics.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its beautiful and immersive music that enhances the emotional depth of the experience. Despite its short length, the visual novel effectively evokes strong feelings and creates a captivating vibe that resonates with players. Overall, the combination of visuals and soundtrack contributes significantly to its atmospheric appeal.
- “A great 20-minute visual novel with nice music and atmosphere that's worth its price.”
- “Though short, Emma evoked more feeling and atmosphere than many, many other games out there ever could or will be able to do.”
- “The soundtrack is also immersive, making the whole experience kind of atmospheric.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books to be tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a mouse click, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative. This repetitive clicking interrupts the flow of the story, making it feel laborious rather than engaging.
- “Grinding in this game feels like a never-ending chore, where progress is painfully slow and repetitive.”
- “The constant need to grind for resources makes the gameplay feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
- “I found myself clicking through endless battles just to level up, which quickly became monotonous and frustrating.”