Endless Fables 4: Shadow Within
- October 3, 2019
- Sunward Games
Get on SteamIn "Endless Fables 4: Shadow Within," players step into the shoes of explorer Emma Skagen as she investigates a mysterious artifact and uncovers a shadowy conspiracy in the Nordic town of Sunward. The game features hidden object puzzles, mini-games, and a thrilling narrative filled with twists and turns. Emma's quest to unravel the truth will lead her to confront her own past and make difficult choices along the way.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and environments, making it visually appealing.
- The hidden object puzzles are enjoyable and reasonably challenging, with some fun twists.
- It's a casual game that is easy to play, making it suitable for those looking for a light-hearted experience.
- The story is bland and forgettable, lacking the depth and excitement of previous entries in the series.
- The game is quite short, with a playtime of around 4-6 hours, which may leave players wanting more.
- Some character animations and facial graphics are poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience.
- story24 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it bland and forgettable, while others appreciate its references to previous games in the series. Many noted that the narrative feels rushed and poorly told, with flat characters and a lack of depth, although a few enjoyed the art and music. Overall, the story is seen as average, with some fun elements but not as strong as earlier installments.
“The story takes Pamela back to her hometown to find out what happened to her childhood friends.”
“Pretty good story, with some fun references to previous games in the series for those with a keen eye (and nods to other Artifex Mundi games too).”
“Beautiful art, great storyline, and decent challenging puzzles!”
“To be honest, I felt like this was the blandest story and gameplay in the whole series.”
“The bonus chapter didn't really elaborate on anything within the main story.”
“The story is very poorly told and some of the mechanics are quite repetitive.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their bright, colorful, and imaginative design, complemented by decent animations and artwork typical of the genre. However, some character facial animations are criticized for being poorly executed, detracting from the overall visual experience. While the visuals serve their purpose in enhancing gameplay, they are described as unremarkable and merely functional in supporting the game's narrative and puzzles.
“The positives are the bright, colorful, imaginative graphics, and the more than decent animations.”
“The graphics, cut-scenes, and voice acting are good for this type of game.”
“Decent visuals, the game moves forward nicely, and is enjoyable.”
“The downsides are the facial graphics and animations on some of the characters, which are just... words fail me... like looking at a constipated troll toy crossed with a wizened, rotting apple somehow given the semblance of life.”
“The graphics are bright and colorful, but the character designs can be quite jarring and lack detail, making them feel less immersive.”
“While the animations are decent, the overall graphical quality feels outdated and doesn't meet the expectations set by modern games.”
- music8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its epic and dramatic quality, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players noted that it occasionally overpowers the dialogue, though sound levels can be adjusted. Overall, while the music is a highlight, it can be distracting at times, and the voice acting received mixed reviews.
“The soundtrack has no business being as epic and dramatic as it is.”
“The story might be even a bit more ridiculous, but the music is really good!”
“Nice artwork, music, decent voice acting.”
“Sometimes the music was a bit louder than the dialogue, but I won't take points off because you can adjust the sound levels for the music and the character voices.”
“The artwork was once again good and what you're used to when playing those kinds of games, but I had to turn off the music after a while to be able to focus.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a straightforward approach, lacking extravagant mechanics or collectibles, which contributes to a more accessible experience with easier puzzles. However, it still features a good mix of interesting mechanics that keep the gameplay engaging.
“The gameplay features a good mix of mechanics.”
“The mechanics are interesting and engaging.”
“The newer game offers easier gameplay and puzzles, making it more accessible.”
“No extravagant mechanics or collectibles.”
“Jokes aside, the newer game features easier gameplay and puzzles. How do I know?”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by a particularly amusing disguise for a pink, fluffy sheep cloud, which many players found to be a standout moment. While the bonus chapter is noted to be short, it still delivers a good dose of comedy, contributing to the overall lightheartedness of the experience.
“The bonus chapter was kind of short, though the most hilarious 'disguise' of all time for a pink, fluffy sheep cloud (you'll understand when you see it) made up for it.”
“The bonus chapter is actually pretty funny.”
“It's a beautiful and funny hog <3.”
