Endless Monday: Dreams and Deadlines
- May 4, 2023
- hcnone
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Endless Monday: Dreams and Deadlines" is a standalone game that follows Penny, a corporate worker and procrastinator, in her quest to finish a project before the deadline. Players can explore the office, seek inspiration from coworkers, and face various distractions. The game features multiple endings, hand-drawn visuals, and an original soundtrack. It supports various input devices for player convenience.
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Reviews
- The game features charming art and a fun, whimsical story that resonates with many players.
- Characters are well-developed and relatable, with unique personalities that enhance the overall experience.
- The humor is spot-on, providing a delightful mix of silliness and heartfelt moments throughout the gameplay.
- The lack of quality-of-life features, such as speed-up options for text and animations, can make multiple playthroughs tedious.
- Some players found the mini-game, Lumber Lass, to be overly repetitive and a distraction from the main story.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content and depth in the narrative.
- story160 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Endless Monday: Dreams and Deadlines" is a charming and relatable narrative centered around a young artist, Penny, as she navigates the pressures of meeting a work deadline amidst various distractions, both mundane and supernatural. Reviewers praise its humor, character development, and emotional depth, noting how it cleverly addresses contemporary issues like procrastination and the impact of AI on creativity, all while maintaining a lighthearted tone. The game's engaging plot and vibrant characters resonate with players, making it a delightful experience that balances whimsy with meaningful commentary on modern work culture.
“The story is exactly as described: we play as a girl trying to meet her deadline, but along the way, we encounter distractions that range from mundane office-level obstacles to supernatural ones.”
“Penny was a personality-rich character with cute quirks which made the story feel grounded, and the side characters such as Skye, Hana, Miss Whiskey, and Tiger-chan added so much flavor with their various traits and personality types.”
“The story in particular also felt very relatable; it manages to blend humor gracefully but at the same time it touches on some real issues we have nowadays, and the whole corporate setting is as real as it can get.”
“The story felt like a commentary on AI art, but the game is mainly goofy characters.”
“Idk, just... the story was too much thinking and not enough feeling/doing.”
“The main conflict is a little rushed and only really explained in the true ending, but there are enough clues in the main route that you can begin to piece together what's going on throughout the story, so it's fine.”
- humor86 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- -2 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and silliness, with many players finding it genuinely hilarious and relatable. The writing features a mix of absurdist jokes and clever references, contributing to a lighthearted yet introspective experience. While most reviews highlight the humor as a strong point, a few players noted that it may not resonate with everyone, but overall, the game is considered entertaining and enjoyable.
“This game's jokes and comedy are genuinely hilarious, really hits that sweet spot of funny for me.”
“A really funny and charming game, I found myself laughing out loud a lot during this game.”
“The humor is silly but really fits the tone of being sick of corporate work.”
“I love her design, and yet she is just incredibly unfunny. Maybe that's the point, and I'm just missing it. It's just a commentary on Penny's sense of humor: in the comic she draws, the koala hits Tiger-chan on the head with a coconut, she makes a funny face, and swears at it.”
“The jokes fall flat and often feel forced, making it hard to enjoy the humor in the game.”
“I expected a lot more laughs, but the humor feels stale and unoriginal, leaving me disappointed.”
- graphics73 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique art style, featuring detailed pixel graphics and hand-drawn elements that create a delightful atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the character designs and the overall aesthetic, noting that the visuals enhance the game's engaging story and humor. Many highlight the passion and effort put into the artwork, making it a standout feature that resonates with players.
“The art style of this game was incredibly charming, with detailed pixel graphics and slight motion that created a unique and refined atmosphere.”
“I love the art style, writing is okay, and the ridiculousness of the second part after the dream is a bit over the top at times, but the unique art style is amazing and the game is solid and fun!”
“The art style is amazing and it's very clear to me the high amounts of love, passion, and hard work this game took!”
“The shitty plant, procrastinating coworker, using coffee as a performance enhancing drug and its glorification on the mug, soulless cash grab phone game, people trying to tolerate each other, no one giving two fucks about that coworker the second they quit or get fired and of course; the globohomo corporate art style.”
“I really liked the art style, but not much else.”
“I love the art style, writing is ok, ridiculousness of the second part after the dream is a bit over the top at times and feels a bit too dragged out.”
- music56 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its catchiness, chill vibe, and ability to enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack, primarily composed by Chance Thrash, is described as excellent and memorable, contributing significantly to the game's charm and replay value. While a few reviews noted that the music isn't particularly standout, the general consensus is that it effectively complements the game's art and narrative, making for a delightful experience.
“The music is excellent, and I've even listened to the soundtrack on my own quite often now.”
“The music was dope as well, and the choices were varied enough, along with having exciting lore and build-up, to make the replay value of this game worthwhile.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely spectacular in my opinion.”
“The music is complete garbage and the phone screen wastes your time massively because it is made to open pixel by pixel and to slow down to a crawl in a way that it takes close to a minute to show up.”
“The music is not particularly standout, but it's good and gets the job done.”
“Love the artist and as per usual the artwork is top notch; though there could be a few more music tracks and I wouldn't complain.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its quirky characters and heartfelt moments, resonating deeply with players, especially those in creative fields. The narrative addresses themes of corporate exploitation and the struggles of office work, evoking a sense of relatability and connection. Overall, the game is described as charming and wholesome, with impactful emotional scenes that leave a lasting impression.
“Overall, this was a charming and heartfelt ride that was worth every minute.”
“Skye talking about her dreams, revealing that Blythe ran her out of the company, and finding out her dream has been shattered because of low-effort imitations is emotional.”
“The overarching narrative about dealing with the soul-sucking nature of office work combined with the looming fear of AI taking jobs gives the story an emotional through-line to keep things engaging and make you care about the characters if you aren't already a fan.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this visual novel is noted for its surprising variety and engaging mechanics, offering a mix of simple multibranch choices and interactive segments that enhance the experience. While the core gameplay loop is straightforward, it remains addictive due to its clever writing, charming art, and subtle feedback. Players appreciate the cozy atmosphere and the depth of puzzles that encourage exploration of dialogue and past choices, drawing favorable comparisons to titles like Ace Attorney and Phoenix Wright.
“It was surprising how the gameplay was varied in some of the sequences; I did not expect to see some of these mechanics in a visual novel style game.”
“The jokes land really well, and although the gameplay loop is very simple, it can be addictive thanks to the subtle feedback provided and the story itself.”
“The art, dialogue, music, characters, and varied gameplay make this a treat to play through.”
“Really cute interactive visual novel with very minor gameplay segments.”
“Gameplay is... well, both are VNs so there's only so much gameplay anyways.”
“The mechanics are easy to understand but make for in-depth puzzles where you have to use clues from past lines of dialogue and even past playthroughs of the game.”
- character development13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally perceived as shallow, with many players feeling a lack of connection to the characters despite appreciating their cute and stylish designs. While the art and character designs receive high praise for their vibrancy and creativity, the storytelling aspect does not resonate as strongly, leaving some players wanting more depth in character arcs. Overall, the game's visual appeal is highlighted, but it may not satisfy those seeking robust character development.
“Lovely art with a stylish pixelated look, cute and effective character designs, and a weird but endearing story that really suits what's going on in the world right now.”
“The art, music, writing, and character design are all done extremely well.”
“Really great visual novel, I liked the character designs and all the choices in the game.”
“Extremely short with shallow character development, to the point I didn't connect or care about any of the characters at all.”
“So the plot and character development don't need to be at the front.”
“Irrespective of anything else, if you like the art and character designs of the game, you will probably like the game.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a surprising amount of replayability despite its linear structure and short length, thanks to multiple endings, varied choices, and engaging minigames. Players appreciate the fun and secrets that encourage revisiting the game, making it a worthwhile experience. The combination of exciting lore and diverse gameplay elements enhances its replay value significantly.
“The music was dope as well and the choices were varied enough, along with having exciting lore and build-up, to make the replay value of this game worthwhile.”
“Had me laughing the whole way through and while fairly short has a lot of replayability weirdly for something so linear.”
“Despite thinking that the game can feel quite bare bones at those times, the game definitely still could manage to surprise me at others, like with the relatively replayable idle-clicker minigame, and another plot-related shooter minigame that feels really fun.”
“Although it is short, having multiple endings gives the game extra replay value.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive dialogue and the lack of text skipping, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While achieving 100% completion can be fun, it often requires significant time investment in farming and revisiting areas, leading to frustration. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the variety in story endings, even if the grind for certain achievements feels excessive.
“Started off fun but quickly grew tedious when most of my time was spent clicking through text I already read.”
“Traded years of farming and killing slimes for a single poster.”
“Not having text skipping sucks, so enable that immediately. Going through the same dialogue is tedious sometimes when it comes to revisiting areas.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its perceived soullessness and corporate cash grab mentality, with players expressing a preference for games created by passionate small developers over lifeless, profit-driven titles. Many reviewers highlight the disconnect between the game's creative potential and its commercial execution, emphasizing a desire for authentic, meaningful experiences rather than exploitative monetization strategies.
“The soulless cash grab phone game, where people try to tolerate each other, and no one cares about the coworker the second they quit or get fired.”
“Remember to always stand up against soulless cash grabs like the Zinebot 6000 and support the real artists!”
“I would support 100 of these types of games from small creators before I ever buy another lifeless corporate cash grab.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its charming art style, featuring detailed pixel graphics and subtle motion that create a unique and refined experience. Engaging character interactions and a captivating soundtrack further enhance the overall ambiance, making it a delightful environment for players.
“The art style of this game was incredibly charming; the detailed pixel graphics with slight motion created an atmosphere that felt unique and refined.”
“Wonderful art, atmosphere, and characters.”
“Talking with each character (and rocks) was interesting; the music and atmosphere complemented the sprites beautifully.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a lack of optimization in the game, criticizing it as a soulless cash grab with a corporate art style that fails to engage players. Users express frustration with the game's mechanics and overall execution, suggesting that it does not effectively enhance the gaming experience.
“The game feels like a soulless cash grab, with optimization issues that make it frustrating to play.”
“The performance enhancements are poorly implemented, leading to a lack of meaningful progress and engagement.”
“The overall experience is marred by optimization problems that detract from the enjoyment of the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported issues with stability, particularly noting that the game frequently freezes during text loading and scene transitions, which disrupts the overall experience.
“The game frequently freezes during scene transitions, making it frustrating to play.”
“I keep experiencing crashes that disrupt my gameplay experience.”
“There are constant stability issues that lead to unexpected shutdowns.”
