Epiphany City

About

Epiphany City is a single player role playing game with fantasy and comedy themes. It was developed by David Elliot and was released on April 12, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Epiphany City" is a puzzle-based game with a unique mechanic that allows players to manipulate the world using a magical picture frame. Players help protagonist Lily fulfill a Sacred Prophecy and save the world, while enjoying a diverse and expressive cast of characters through hand-drawn portraits. The game features unique puzzles that encourage thinking outside the box.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 412 reviews

story102 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

Charming art style and engaging story that resonates emotionally with players.
Clever puzzles that encourage outside-the-box thinking, providing satisfying 'aha' moments.
Short playtime that allows for a complete experience in one sitting, making it accessible and enjoyable.

The game suffers from a rough start with a lengthy and heavy introduction that may deter some players.
Some puzzles can feel obtuse or inconsistent, leading to frustration, especially in the later stages.
The ending shifts to a different gameplay style with QTEs that clash with the overall puzzle mechanics, which may disappoint players.

story
278 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
61%
2%
The game's story is a blend of emotional depth and whimsical elements, focusing on the protagonist Lily's struggles and growth as she navigates personal challenges and a fantastical world. While some players appreciated the heartfelt narrative and character development, others found the writing uneven, with moments that felt forced or overly simplistic. Overall, the story is engaging and resonates with themes of resilience, though it occasionally veers into predictability and cliches.
- “The story is great too and can fill you with so many feels that you get attached.”
- “I really enjoyed the story element for this game, and loved to see the creativity on display from the devs. Looking forward to seeing what comes next from them.”
- “It's an emotional story that focuses on Lily, who is a relatable protagonist that you root for, but has complexity in her actions despite the game being a relatively simple story.”
- “The story is cliche, and makes light of some pretty serious topics.”
- “Overall, very poor dialogue and storyline, ending of the game is completely different from the main game, mechanically speaking, and none of the characters are very likable.”
- “The characters are insufferable, really unlikable and the story feels like its trying to beat you and the main character down from the start and constantly throughout, despite the saccharine aesthetics and tone generally.”
gameplay
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
82%
3%
The gameplay is primarily puzzle-based, featuring a mix of creative and straightforward challenges, though it can be frustrating due to some obtuse mechanics and a lack of intuitive design. While the first three-quarters of the game are engaging, the final act introduces jarring mechanics and quick-time events that detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game showcases unique puzzle elements and a charming art style, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate innovative gameplay.
- “A very good puzzle game with a very unique style, and very good gameplay considering it's made by only one dev.”
- “Gameplay is puzzles mostly and occasionally QTEs, but the puzzles are really well thought out and pretty unique.”
- “The gameplay, while simple, does a good job of connecting the story from start to finish, and while the puzzles won't test you strongly in the puzzle field, it does a good job of mixing up solutions from problem to problem so that it isn't a cakewalk, and makes you appreciate the unique puzzle elements when playing with the environment.”
- “The gameplay is not very demanding and is actually pretty frustrating at times, not due to difficulty but by the system mechanics being obtuse by design.”
- “The entire last act is a huge letdown gameplay-wise.”
- “The gameplay changes completely, turning into a bad rhythm-based combat game with no consequences for failure.”
music
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the charming visuals and engaging story. Many players found the soundtrack to be calming and elegant, contributing to a relaxing atmosphere, while some noted specific tracks that stood out as particularly memorable. Overall, the music is considered a significant highlight, making it a recommended feature for fans of indie puzzle games.
- “The visuals are gorgeous, the music is amazing, the characters are charming, and the writing is both engaging and hilarious!”
- “The music really helped amp up some of the scenes.”
- “Like I said in my initial review, the story is a lot more emotional and moving than I expected, combined with the gorgeous music I was really immersed in the narrative.”
- “Music was generic, puzzles were generic, plot seemed super interesting at first but then just got more generic as it went on. I don't even think any backstories were at all explained in the game, and you have to go to their website for the full backstory.”
- “I apologize to the composer for not remembering any of the music, hehe.”
- “- don't remember much from the soundtrack.”
graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
62%
4%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming and adorable art style that many players find delightful, though some critiques mention that the visuals can feel simplistic or reminiscent of mobile games. While the aesthetics are generally praised for their cuteness and suitability for the puzzle mechanics, there are mixed opinions regarding character design, with some describing them as unlikable or poorly animated. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's engaging atmosphere, complemented by well-scored music and enjoyable puzzles.
- “The art style is fantastic and the story keeps you locked in.”
- “The visuals are gorgeous, the music is amazing, the characters are charming, and the writing is both engaging and hilarious!”
- “The art style and music were both beautiful, and all in all, this game made for a very relaxing afternoon.”
- “The aesthetics and feel of the game seem like a mixture of RPG Maker and GoAnimate/free animation software, as some of the adults, especially police officers, look like children cosplaying and just weirdly chibi, resembling that ghastly free animation site or software like GoAnimate.”
- “Pretty bad graphics/animations; it's essentially a mobile game. It doesn't even have a 1080p option from what I saw, with the default being windowed.”
- “The game overall felt like a particularly long flash game, especially with the art style.”
humor
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mix of charming dialogue, clever writing, and dark comedic elements that resonate well with players, often eliciting laughter and emotional responses. While many found the humor engaging and entertaining, some critiques pointed out instances of forced humor that felt out of place or overly cheesy. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to balance lighthearted moments with deeper themes, making it a memorable experience.
- “The visuals are gorgeous, the music is amazing, the characters are charming, and the writing is both engaging and hilarious!”
- “I find myself chuckling at the dialogue and bursting out in laughter at some other comedic aspects (you'll see!).”
- “This game is hilarious.”
emotional
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Epiphany City" is praised for its heartwarming and emotional journey, particularly through the relatable character of Lily, who navigates themes of hope and resilience. While the game features poignant moments and clever writing, some players feel that attempts at humor and the game's length detract from its emotional impact, leading to an underwhelming climax. Overall, it offers a mix of wholesome storytelling and engaging puzzles, making it a recommended experience for those seeking a casual yet heartfelt narrative.
- “Epiphany City was one of the most heartwarming games that took you on quite the emotional journey of a girl who lost all hope and struggled to fight for a chance when opportunity gave her a second chance!”
- “It's an emotional story that focuses on Lily, who is a relatable protagonist that you root for, but has complexity in her actions despite the game being a relatively simple story.”
- “Like I said in my initial review, the story is a lot more emotional and moving than I expected, combined with the gorgeous music I was really immersed in the narrative.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for causing slow and stuttering movement, making even basic actions like walking feel cumbersome and frustrating. This issue significantly detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- “This makes even running feel slow and stuttering, and in a game where movement is so common, it makes even just walking across a room feel like a hassle.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its short duration and lacks significant replayability, making it less appealing for players seeking extended engagement.
- “However, the game doesn't take that long and there's virtually no replayability.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report experiencing glitches that contribute to confusion during gameplay, indicating that stability issues are present.
- “Unfortunately, there are a few times where the confusing part is due to glitches.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly in the final quarter, which relies heavily on quick time events that feel repetitive and lack challenge. While there are humorous moments, the overall experience is marred by cheesy writing and a lack of meaningful engagement.
- “The last fourth of the game is just reduced to an anime power-up with all quick time events, which was honestly extremely tedious to do.”
- “Grinding through the repetitive tasks felt more like a chore than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The constant need to grind for resources made the experience feel unnecessarily stretched and tedious.”