Epiphany City
- April 12, 2022
- Cameron Ladjevardi
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"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.
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Windows
Reviews
- The game features a charming art style and a soothing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The puzzles are clever and encourage outside-the-box thinking, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
- The story is heartfelt and relatable, tackling themes of personal growth and resilience, which resonates with players.
- 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 of the game.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content for the price.
- story137 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is a blend of emotional depth and whimsical charm, focusing on the protagonist Lily's journey through personal struggles and growth, often resonating with players who have faced similar challenges. While some found the narrative predictable or overly simplistic, many appreciated its creativity and the heartfelt moments it delivered, despite occasional pacing issues and a few clichéd elements. Overall, the story is engaging and well-integrated with the gameplay, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its tonal shifts and character portrayals.
“The story is unique and interesting as well.”
“I enjoyed the story, and I think anyone who has ever gone through a hard time will resonate with it.”
“The art speaks for itself, and the story is well-paced with a pretty surprising and satisfying conclusion.”
“The story is cliche and makes light of some pretty serious topics.”
“Overall, very poor dialogue and storyline; the 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 it's trying to beat you and the main character down from the start and constantly throughout, despite the saccharine aesthetics and tone generally.”
- gameplay57 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily puzzle-based, featuring a mix of creative mechanics and straightforward challenges, though it suffers from a lack of depth and coherence, particularly in the final act where it shifts to jarring quick-time events and combat mechanics. While the early puzzles are engaging and well-designed, the latter parts of the game feel disconnected and underutilized, leading to frustration rather than satisfaction. Overall, the gameplay offers a charming experience but is marred by inconsistent mechanics and a heavy emphasis on story over interactive elements.
“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.”
“Very creative puzzles, has a unique mechanic that I've never seen in any other game.”
“Fun, cute art style, and cool concept for the gameplay!”
“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.”
“Gameplay is basic puzzles; some are very creative, while others feel more like trial and error because they want you to solve it exactly how they want it and don't leave much room for your own creativity.”
- music37 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
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 that it effectively amplified key moments in the gameplay. However, a few reviews mentioned that certain tracks felt generic or were easily forgettable, though the overall consensus remains that the music is a standout feature of the game.
“The music is there to convey emotions but is not obnoxious (maybe only during the timed levels, where concentration would help more than adrenaline).”
“The music really helped amp up some of the scenes.”
“The art style and music were both beautiful, and all in all, this game made for a very relaxing afternoon.”
“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.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming and cute art style that many players find delightful, enhancing the overall experience of the puzzles and story. While some reviews mention that the visuals can feel simplistic or reminiscent of mobile games, the aesthetics are generally praised for their creativity and ability to complement the gameplay. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's engaging atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding their quality and resolution.
“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.”
“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.”
- humor28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of clever dialogue and dark comedic moments, with many players finding it both entertaining and emotionally resonant. While some moments are genuinely funny and heartwarming, others veer into forced or cheesy territory, leading to mixed reactions about the effectiveness of the humor. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging writing and memorable characters, making it a fun and enjoyable experience despite some tonal inconsistencies.
“It has a nice sense of humor about it, and it's clearly a passion project.”
“The writing was probably the most surprising thing; I expected some humor and fourth wall breaking, but I absolutely didn't expect it to be so solid and emotional.”
“Funny writing with dark humor that contrasts the tone really well, making memorable moments.”
- emotional27 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Epiphany City" is characterized by a heartwarming journey centered on a relatable protagonist, Lily, who navigates themes of hope and resilience. While the game features poignant moments and clever writing that resonate deeply, some attempts at humor and pacing issues can detract from its emotional impact. Overall, it offers a blend of wholesome storytelling and creative puzzles, making it a touching experience for players seeking an emotional 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.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for causing slow and stuttering movement, making even basic actions like walking feel cumbersome and frustrating.
“This makes even running feel slow and stuttering, and in a game where movement is so common, it makes just walking across a room feel like a hassle.”
“The optimization is so poor that I frequently experience frame drops, making it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
“I can't believe how unoptimized this game is; it feels like I'm playing in slow motion at times.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users note that the game has limited replayability due to its short duration, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to play again.
“However, the game doesn't take that long and there's virtually no replayability.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report experiencing occasional glitches that contribute to confusion, indicating that stability issues may affect gameplay.
“Unfortunately, there are a few times where the confusion is due to glitches.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted gameplay and caused frustration.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly in the final quarter, which relies heavily on repetitive quick time events that feel more like an anime power-up than engaging gameplay. While there are humorous moments, the overall experience is marred by a cheesy plot and lack of challenge.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which made the gameplay feel more like a chore than fun.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming, and it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
