Erica

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 409 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Erica Game Cover
Erica is by far the best game to feature in the PlayLink category, but some of the ideas are unnecessary. The acting is great, but the story never really picks up until the final third of the game.
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"Erica" is a single-player thriller point-and-click game with an amazing story, splendid visuals, and beautiful music. The game allows players to explore the enigma of Delphi House and affect the action on-screen through interactive storytelling, with multiple endings based on choices made. However, the game is weighed down by bugs and can feel very grinding at times. Overall, it offers a unique atmosphere and a wholesome story, making it a must-play for fans of cinematic experiences.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 409 reviews
story119 positive mentions
grinding9 negative mentions
  • The story is engaging and better than many TV programs, with a haunting and beautiful narrative.
  • The acting is excellent, with strong performances that enhance the immersive experience.
  • The game offers multiple endings and choices, encouraging replayability and exploration of different paths.
  • Gameplay can be unintuitive and frustrating, with unclear interactions and a lack of saving options.
  • The story feels unfinished and leaves many plot holes, which can be confusing for players.
  • Technical issues such as crashes and bugs detract from the overall experience.
  • story313 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its intriguing and captivating narrative, strong acting, and atmospheric presentation, likening it to a cinematic experience. However, many critics point out issues such as unclear plot points, a lack of meaningful choices, and a feeling of incompleteness, leading to frustration over the need for multiple playthroughs to fully understand the story. Overall, while the game offers a unique interactive experience, its narrative execution leaves room for improvement.

    • “Just finished my first playthrough... wow, the story was better than a lot of TV programs! The acting was great and the atmosphere was edgy. I used to like the cheesy FMV CD games in the 90s, but this takes the genre to a whole new level. I will definitely play again.”
    • “The story is interesting and the characters are well written. The choices you make feel important and affect the story, making it a captivating experience.”
    • “The story has a lot of twists and turns, despite being about as long as a motion picture film (approximately 130 minutes). The writing was well done, giving the cast a good structured story to work with.”
    • “The story is short, tedious, boring, and presented in an interesting way.”
    • “The plot is a mess, and has plot holes so big I could drive a Buick through them.”
    • “The story is confusing, but not in an interesting way; there's no completionist help, the sliding controls sometimes don't work correctly, and it's very frustrating.”
  • gameplay65 mentions

    The gameplay in this title is primarily characterized as an interactive movie experience, where players make choices that influence the story, but many find the mechanics clunky and unintuitive. While some appreciate the unique blend of cinematic elements and limited interactivity, others criticize the forced quick-time events and cumbersome controls, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite the solid narrative, the gameplay often feels like a mere afterthought, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “As usual for interactive movies, gameplay consists of making choices like where to go, which area to investigate, or what to say in a conversation.”
    • “This game is worth it for the unique gameplay it has, mixing real elements with interaction (something I always wanted to see in a game).”
    • “Using a combination of cinematography and FMV-specific game mechanics, Erica never fails to hook you into its haunting world.”
    • “Gameplay is not intuitive; it is hard to understand what degrees of freedom you have throughout the game.”
    • “Erica is basically an interactive movie, with very minor gameplay elements involved.”
    • “The mechanics of the game are annoying and cumbersome; I can't play this way.”
  • graphics28 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and cinematic quality that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some players express disappointment in graphical fidelity and performance issues, such as stuttering and audio sync problems. Overall, while the visuals are often described as impressive and immersive, technical inconsistencies may detract from the experience for some users.

    • “The graphics are great, and you get to make choices that affect the story.”
    • “Great visuals and movie-like gameplay that create an unsettling atmosphere.”
    • “I found the graphical fidelity of the game pretty disappointing.”
    • “The video and gameplay stuttered a little for me and at times the audio was out of sync, but this might be due to my older graphics card.”
    • “The graphics for this game look unreal.”
  • music28 mentions

    The music in the game, composed by Austin Wintory, is widely praised for its coherence and ability to enhance the emotional depth of the experience, often making players feel as if they are part of a cinematic journey. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's atmospheric quality, which complements the narrative and intensifies key scenes, contributing significantly to the overall immersion. Despite some gameplay issues, the exceptional sound design and music stand out as major strengths, elevating the game's artistic value.

    • “The sound work is solid, and the music is excellent - it sets the tone without ever pushing into the foreground.”
    • “The soundtrack is very good and really makes certain scenes feel more intense or grand.”
    • “Of course the music is so amazing that it immerses the player into the story, making you forget that you're playing an interactive 'game', but more like watching a movie that you're a part of.”
    • “The interface is a bit clunky, but the engaging mystery, top-notch acting, production design, and music more than make up for it.”
    • “In the interview, he mentioned the challenge of composing and directing adaptive music to fit in an interactive movie where the timing, decision, and pace of the player's actions are unpredictable.”
    • “I can see this being the kind of soundtrack that you would listen to to relax or have a calming ambiance.”
  • optimization18 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization received mixed feedback, with many praising the strong performances and engaging storyline, but also noting issues such as crashes and a lack of natural dialogue flow in certain scenes. While the production values and acting were highlighted as standout features, technical problems detracted from the overall experience for some players. Despite these concerns, the game remains recommended for its cinematic qualities and compelling narrative.

    • “The game's engaging storyline, excellent acting performances, and haunting atmosphere kept me on the edge of my seat.”
    • “The actors all did a great job, carrying the script as much as they could, since the story does take itself very seriously and performances are key in that.”
    • “As an interactive adventure, the game overflows with quality: resolution and quality of the film, actors' performances, dubbing in different languages, music...”
    • “I think it's a bit of a shame that there's a strange silence and rigidity, especially in the central film scenes, and you might think that all the actors and their performances were recorded individually and somewhere and that the editing didn't manage to create a natural conversation out of these scenes.”
    • “In terms of performance, there was a certain bit where the game crashed, which made the scene skip to the choice at hand directly.”
    • “I've tried multiple things but at best the performance is bad, at worst the game crashes at launch.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the high replay value due to multiple endings and branching paths, others find it frustrating that many choices lack significant consequences, leading to repetitive gameplay. The inability to skip previously seen scenes further detracts from the experience for those looking to explore all storylines. Overall, the game offers replay value for those willing to invest time, but it may not appeal to everyone due to its reliance on multiple playthroughs to uncover the full narrative.

    • “Great replay value.”
    • “It seems like the replayability factor is quite high; there seem to be many loose ends.”
    • “It is very replayable, with decisions that lead to totally different paths depending on what we choose.”
    • “Unfortunately, the replay value suffers somewhat from all the choices and, above all, many of them are without consequence, because there are really only a few nodes in the game where really different paths arise.”
    • “I personally don't like the idea that you have to play multiple times to get the full story as it feels like a cheap tactic at replayability, especially since you cannot skip scenes you have already seen, so a lot of the time you'll be sitting listening to the same dialogue over and over again to find everything.”
    • “Don't get me wrong, the game is great and all... but it is so much about being replayable to find out more about the story and you can't skip some really boring parts and scenes that never change.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its engaging and haunting qualities, enhanced by excellent acting, a fitting soundtrack, and impressive visuals that create a dark and immersive experience. While some players found the pacing slow and certain scenes less impactful, the overall ambiance effectively contributes to the tension and intrigue of the storyline. Many reviewers noted that the atmosphere elevates the game beyond typical FMV experiences, making it a standout in its genre.

    • “The game's engaging storyline, excellent acting performances, and haunting atmosphere kept me on the edge of my seat.”
    • “Great actors, great camera work, great soundtrack, and a dark and eerie atmosphere into which you immerse completely.”
    • “Great atmosphere and story that kept me engaged throughout.”
    • “Great visuals and movie-like gameplay that create an unsettling atmosphere.”
    • “There are scenes where you do want to move quickly for the tension and atmosphere it creates, but there were a couple of selections that I missed when I glanced away for a second.”
    • “Erica is an FMV adventure created with a lot of attention and commitment to things that contribute to the atmosphere and the overall experience of maladaptation and going through nightmares.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often requiring multiple playthroughs without the option to skip previously seen content, which leads to boredom. The lack of efficient navigation and the necessity to perform simple, time-consuming actions contribute to a frustrating experience, despite the game's intriguing story and concept. Overall, the grinding detracts significantly from the enjoyment, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “In a word, the game is tedious, repetitive, confusing, and half-assed.”
    • “Sadly, on subsequent playthroughs there are no scene skips for scenes you've already seen, so it gets a bit tedious. The achievements are spread across 5-6 playthroughs, and after the 3rd one, you'll be plenty bored with it.”
    • “The game is very interesting and has a sense of mystery, but to see the different endings, you have to play the game all over again multiple times, with no way to skip the cinematics or jump to a specific point, making it kind of tedious.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with many users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and freezes that hinder gameplay. While some players have experienced fewer issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game suffers from persistent technical problems, including unresponsive controls and difficulties with the achievement system. As of 2024, reports of recurring freezes and crashes continue to be prevalent.

    • “Very buggy; can't even start the game, and when it somehow opens for no reason, the achievement system doesn't work.”
    • “Closing the game just freezes it; I have to close the window from the task manager.”
    • “As of 2024, people still report recurring freezes or crashes after some minutes or every hour.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's emotional depth is inconsistent; while some players find it capable of evoking strong feelings and confusion, others criticize the superficiality of character interactions, which hinder genuine emotional connections. The protagonist's limited emotional range and the overall narrative's lack of coherence leave some players feeling like distant observers rather than engaged participants. Despite these critiques, certain moments resonate deeply, prompting strong emotional reactions from those who connect with the story.

    • “Lastly, it may just be me, but I'm getting some Pan's Labyrinth vibe from the game. If anyone hasn't seen that film, you should check it out instead. If the gameplay of this game scares you, it will make you cry if you’re an emotional wreck like me.”
    • “Nice, I cried. :)”
    • “Perhaps after I have emotionally cooled down and processed what I have seen and experienced.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd scenarios and quirky character interactions, such as the lack of supervision for the girls and amusing moments like a detective allowing a character to enter a flat first. Players also find humor in unexpected elements, like a playable piano featuring a popular remix, which adds to the game's comedic charm. Overall, the humor is described as both strange and entertaining, contributing to a lighthearted experience.

    • “The setting and the way people acted made me laugh because it is just so far-fetched in some aspects, like how the girls have no supervision whatsoever.”
    • “It's funny; I didn't know this game existed and found out about it in a strange way.”
    • “I thought it was hilarious when they came back to Erica's flat and the door was open, and the detective just lets her go in first instead of him going first.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

Buy Erica

Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2hMain story
11hCompletionist
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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