Evening Surprise

About

Evening Surprise is a single player action game. It was developed by Aleksandr Soldatov and was released on September 15, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

Max and his girlfriend Ann are very happy together. They have no arguments, they enjoy spending time with each other, they are in love. What else can they wish? Well, Max, you will get a big surprise this evening...

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 274 reviews

story37 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Engaging and charming story with a surprising and clever plot twist at the end.
Cute and inviting art style combined with pleasant, relaxing music.
Short gameplay duration, free to play, with easy achievements making it appealing for quick entertainment or achievement hunters.

Poor English translation and grammar errors that sometimes hinder immersion.
Very short length and limited choices which do not affect the ending, resulting in low replay value.
Some players find the main character unlikable or the story a bit repetitive and lacking in depth.

story
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
5%
The story is a short, simple, and lighthearted visual novel primarily praised for its charming and adorable narrative, culminating in a well-executed, surprising plot twist that encourages players to reevaluate the entire tale. While its brevity and occasional awkward translation limit depth, many find it an enjoyable, heartwarming experience suitable for a relaxed 20-minute playthrough. Some critics note the story is somewhat unoriginal or unevenly paced, but the twist and emotional warmth make it memorable.
- “The storytelling is deceptively simple, drawing you into Max and Ann's shared joys and dreams.”
- “I don't remember when I was surprised so much before, you know when you come across not a single unexpected plot twist but when it makes you retell the whole story, reevaluating everything you've read before.”
- “What a beautiful surprise it was indeed: despite the length (around 20 minutes of reading to complete the story), the game manages to go from "average everyday life" to "aww, this is so damn cute!" in the blink of an eye.”
- “The story was quite boring: the 'shock' ending doesn't take away from that.”
- “Also, the plot twist was pathetically obvious.”
- “Overall, with a boring story, limited characterization, and problematic translation, I do not recommend this visual novel.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
32%
11%
The music in the game is generally praised for being relaxing, pleasant, and well-suited to the story's atmosphere, enhancing immersion and emotional impact. Although some find it simple or repetitive, it effectively complements the visuals and narrative without overshadowing them. Overall, the soundtrack is considered charming and fitting, contributing positively to the game's experience.
- “The soundtrack shifts from heartwarming to heart-wrenching, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
- “I would have to say the music choice is spot-on and I love it, especially when a scene comes you don't expect!”
- “The game drags you along their daily routine: enjoy the time you spend together through several pretty and colorful vignettes with a pleasant and adequate atmospheric soundtrack.”
- “English translation is very off, music is repeating the same tones over and over.”
- “The music is fairly generic sounding, but the game is not long enough for it to be repetitive.”
- “Neither good nor bad, but a little plus for the effort on the soundtrack...”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The graphics are consistently praised for their appealing, anime-inspired art style and overall good quality, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience. While not groundbreaking or highly detailed, the visuals are clear, simple, and well-executed, fitting the game's tone effectively.
- “Graphics are fantastic with 100% achievements.”
- “The art style and interface were rather simple, yet still beautiful and easy to use.”
- “I really like the art style used in this game; the developers did a fantastic job on this.”
- “The graphics and music are nothing overly spectacular, but they don't need to be, for the writer is telling a story that's simple, silly and fun.”
- “Graphics were pretty decent, if the creator had put in more effort, would have been a nice visual novel I suppose.”
- “The art style and interface was rather simple but yet still beautiful and easy to use.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is lighthearted, cute, and genuinely funny, often delivering charming and silly moments that warm the heart. While the story is brief, its humorous tone combined with a surprising and amusing twist at the end leaves a memorable impact. Overall, it’s a short but well-executed comedic experience that many found enjoyable and uplifting.
- “Regardless, this is a free silly little story with a funny twist that you can pinpoint if you pay close attention to the little details.”
- “Overall, this visual novel is extremely short but still manages to deliver a great, original, funny, and lighthearted story - and that's the beauty of it, really.”
- “A great and funny idea, well executed, that will warm your heart and foolishly make you smile - and all that, for free.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
49%
13%
The gameplay is minimal and primarily involves clicking through dialogue, typical of a visual/interactive novel format. While some criticize the writing quality, others find the brief, straightforward gameplay worth experiencing despite its short duration.
- “Definitely worth the ~30 minutes of gameplay.”
- “This proves that you don't need to be a master of the English language, have amazing graphics, or create hours of gameplay to make something great.”
- “Full gameplay is less than 30 minutes, so it's worth trying.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive and emotionally resonant soundtrack, which effectively complements the daily life scenes and enhances the overall mood. Despite some amateurish art, the music consistently supports and enriches the experience.
- “The soundtrack shifts from heartwarming to heart-wrenching, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
- “The game drags you along their daily routine: enjoy the time you spend together through several pretty and colorful vignettes with a pleasant and adequate atmospheric soundtrack.”
- “The atmosphere was great with fitting soundtracks in the background.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a powerful, immersive soundtrack and an unpredictable, poignant ending that evokes deep feelings. However, despite these moments, some players find the story boring, characters underdeveloped, and translation problematic, which hampers overall emotional engagement.
- “The soundtrack shifts from heartwarming to heart-wrenching, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
- “The ending, unpredictable and emotional, leaves you contemplating joy or bittersweet farewell, much like love itself.”
- “Serious plot twist, can't believe this made me feel heartbroken.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding in the game tedious and slow, likening it to reading a novel where progress requires repetitive clicking rather than smooth page-turning. This repetitive interaction significantly hampers the overall experience and may demand excessive time investment.
- “Visual novels and e-books are tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you ever read—be it Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey or Twilight (if you have terrible taste in literature)—but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “You'll need a second life just for grinding.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is limited, with minimal growth or depth, and users found it difficult to connect with or care about the characters despite good character design.
- “There is not much room for character development, and I really did not care about the characters or what happened to them.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is highly optimized, delivering smooth performance with well-balanced graphics, stable physics, and polished visuals across platforms. Users appreciate the efficient use of system resources and seamless porting, contributing to an overall fluid experience.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's replayability is highlighted by its engaging length and active community, which together enhance long-term enjoyment. Additionally, reasonable pricing and ongoing developer support contribute positively to its replay value.