Fariwalk: The Prelude
- November 23, 2017
- AIHASTO
Get on Steam"Fariwalk: The Prelude" is a short prologue game set in a gloomy, withering world filled with monsters and resilient humans. The game offers diverse quests, a lively world, and atmospheric puzzles with hints. With original assets and soundtrack, players can explore the yard and engage in dialogs with multiple options, all while being watched by unseen entities. The game encourages players to find happiness in the darkness and question the impact of their choices.
Reviews
- The game has a unique and surreal horror atmosphere that is engaging and creepy.
- The music and sound design contribute positively to the overall experience, enhancing the spooky elements.
- Despite its flaws, the game offers an interesting world to explore with intriguing characters and a memorable experience.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, including frequent crashes that corrupt save files.
- It is misleadingly presented as a full game when it is more of a demo or advertisement for a non-existent game.
- The lack of customization options for controls and poor graphical quality detract from the overall enjoyment.
- monetization14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of this game has been heavily criticized for being a misleading advertisement for a non-existent game, "fariwalk," which is being sold as a full product despite being a demo. Reviewers express outrage over the practice of charging players for what is essentially an advertisement, highlighting the lack of quality and basic functionality in the product. This approach not only misuses Steam's platform but also detracts from legitimate developers and harms the gaming community.
“While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
“In this case, it's obviously more sinister, because the 'developers' here are charging money for an advertisement for a non-existent game.”
“I can't begin to describe how disgusting it is to see Steam being abused like this, with an expectation that gamers should pay money for advertising... even worse, advertising for non-existent products.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the lack of textures and the use of monochrome shading as a means to cover up poor asset quality, likening it to a low-effort imitation of "Limbo." While the visuals are deemed subpar and reminiscent of early 90s games, the overall atmosphere and world design have been appreciated, contributing to a fitting horror experience. Despite the technical shortcomings, the art style and ambient sound have garnered some positive feedback, indicating potential for future improvements.
“Besides the art style, I really liked the music and atmosphere of the game.”
“Nevertheless, with technical issues aside, I do like the art style, the world design, the atmosphere, the ambient sound, and the occasional spookiness of Fariwalk, and I'm looking forward to the future works by Aihasto.”
“But if you are less into horror, it's also got the story, visuals, and simulation aspects of a well-made game.”
“To disguise the asset flip nature of the game, the developer stripped textures and tried to use monochrome shading instead, basically a ripoff of the art style of Microsoft's successful puzzle platformer, 'Limbo'.”
“The lack of textures is a method that lazy developers often use to disguise their lack of talent or interest in doing the graphics properly, trying to pass it off as 'art' or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
“Not excellent graphics, but an apt horror atmosphere.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its effective horror elements, complemented by a fitting art style and ambient music. While some users note technical issues and less impressive graphics, the spooky ambiance and world design create an engaging experience, particularly for fans of atmospheric walking simulators. Overall, the atmosphere is a highlight, though some recommend waiting for updates to enhance the experience.
“Besides the art style, I really liked the music and atmosphere of the game.”
“If you're really into atmospheric walking sims, I think you should try it out. You would probably find it interesting, but I suggest you wait until it gets a couple more updates to avoid frustration.”
“Nevertheless, with technical issues aside, I do like the art style, the world design, the atmosphere, the ambient sound, and the occasional spookiness of Fariwalk, and I'm looking forward to the future works by Aihasto.”
“Not excellent graphics, but an apt horror atmosphere.”
“Spooky atmosphere, okay puzzles - wish I could recommend.”
“Nevertheless, with technical issues aside, I do like the art style, the world design, the atmosphere, the ambient sound, and the occasional spookiness of Fairwalk, and I'm looking forward to the future works by Aihasto.”
- story5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's story is intriguing and features a diverse cast of characters, though it lacks a cohesive narrative and can be hampered by bugs that disrupt mission progression. While it may not appeal to everyone, particularly those less inclined towards horror, the overall experience is engaging enough to maintain player interest. Players hope for further character development in future chapters.
“A bit of counterintuitive side quests introduce us to an intriguing cast of characters, and I hope we'll get to know more about them in the next chapter.”
“But if you are less into horror, it's also got the story, visuals, and simulation aspects of a well-made game.”
“While it might not have the most cohesive story, that doesn’t hurt this experience too much as what is given is enough to at least give the player some concept of what they’re doing while not killing the strange vibe.”
“Well, the game was interesting to play but there is no guide at all, and if you fail on some missions, there is a bug that prevents you from progressing.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with players noting its ability to create tension and surprise during key moments. The ambient soundscapes contribute to an engaging exploration experience, complementing the game's art style and scenery effectively.
“Besides the art style, I really liked the music and atmosphere of the game.”
“The world of the game is interesting to explore, finding nice scenery and good ambiance/music.”
“There were a few instances where I found myself startled since I was not expecting things to jump out at me or the music to shift when certain characters appeared.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has faced significant stability issues, including frequent crashes and a problematic saving mechanism, which detracted from the overall experience. While some glitches have been addressed through patches, these ongoing stability concerns have negatively impacted players' enjoyment.
“With that said, this is a short game, which I have no problem with considering it was developed by a small team and it's reasonably priced, but the regular crashing and the buggy saving mechanism just made the whole experience excessively tedious and completely ruined my positive first impression of it.”
“They did have a few glitches, but they have patched them!”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to frequent crashes and a buggy saving mechanism, which detracts from the overall experience despite the game's short length and reasonable price.
“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 just to level up, which quickly became frustrating.”
“While I appreciate the effort put into the game, the amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
