Fatale
- November 4, 2009
- Tale of Tales
- 38h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Fatale" is a single-player sports game with high-quality graphics and a lengthy playtime of around 38 hours. The game draws inspiration from Oscar Wilde's 19th century play "Salome," and retells the story of the Judean princess who falls in love with a prophet, leading to his beheading and her kissing his decapitated head. Most of the game takes place in the aftermath of these events.
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Reviews
- FATALE offers a unique and mesmerizing experience that feels more like an interactive artwork than a traditional game.
- The visuals and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, creating a haunting and ethereal tone that captivates players.
- The game encourages introspection and exploration, allowing players to engage with the story of Salome in a thought-provoking way.
- The gameplay is minimal and often frustrating, with clunky controls and a lack of clear objectives, leading to confusion.
- Many players find the experience to be too short and lacking in substance, feeling more like a series of static scenes than a cohesive narrative.
- FATALE may not appeal to those expecting a traditional gaming experience, as it is more of an art piece than a game, which can leave some feeling disappointed.
- story28 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's story, inspired by Oscar Wilde's play and biblical mythology, presents a visually stunning but confusing narrative centered around Salome, requiring prior knowledge of the source material for full appreciation. While some players found the interactive art experience engaging, many criticized the lack of coherent storytelling and meaningful gameplay, describing it as an abstract and frustrating attempt at narrative. Overall, the game appeals primarily to those interested in literary exploration rather than traditional storytelling or gameplay progression.
“This game is about the ethereal image of a woman… about the developers’ vision of the beautiful, absolutely stunning story of Salome.”
“If you're willing to pay $7.00 to see an interactive art exhibit inspired by the story of John the Baptist, Salome, and the Dance of the Seven Veils, then buy this and enjoy.”
“I recommend this game as an interactive painting of the story, with which you should be familiar.”
“The plot demands some knowledge about Oscar Wilde's play and biblical mythology in general, and there's not much to do, only enjoy the eerie atmosphere of the sceneries presented.”
“The storyline was short, the controls were hard to understand, and I wish I never bought it.”
“There's no story.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a polarizing aspect among users, with many praising the beautiful and artistic visuals that enhance the interactive experience, while others criticize them as merely adequate or uninteresting. Some reviewers appreciate the unique art style and color composition, highlighting the game's potential as an artistic project rather than a traditional game. However, there are also voices that find the graphics insufficient to compensate for a lack of engaging gameplay or narrative depth.
“I was well aware before I bought the title that this is not a 'game' in the traditional sense, but rather an interactive artwork.”
“The game has some really nice environments and the graphics are really well designed and laid out.”
“The graphics are gorgeous and the story is engaging (but can be a bit confusing if you are not familiar with the play Salome).”
“It's very boring, just move around and bad graphics.”
“No story, no gameplay, no nothing, but some graphics and clicking.”
“The graphics are pretty, but that's the only thing good about this game.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has been widely criticized for its lack of engaging mechanics and intuitive controls, leading to a frustrating experience for players. Many reviewers feel that it fails to deliver on its promises, offering little in terms of story or challenge, and is more akin to an interactive art piece than a traditional game. Overall, the gameplay is described as confusing, boring, and lacking in substance, leaving players dissatisfied.
“Meanwhile, there are developers who think they can hock games such as The Binding of Isaac for an exorbitant $4.99, of which I've only managed to squeeze over 50 hours of gameplay and I haven't even completed the game yet.”
“While turning Wilde's 'Salome' into a short art video game might seem like a strange undertaking, I think the play's thematic content could provide enough material to merit worthwhile exploration via the language of game mechanics.”
“But background elements do not make a game when everything about the gameplay itself is a bad experience from the controls to knowing what to do next to a lack of a satisfying ending.”
“I know this is an interactive art experience that won't appeal to everyone, yet it feels like what the description promised didn't come to fruition in the gameplay.”
“Fatale is an extremely short and boring work; I won't say 'game' because it basically lacks any gameplay.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as atmospheric and haunting, effectively enhancing the overall experience with its authentic and evocative score. While some players found the soundtrack to be beautiful and fitting, others criticized it for being obnoxious at times, particularly in contrast to the game's visuals. Overall, the music is noted for its strong emotional impact, with a mix of appreciation for its artistry and some dissatisfaction regarding its execution.
“The art style is nice, the soundtrack is great to listen to and that dance epilogue... oh wow!”
“The music is very nice to listen to and very Arabic.”
“You wait and walk around an almost empty cistern while the game plays obnoxious music and throws Oscar Wilde quotes at you, trying to be profound or something, I dunno.”
“The whispering that happens also genuinely unnerved me, and I inwardly shied away at the effect of the haunting musical score and the ominous whispers every time they happened.”
“It got a 1 for the music.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as magical and eerie, effectively immersing players in its artistic and thematic elements, which draw heavily from Oscar Wilde's play and biblical mythology. Reviewers appreciate the focus on creating a captivating environment that encourages exploration and enjoyment rather than traditional gameplay mechanics.
“Once I dove into the game, I felt the powerful sense of the magical atmosphere surrounding the in-game character.”
“The plot requires some knowledge of Oscar Wilde's play and biblical mythology, but there's not much to do except enjoy the eerie atmosphere of the presented sceneries.”
“The game is focused on creating an atmosphere, aiming to be an interactive piece of art.”
“The game is about setting up an atmosphere, trying to be an interactive piece of art.”
“And once I dived into the game, I somehow felt how powerful the sense of all that magical atmosphere was around the image of the in-game character.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight the importance of valuing emotional responses over purely intellectual interpretations of human expressions and experiences. There is a caution against assuming that widely-accepted readings are the only valid perspectives, as this can diminish the richness of individual emotional experiences.
“There is danger in wanting to intellectualize every human expression or experience, because in doing so, one risks undervaluing their emotional responses to the expression or experience in question.”
“There is danger in mistaking a widely accepted reading as the only acceptable reading, in wanting to intellectualize every human expression or experience, because, in doing so, one risks undervaluing their emotional responses to the expression or experience in question.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs and a lack of clarity in its messaging, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from gameplay.
“The game is incredibly buggy, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“It feels like a pretentious attempt at storytelling, but the stability issues overshadow any message it tries to convey.”
“Frequent crashes and glitches ruin the overall experience, leaving players frustrated.”
