Fatum Betula
- June 11, 2020
- Bryce Bucher
- 2h median play time
Fatum Betula finds virtue in the 32-bit generation. It is impossible to return to the ethos that powered games from a quarter century ago, but Fatum Betula captures their spirit and respects their integrity. The wild sense of experimentation, the natural invitation to curiosity, and the harsh beauty imposed by technical limitations shine through every austere texture and restrained polygon.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Fatum Betula" is an exploration game with light puzzle elements, set in a world without a past and dominated by a magical birch tree. The game features 10 unique endings, a variety of curious characters, and evokes the style of early 3D gaming with its low-resolution graphics. You must search for offerings to feed the tree and uncover the world's secrets.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a beautifully atmospheric world that is both surreal and haunting, reminiscent of classic PS1 titles.
- Fatum Betula offers a unique gameplay experience with multiple endings and secrets to discover, encouraging exploration and experimentation.
- The writing and character design are intriguing, with a mix of humor and philosophical themes that enhance the overall experience.
- Some puzzles can be cryptic and may require external guides to fully understand, which can disrupt the flow of exploration.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content and depth in the narrative.
- Movement speed is slow, which can make backtracking tedious and affect the overall pacing of the game.
- atmosphere112 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating blend of eerie, mysterious, and nostalgic elements, often evoking feelings of both comfort and unease. Players appreciate the unique art style, sound design, and immersive environments that enhance exploration and storytelling, making it a standout experience despite its short length and simplistic gameplay. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its most prominent and compelling feature, drawing players into a surreal and haunting world.
“The atmosphere, style, and music are spectacular.”
“The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful, with a slightly creepy feeling.”
“The atmosphere is eerie, haunting, and foreboding.”
“A game as captivating in its visual atmosphere as it is uninspired in its themes and gameplay structure.”
“I walked in expecting your run of the mill aesthetic game but quickly found myself sucked into the haunting atmosphere and snarky writing of it.”
- graphics100 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic low-poly PS1 aesthetic that evokes a sense of surrealism and charm, appealing to fans of retro visuals. While some players found the visuals to be haunting or disorienting, many appreciated the unique atmosphere and artistic direction, which effectively complemented the gameplay and storytelling. Overall, the graphics are praised for their authenticity and ability to create an engaging, eerie experience.
“The graphics are charming low-poly PS1-esque goodness, which are always good to have in a game.”
“The amazingly eerie atmosphere, uncanny characters, and PS1-era graphics is such a great combo.”
“The visuals are designed to mimic that of the original PS1, which is interesting because the creator of the game is 19 and was born in a different era entirely.”
“Not just because of the low-res 3D aesthetic but also just the general 'what the' vibe; if you ever played a bizarre low-budget game in the 90s, this might really ping your nostalgia zones.”
“The graphics are low-poly PS1 style and very surreal; nothing really matches both in terms of environment and NPC designs, but somehow it works, especially when accompanied with the beautifully ambient soundtrack.”
“The game asks you to solve puzzles while looking at seizure-inducing visuals.”
- music57 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively enhancing the unique and surreal environments. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions and create a captivating ambiance, some note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness over time. Overall, the combination of music and visuals contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive experience.
“The atmosphere, style, and music are spectacular.”
“The music, graphics, and overall atmosphere of the environments felt unique and disturbing at times and gave me exactly what was needed for the scenes.”
“The visuals and soundtrack piece together perfectly to craft an unforgettable experience.”
“Music does a lot of heavy lifting with building the atmosphere; it always fits either an ethereal or distorted mood of an area that it plays in. However, there aren't a lot of tracks, and by the end, it can start feeling grating.”
“Sometimes you just straight up get blasted with music, which isn't nice for the ears at all.”
“The music almost seems to want to relax you, but it can never escape an overwhelming feeling of ominous ulterior motives - of unreality, [dis]reality.”
- story38 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and often ambiguous, focusing more on atmosphere and visual experience than a cohesive narrative. Players encounter a surreal world centered around a birch tree, with multiple endings that offer philosophical insights rather than a solid plot. While some appreciate the unique storytelling approach, others find it lacking depth and clarity, leading to mixed feelings about its overall effectiveness.
“The plot of this game targets philosophy with its multiple endings - each serving as its own self-contained aphorism, offering insight and a 'lesson learned' for those curious enough.”
“The story is hard to put into words as it's told through scenery, symbolism, and a handful of wacky characters.”
“If you love the PS1 aesthetic as well as appealing environments and characters with simplistic yet meaningful storytelling, it's safe to say that you'll find Fatum Betula to be an enjoyably unnerving experience.”
“The actual story in this game is quite minimal and weak and often uses ambiguity to avoid much depth.”
“There's just no story where there could be a great one.”
“What I mean to say is that there is no overarching story present here.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as simplistic and often slow-paced, focusing on exploration and item interaction rather than action. While it may lack depth and complexity, players appreciate the atmospheric environments and the unique mechanics involving liquids that influence the narrative and endings. Overall, the game is more about mood and thematic exploration than traditional gameplay, appealing to those who enjoy immersive, contemplative experiences.
“An bizarre, eerie, and thoughtful game with simplistic gameplay that leaves you mostly to your own devices.”
“The gameplay loop is short and really simple (trying to find all combinations of a liquid) but the fun comes from trying to get all of the endings in this surreal world.”
“I wasn't expecting such a strong feeling towards this game before playing it but every aspect of its gameplay felt bewitching, the graphics were unique and heavily stylized with matching background music and the interactions between the player and the world felt unique and interesting.”
“The gameplay certainly does have a lot to be desired; you walk around at a slow pace, even when running, and the game often tasks you to go back and forth everywhere to achieve certain endings.”
“The gameplay itself entirely consists of talking to people, using items on things, and filling and emptying a set of vials with various liquids.”
“As far as the gameplay, it's pretty much what you would expect from a game in this genre; it's a walking simulator with limited game settings - an aesthetic experience more than anything else.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as cleverly integrated, providing a balance to its unsettling themes without feeling out of place. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, quirky characters, and the mix of funny and thought-provoking moments across various endings, contributing to a surreal and engaging experience. Overall, the humor adds a unique layer to the game's atmosphere, enhancing its mysterious and profound qualities.
“Also, there was a good sense of humor that never felt out of place or interrupted the unsettling parts.”
“Fantastic little art gallery full of wry programmer humor and puzzles.”
“Dreamlike, surreal, with excellent visuals, a haunting soundtrack, and at times a rather devilish sense of humor, this game was an excellent adventure through and through.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, requiring significant time investment, but appreciate the presence of new discoveries and an engaging atmosphere that mitigates the monotony. The game's shorter length and compact world design help keep replaying from feeling overly repetitive.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Replaying can get a bit tedious, but there's still new things to find each time.”
“The walking was a bit tedious, but you're accompanied by a cute -and creepy- world and great music, so it was alright.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its impressive design and variety, complemented by solid visuals and music. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in character aesthetics, contributing to an engaging overall experience.
“The character design is great.”
“The visuals and music are great, and I love all the character designs.”
“Apart from its variety between different locations throughout the game, which is pretty great, Fatum Betula also doesn't fall flat in the character design department.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply resonant, often evoking unexpected tears and a profound connection to its touching, albeit small-scale, world.
“I want to cry passive tears for a reason I do not know.”
“Don't expect a big world, but it is a world that is touching.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to its multiple endings, which encourage exploration and experimentation within the game world. This aspect significantly enhances playtime and adds to the overall enjoyment.
“The playtime is extended by the game's replayability; it features multiple endings, and I definitely had fun exploring and strategizing my way through the game's world to unlock as many of them as I could.”
“Each playthrough offers a unique experience, making it exciting to dive back in and discover new paths and outcomes.”
“The variety of choices and branching storylines encourages you to replay the game, ensuring that no two experiences are the same.”
“However, the playtime is lengthened by replayability; the game has multiple endings, and I definitely had fun trying and thinking my way through the game's world to get as many of them as I could.”
“Once you've seen all the endings, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of new content makes replaying feel more like a chore than a choice.”
“While the game offers multiple paths, the core gameplay remains the same, which diminishes the excitement of replaying it.”
