Fausts Alptraum
- April 8, 2017
- LaboRatStudio
- 8h median play time
Fausts Alptraum is an single player, puzzle game created by LabORat Studio, an indie game team from Taiwan. The story based on Goethe's Faust. Players will play as a troubled girl wandering around in a crayon-drawn world. Players will have to find the relevance between dreams and reality by collecting clues.
Reviews
- Incredible story and atmosphere that keeps players engaged throughout the game.
- Beautiful art style and music that enhance the overall experience.
- Challenging puzzles that require critical thinking, making the gameplay rewarding.
- Some puzzles can be overly complex or obtuse, leading to frustration without guides.
- The story can be confusing at times, with unclear connections and vague explanations.
- Technical issues such as missing text or bugs can detract from the experience.
- story278 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its depth, creativity, and emotional impact, often drawing comparisons to classic literature like Goethe's "Faust." While some players find the narrative complex and occasionally confusing, many appreciate the open-ended nature that invites personal interpretation and theorizing. The combination of beautiful art, atmospheric music, and a compelling storyline makes it a standout experience, particularly for fans of story-rich RPG Maker games.
“The story is undeniably incredible, the graphics, characters, and play style really kept me hooked.”
“The story is rich and the soundtrack gets into your head.”
“The plot of the story is discovered while you're playing, little by little, through the diaries and stories you find as you proceed in the game, and I loved this because it gives the player a reason not to skip the dialogues and descriptions.”
“This game has the most batshit storyline I've ever tried to comprehend.”
“The plot is a little bit hard to understand because the notes are scattered, and you could accidentally miss some of them.”
“However, I have to say that the story was confusing to follow, and there were a few minor grammar errors.”
- graphics113 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and unique art style, which combines gothic elements with a haunting atmosphere, reminiscent of Tim Burton's work. Players appreciate the hand-drawn visuals and the effective use of sound design that enhances the eerie experience, despite some noting that the overall graphics quality feels dated. The artwork not only captivates but also complements the game's intriguing story, making it a standout feature that many players would gladly pay for.
“The art style is simply beautiful and the story is equally amazing; it also gave me Undertale vibes (control-wise and some visuals), which is a big plus since I absolutely love that game.”
“The unique art style alongside the music works to create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.”
“The character design is stunning and so are the graphics; the map is huge, there is a variety of beautiful soundtracks, and the game did a pretty good job implementing creepy elements using classic topics such as fairytales and childish games.”
“In terms of graphics quality, it feels like a very old game, but when flipped out, it's a remastered version.”
“The gameplay graphics are the normal RPG Maker yet they still evoke a creepy mystery by adding subtle changes within the rooms as different actions are completed, leaving an eerie haunted feeling early on in the game.”
“Truly dedicated production team, severely atmospheric and graphically captivating.”
- music110 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful and atmospheric qualities, often described as haunting and perfectly suited to the eerie art style. Many players highlighted the effective use of classical pieces, particularly piano compositions, which enhance the game's storytelling and emotional depth. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the immersive experience of the game.
“The creators of this game did an amazing job of choosing the best music pieces for every part of the game, doing an incredible job at amplifying the atmosphere in each part of the story.”
“The unique art style alongside the music works to create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.”
“The music was beautifully woven into the background, giving an amazing atmosphere.”
“Annoying music literally gave me a headache.”
“When I try to load up the game, it's just a blank screen with the music box on loop.”
“I booted up the game and got a slightly bone-chilling, staticy intro (which I do believe is supposed to happen), then a loop of this music-box-esque music and a black screen.”
- atmosphere50 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie, haunting beauty, enhanced by stunning artwork and a captivating soundtrack that perfectly complements the unsettling narrative. Players find themselves immersed in a unique gothic environment that evokes a sense of mystery and tension, making the experience both memorable and engaging. Overall, the combination of art, music, and storytelling creates a deeply atmospheric experience that resonates with fans of psychological horror and adventure games.
“Visually, musically, artistically, and atmospherically it is eerie and stunning and beautiful, and even though I barely had any clue what was going on at any given point, I was sucked in and wanted to know more, see more, spend more time in this setting, and see what spooky thing would happen next.”
“The atmosphere is wonderfully eerie and the art style is beautiful.”
“The unique art style alongside the music works to create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is somber and horrid, the puzzles are really well thought out and fun/challenging to solve, and the characters and story are very interesting as well.”
“The atmosphere of the game is difficult to describe, but it is very distinct and memorable.”
“The atmosphere is a very special type of unsettling and it's truly a game that will stick with me forever.”
- gameplay35 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily puzzle-focused, offering a mix of clever challenges and engaging mechanics that encourage exploration without the threat of death or game overs. While many players appreciate the captivating story and atmospheric elements, some criticize the backtracking and occasional tedious puzzles, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as fulfilling and enjoyable, with a strong emphasis on interaction and problem-solving, despite some minor frustrations.
“The puzzles were actually pleasantly challenging and very clever, and I admire the game for not having any real health mechanics or game overs. You can’t die in this horror game because you’re not supposed to be punished for exploring or be taken out of the experience.”
“As for gameplay, it really is a puzzle game above all else—and a great one at that.”
“The gameplay is mostly fulfilling with a few personal annoyances towards the end, and the puzzles become more difficult as time goes on but never so much that they don't make sense.”
“The gameplay might be the bad part of the game as there are some points that could be a deal breaker for some people.”
“There are movement speed and light mechanics intended to add some tension to the horror elements, but they are horribly tuned.”
“If I had to name any negative aspects for this game, it's that there was quite a lot of walking back and forth between areas, and I had to refer to a guide on a couple of occasions, but otherwise the puzzles and gameplay were pretty solid, so I can't complain.”
- character development7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its stunning design and artistic style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the charm and depth of the characters, noting their interesting designs and potential for costuming, contributing to a captivating and immersive experience. Overall, the combination of beautiful character design and a compelling narrative significantly elevates the game's appeal.
“The character design and the art was beautiful, and I adore the style and vibe of the game itself!”
“The character designs are highly interesting and have serious costuming potential (especially Mephisto, I mean look at those shoes).”
“Other strong points of this game are its characters, and especially the character designs are charming.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartfelt and engaging writing style that, while occasionally verbose, evokes a sense of sophistication and depth. Players appreciate the balance between familiar themes and unique interpretations, leading to a touching experience that resonates with their feelings, even sparking a sense of longing when they encounter games they cannot play.
“Faust's Alptraum isn't as visually creative and striking as Hello Charlotte or Off, but it also isn't as trite as Coffin of Ashes. I'd say we strike a neat balance and get a familiar but heartfelt goth spin on Goethe's magnum opus.”
“It makes me want to cry when I find an interesting game and can't play it.”
“Much impressive and touching!”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, user experiences with stability vary; while some encountered glitches, such as buggy fonts, others reported a smooth, bug-free gameplay experience. The mixed feedback suggests that stability may depend on individual playthroughs.
“It's free... it was bug-free for me... very enjoyable!”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or freezes.”
“There were a few glitches during my playthrough.”
“- Buggy font for English translation.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly with certain puzzles and mechanics that disrupt the flow of gameplay. While some elements are enjoyable, the need to repeatedly inspect items and navigate frustrating puzzles can detract from the overall experience.
“Some of the puzzles were a bit tedious (especially the golem path one) as well as the rat light mechanic, but the rest were pretty alright and enjoyable!”
“Puzzles can become quite tedious.”
“It just doesn't flow well and becomes tedious to play.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its clever and occasionally funny dialogue, contributing to an overall engaging storytelling experience. While the humor may not be the primary focus, it enhances the game's charm and character interactions, making it stand out in the RPG Maker community.
“It has incredibly good storytelling, great and somewhat funny dialogue from time to time, a great cast of characters, beautiful and stylized art, and god damn I want to stomp those damn mice 'til all I hear is a crunch!”
“I've been playing RPG Maker games for years, and this is such a cut above that it's not even funny. I can't believe this game isn't more well-known in the community.”
“Which is funny because the rest of the game kinda went from mid to good at times.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its exceptional integration of music, art, story, and performance, creating an immersive experience that deeply engages players.
“The optimization in this game is top-notch, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned every aspect of the game, making it run seamlessly.”
“The attention to detail in optimization really enhances the overall experience, ensuring that nothing detracts from the gameplay.”