For Mother Matron

About

For Mother Matron is a single player action game with horror and thriller themes. It was developed by Velvetique Games and was released on October 17, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

Lizzy is a girl living in The Boarding, a walled city surrounded by fog. All who live here serve the mysterious Mother Matron, its revered leader who hasn’t been seen in person in many years. Periodically, the Mother Matron selects residents to become Surveyors, tasked with exploring the dark unknown tunnels that lie underground to find the key to a better future for the collective. The odds of su…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 119 reviews

story22 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and engaging story that explores deep philosophical themes, making it thought-provoking and memorable.
The art style and voice acting are praised for their quality, contributing to an immersive and atmospheric experience.
As a free game, it offers a surprising amount of content and depth, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of psychological horror.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including typos, inconsistent voice acting, and poorly timed choices that can lead to frustrating gameplay.
Many players found the pacing slow and the beginning overly expository, making it difficult to engage with the story early on.
Despite its intriguing premise, the narrative can become convoluted and leave many loose ends, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction for some players.

story
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
61%
5%
The game's story is praised for its intriguing and philosophical elements, with a strong atmosphere that enhances the narrative experience. While some players find the plot convoluted and the pacing uneven, many appreciate the depth and potential for interpretation, as well as the emotional impact it delivers. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a highlight, with a desire for further development and exploration in potential future installments.
- “I enjoyed the story and how it's teased to you as opposed to being offered up on a platter.”
- “The atmosphere is intriguing and the story is interesting, almost philosophical.”
- “The story is so captivating and written so well that it takes you into the story and makes you feel as if you're there with the characters.”
- “Started strong, but fizzled out towards the end when the story went bonkers.”
- “Good for a free game, but underdeveloped story with lots of loose ends.”
- “The story's pacing is slow and unwieldy, only picking up in the last quarter of the playtime, and much of the dialogue could be smoothed or eliminated.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
20%
15%
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and diverse art styles, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and storytelling. While some users noted inconsistencies in the UI and felt certain styles were out of place, the disturbing imagery and aesthetic choices were generally well-received, contributing to a sense of impending doom and emotional impact. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, with a mix of creepy and grotesque elements that align well with the game's themes.
- “The art style is super creepy and grotesque, matched the story perfectly.”
- “The art style and backgrounds are visually appealing and the monsters are best described as 'traumacore' offshoots, which I love.”
- “A gritty, well-acted visual novel with the art style of Remigiusz Michalski of The Cat Lady/Downfall/Lorelai, mixed with some real body horror/visceral gore flashes of another world.”
- “But this game doesn’t scare with its graphics; it scares with something more than that.”
- “The game certainly is strong in disturbing imagery and graphics with the monsters and even darker lore, as well as tackling some heavy themes; so it is important to take the warnings at the beginning and the game information seriously if you're disturbed easily by certain topics or imagery.”
- “A gritty, well-acted visual novel with the art style of Remigiusz Michalski from The Cat Lady/Downfall/Lorelai, mixed with some real body horror and visceral gore flashes of another world.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
14%
13%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intriguing and immersive qualities, effectively combining deep philosophical themes with a sense of impending doom. Players appreciate the unique aesthetic, sound design, and world-building, which create a captivating and oppressive experience, despite some critiques of the visual execution. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout element that enhances the storytelling and emotional impact of the game.
- “The atmosphere is intriguing and the story is interesting, almost philosophical.”
- “I thoroughly enjoyed this game; the story and its buildup were amazing, the sense of impending doom, and the atmosphere conveyed with its art style was great.”
- “It has a wonderful atmosphere and storybuilding that rivals some AAA titles nowadays.”
- “I would definitely pay if someday this game had a makeover with an extended story, more revealed information, full voice acting, fixation of small mistakes, etc. because to me there are so many amazing elements, such as the overall aesthetic/atmosphere, the world where the story takes place, the creepy moments, that feeling of despair transmitted to the player, the psychological and philosophical aspects... it really left me with this empty feeling after playing for the first time.”
- “Maybe the visual part including body horror here isn't the best in the world, but it makes some kind of special indie atmosphere.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional intensity, effectively complementing the horror elements and narrative. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack, while not the best they've heard, successfully creates an oppressive and unsettling experience, with some even appreciating the hidden music references throughout. Overall, the combination of atmospheric music, strong voice acting, and immersive sound design contributes significantly to the game's impact.
- “I think the story, characters, atmosphere, and music are all very well done.”
- “The narrative itself is enjoyable and the art, music, and voice acting do a good job of immersing you in the world.”
- “For Mother Matron is an interactive horror visual novel that comes with amazing writing, a soundtrack that reminds me a bit of Silent Hill and always seems to fit the situation, great voice acting, and beautifully horrifying art design.”
- “The soundtrack, even though it wasn't the best I've heard, worked well with the atmosphere and created an oppressive world during my first playthrough, leading to an unnerving journey into the unknown.”
- “The voice acting, as well as the OST/music, really reflects the temperament of the game and helps illustrate the intensity of scenes, making the player feel dread in crucial moments.”
- “I doubt I spotted them all, but I noticed so many music references throughout the game.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The gameplay in this visual/interactive novel is largely characterized by minimal interaction, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue, with some users expressing frustration over trial-and-error mechanics and a fast timer. However, there are moments of engaging quick-time events and timed choice puzzles that add urgency and tension, contributing positively to the overall experience. While the gameplay may be lacking, many reviewers feel that the compelling narrative compensates for these shortcomings.
- “What this game did was shatter every single expectation narratively, and the gameplay mechanics of a QTE were quite good. I liked it; it had a sense of urgency and quick thinking that fit the narrative whenever it happened.”
- “It has a simple but interesting cosmic horror story with some timed choice puzzles to add a bit of gameplay and tension.”
- “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?'”
- “There was also this long section of annoying trial-and-error gameplay made worse by a very fast timer.”
- “All in all, on the gameplay front, this is exactly what you'd expect from a visual novel, but with me recommending it, you can be sure that the story shines enough to make up for any 'missing' gameplay.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a profound emotional experience, particularly in its final moments, leaving players deeply moved by its well-crafted narrative. Many reviewers express that the emotional impact lingers, making them feel a strong connection to the characters and their struggles. Overall, players unanimously agree that the game evokes powerful feelings throughout.
- “The final portion of the game was a powerhouse of an emotional experience, to put it lightly.”
- “I just cannot describe how well it is written; it made me feel like these creatures are the only ones that actually live there.”
- “This game made me feel things.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's strong replayability, particularly highlighting the three-hour playtime and the fast-forwarding feature, which enhances the experience while pursuing achievements.
- “Everything about it was great, and the replay value, especially for 3 hours, was fantastic. The fast-forwarding feature also enhanced my experience while I was working on the achievements!”
- “The game offers incredible replayability, with multiple paths and choices that keep each playthrough fresh and exciting.”
- “I love how each run feels different due to the various character builds and strategies you can explore, making me want to dive back in again and again.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences some glitches and typos, but players generally overlook these issues due to its free availability.
- “There are frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs that make it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I encountered several glitches that caused me to lose progress.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening it to a frustrating experience where progress is slowed by the need to click through text rather than enjoying a seamless reading experience. This repetitive clicking can make the gameplay feel laborious, leading some to suggest that it requires an excessive amount of time and effort.
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that 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 for grinding.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its sharp wit and clever observations, as exemplified by a remark about the minimal demand for a book, suggesting a satirical take on its value. Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to deliver humor that is both insightful and amusing.
- “The funny thing is, if you wanted to print this book, you'd only need to print 15 copies to satisfy the entire world's demand for it.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is noted for its unique design choices, which some find confusing but others appreciate for highlighting the distinction between "normal" characters and the "chosen ones," adding depth to the narrative.
- “I've seen some people complain about the confusing character design style, but that actually is an interesting detail to me. I quite like the visual difference between 'normal' people and the 'chosen ones'; it adds a nice touch in my opinion.”