Fragments
- January 20, 2021
- codapill
Get on Steam"Fragments" is a single-player mystery adventure game, where you play as Evan, a young man trying to uncover the truth about a serious crime he may have committed. With two detectives closing in, you must navigate through Evan's traumatic memories, making decisions that will affect the outcome of the story. The game features a chilling original soundtrack and two possible endings, making for a unique and suspenseful experience.
Reviews
- Polished and engaging narrative with a compelling premise that effectively explores themes of memories and morality.
- Excellent audio and visual design that enhances the immersive experience, despite being built on RPGmaker assets.
- Offers multiple paths and endings, encouraging replayability and deeper exploration of the story.
- The story is predictable and lacks subtlety, making it feel like a short scene from a generic movie.
- Text scrolls slowly, which can disrupt the pacing and overall experience.
- The game is very short, leaving some players wanting more depth and complexity in the narrative.
- story21 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is a polished, bite-sized mystery that combines elements of sci-fi and suspense, offering a compelling narrative experience with intelligent writing and an atmospheric soundtrack. While some players found the plot predictable and lacking in subtlety, others appreciated its intriguing themes and the way it pieced together memories. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy short, story-driven games, despite some criticisms regarding predictability and presentation.
“Polished, bite-sized RPG Maker game that tells a mystery story with a compelling premise.”
“If you go in expecting something less like a bells-and-whistles horror game abounding with player choice, and something more in the vein of a suspenseful speculative short story, you'll find in 'Fragments' a well-directed and cleverly minimalist piece of interactive fiction (with an equally understated yet scene-setting soundtrack).”
“Fragments is a great, short, interactive story with sci-fi/alt-future elements, which appealed to me.”
“The story is pretty 'meh' and incredibly predictable.”
“It had some ideas reminiscent of other RPG Maker story-based titles (mainly the idea of using a character's memories to progress the plot) but it had none of the subtlety or a satisfying ending.”
“By the time I was maybe 10 minutes in, I knew what the ending was going to be and the rest of playing was just waiting to see how that story unfolded - and unfortunately the presentation was underwhelming.”
- music8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as atmospheric and immersive, effectively enhancing the tension and storytelling experience. Players who typically ignore game soundtracks found themselves engaged and even turning up the volume, highlighting the quality and catchiness of the original score. Overall, the soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's suspenseful and interactive narrative, making it memorable long after playing.
“Regarding the soundtrack: I typically don't pay much mind to music in games, usually muting background music, but I actually found myself turning up the volume in this game.”
“The music and rumble features of the game work to create a tense atmosphere as the story unfolds.”
“If the idea of seeing alternate endings and dialogue branches aren't enough to keep you coming back to the game, the catchy, original soundtrack might do the trick; you'll be singing it for days after playing.”
“I'm no video game music/sound effects critic, so I can't really explain why it was good, but I really enjoyed it!”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is heightened by its immersive soundtrack and effective use of controller rumble, which together create a tense and engaging experience as the story unfolds. The well-paced narrative, lasting about an hour to an hour and a half, further enhances the sense of urgency and seriousness in decision-making.
“The story is well-paced, lasting around an hour to an hour and a half (if you want to see everything), and is accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack and cool features like controller rumble, which really adds to the immersion and makes decision-making feel like serious business.”
“The music and rumble features of the game work to create a tense atmosphere as the story unfolds.”
“The environment feels lifeless and fails to immerse me in the game world.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere lacks depth and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their attention to detail, effectively utilizing flashbacks and clever visuals to depict the intricate "prison" within Evan's mind, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
“Through flashbacks and clever visuals, explore the 'prison' in Evan's mind with particular attention to detail and speak your truth.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is enhanced by impressive visual and gameplay effects that effectively immerse players in the tone of each scene.
“This game has some really amazing visual and gameplay effects to help immerse you in the tone of each scene.”
