Friendly Facade
- January 27, 2023
- Emergence
- 10h median play time
Get on SteamIn this visual novel, Maggie Crane and 15 others are invited to partake in the Isolated Society Study, where they must forge a peaceful society while attempting to outsmart each other in complex challenges. Just as the study is about to conclude, the Golding Foundation introduces a sinister twist.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- story17 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story is described as a slow burn that effectively immerses players, though it takes time to reach its more engaging elements. While the linear structure limits player choice in exploring character backstories, many reviewers express intrigue about the plot's development, particularly in the later chapters. Overall, the narrative has potential, but some feel it may have benefited from a more interactive format to enhance immersion.
“Very easy to get immersed in the story.”
“Basically, the slow burn style of things works really well for the story at hand.”
“Love the concept of this game, the story progresses up to a point where you will have to give thoughts onto the motivations and goals of the characters here to avoid being scammed.”
“Overall, I think the demo really only scratches the surface of things, and while I suppose that is how a demo tends to be, it just doesn't have the time to pull you into the story.”
“The game is mainly linear and thus decides when to give you backstory of characters - you don't really actively choose which character to explore, which is one of the weak points of this game.”
“I'm aware that the story takes a darker turn at the end of chapter 3, but it is, in my opinion, a bit too little, too late, and although I would be interested in checking out the next project from these developers, I'm not interested enough to finish this particular story.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their abundance of unique artwork across chapters, enhancing the gameplay experience. The cute user interface complements the distinct art style, which is likened to lesser-known titles rather than mainstream games.
“There's actually a ton of art done for each chapter (I was surprised by how many things had visuals instead of being just described in words), and the UI is super cute.”
“Gameplay/visuals-wise, it's good!”
“The art style is...different.”
“Given the art style, I think the closest comparison might be games more like The Zodiac Trial or Head as Code rather than the bigger 'known' ones like Danganronpa.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, with fun segments despite some limitations, such as the unavailability of the log function and restrictions on savescumming during minigames. While the overall gameplay time is limited to about 7-10 hours up to day 5, these issues are considered minor and do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
“Gameplay/visuals-wise, it's good!”
“Currently (up to day 5), about 7-10 hours of gameplay are available - depending on how fast you read.”
“Speaking of gameplay, while there isn't a ton of it, when it does come up it's actually pretty fun!”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express uncertainty about the game's replayability, indicating that a new playthrough is necessary to determine its potential for repeated enjoyment.
“I would need to play through a new playthrough to know whether or not it will have replayability.”
“[b]Replayability:[/b] ???”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for having notes that are poorly aligned with the timing, resulting in a frustrating experience for players.
“The notes were completely mismatched to the timing of the music, making it very difficult.”
“The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety, which makes it boring after a short while.”
“The music doesn't fit the game's atmosphere, resulting in a disjointed experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the creativity behind the challenges but often find the grinding aspect tedious and repetitive in execution.
“The challenges are creatively set up, but the execution feels tedious.”
“Grinding becomes a chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
