GESTALT: The Fifth Day
- April 5, 2024
- KINJAKO
Get on Steam"GESTALT: The Fifth Day" is a story-driven, point-and-click horror game where you play as Wicke, navigating through a haunted house that was inherited from a deceased woman. The game features psychological horror, puzzles, and multiple endings based on your choices. With a grainy, black and white aesthetic, and a focus on Wicke's mental health, the game promises a short yet intense experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique black and white visual style reminiscent of Game Boy graphics, combined with beautiful pixel gore art that enhances the horror atmosphere.
- The dialogue is engaging and filled with ironic humor, particularly in the interactions between the main character and Emma, making it a highlight of the gameplay.
- The gameplay offers a mix of puzzles and point-and-click elements with random events each day, providing high replay value and different paths and endings based on player choices.
- Some puzzles can be confusing and difficult to solve, which may frustrate players who are not adept at puzzle games.
- The time limit that continues during dialogues can be stressful, potentially leading to missed opportunities or rushed decisions.
- There are occasional bugs, such as issues with progress on certain days and achievements not registering properly, which can detract from the overall experience.
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique blend of Game Boy-inspired visuals and pixel art, creating a charming yet intimidating atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the effective use of black-and-white aesthetics, which contribute to a surreal and eerie experience, complemented by engaging artwork and mild jump scares. Overall, the visuals are described as both captivating and rich in detail, enhancing the game's overall appeal.
“What attracted me the most was the graphics, as always.”
“The events in the game are very rich, with terrifying visuals formed by the black-and-white art style, mild jump scares, and the overall eerie and unsettling sound effects, which work incredibly well together.”
“Both the artwork and the little jumpscares left a very terrifying and surreal atmosphere while playing.”
“Love the black and white graphics too.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The story follows Wickeina Gestalt as she moves into a house previously owned by a deceased elderly woman, blending humor and intrigue in its narrative. While some elements remain unexplained, contributing to the game's charm, the writing is praised for its quality and engagement, despite the challenge of achieving multiple endings. Overall, it is considered an interesting and well-crafted story, complemented by appealing art and music.
“It's a well-written and enjoyable story, with a bit of humor in certain parts, such as Emma's scenario, which gives the story a nice variation.”
“We follow the story of Wickeina Gestalt, who has just moved into her new house that belonged to an elderly woman who recently passed away.”
“I really liked the way the story is told; there are parts that don't really explain what it is or why it's happening, but I think that's part of the charm of the game itself.”
“+ attractive and well-written story.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of eerie and surreal elements, enhanced by striking pixel art visuals and effective jumpscares. Players appreciate the engaging energy, fun dialogues, and intriguing puzzles, although some note that the experience feels a bit short. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both terrifying and captivating, leaving players eager to uncover the true ending.
“Interesting puzzles, great atmosphere.”
“I like the eerie atmosphere of this game.”
“Both the artwork and the little jumpscares left a very terrifying and surreal atmosphere while playing.”
“The atmosphere is scary, but I want to know the true ending.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as simple and effective, enhancing replayability through daily random events. It combines click-based adventure elements with deduction mechanics, creating an engaging experience.
“The gameplay is essentially a mix of click-based adventure and deduction.”
“It is a simple and effective gameplay, designed to increase the replay factor, even counting with a random event factor for each day.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its lack of prominence and emotional impact, particularly in moments that could have benefited from a more atmospheric score. While some appreciate the overall artistic elements, the music is noted as a missed opportunity to enhance the gaming experience.
“Great art, music, story, writing; I can't finish this game - it's really hard to get an ending other than ending 1.”
“What disappointed me most was the fact that the music didn't stand out at all in the game.”
“What was disappointing was that there were plenty of opportunities for some eerie music.”
“There is a lack of music in certain parts that should have it.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a standout feature, particularly through witty and ironic dialogues that enhance the overall experience. Players are encouraged to fully engage with the conversations, as they are both entertaining and cleverly written, adding enjoyable variation to the story.
“When you play her part, don't forget to exhaust the dialogues completely because this is one of the best parts of the game. The dialogues are extremely fun, full of ironic and acid humor; I could play a game just with conversations between these two characters.”
“It's a well-written and enjoyable story, with a bit of humor in certain parts, such as Emma's scenario, which gives the story a nice variation.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, with a typical first playthrough lasting around half an hour and often resulting in failure, encouraging players to try again and explore different outcomes.
“This is a solid point-and-click horror game with a ton of replay value!”
“It's a highly replayable game, with the first playthrough taking only about half an hour, but likely ending in failure.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported that certain achievements in the game exhibit bugs, indicating some stability issues that may affect gameplay experience.
“Some achievements seem to be a bit buggy.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I've experienced several glitches that disrupt gameplay.”
