Ginkgo

About

Ginkgo is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Francesco and was released on June 26, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Ginkgo" is a 3D horror game with a dreamlike East Asian atmosphere, where you solve puzzles in a surreal world using a magic needle. Close-up encounters with yokai monsters, who may help or hinder your journey, add to the mysterious and engaging experience. With its innovative needle mechanics and unique spatial puzzles, Ginkgo offers a distinctive and thrilling adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews

gameplay39 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

Ginkgo features a unique sewing mechanic that adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to solve puzzles in innovative ways.
The game boasts beautiful graphics and a captivating atmosphere, drawing inspiration from East Asian culture and horror themes.
Despite its short length, Ginkgo delivers an engaging story with emotional undertones, leaving players wanting more.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with collision detection and interaction prompts.
Many players found the game too short, with a playtime of around 20-30 minutes, leading to a feeling of an incomplete experience.
The AI for the monster is simplistic, which diminishes the horror aspect and can make encounters less thrilling.

gameplay
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The gameplay is characterized by a unique sewing mechanic that players find engaging and innovative, contributing to a fun and immersive experience. However, many reviews note that the game is quite short, often completed in around 30 minutes, and some players express a desire for more depth and additional puzzles. While the mechanics are praised for their creativity, there are mentions of bugs and occasional confusion in execution, indicating room for improvement in future iterations.
- “The mechanics are unique and engaging, while the chases are intense and thoughtful.”
- “I loved the unique take on the sewing needle mechanic as well as the East Asian inspired horror.”
- “The needle and thread mechanic is uniquely inventive and has a lot of potential.”
- “However, the story and gameplay are quite short.”
- “As impressed as I was with the innovative gameplay and subject matter, I was thrown off by the unprecedented amount of bugs that showed up.”
- “Namely, questionable gameplay design and how with every playthrough comes multiple bugs, at worst game-breaking!”
story
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
44%
8%
The game's story is engaging and intriguing, with players appreciating the opportunity to uncover a protagonist's backstory through environmental clues, though many noted its brevity and incomplete nature, especially as it ends on a cliffhanger. While some found the narrative somewhat confusing, others enjoyed the emotional depth and unique themes, particularly the mother-daughter relationship. Overall, the story has potential and leaves players eager for more, despite its current limitations.
- “If you enjoy piecing together a protagonist’s backstory through subtle environmental clues, this game definitely gives you that opportunity.”
- “The story is there, and it's fun discovering some secrets the mother was keeping from her daughter.”
- “The story is an intriguing one that I'm certain hits close to home for many people, with an interesting twist to it.”
- “However, the story and gameplay are quite short.”
- “Cuts off mid-story; this is expected for a demo, but I personally didn't find the timing of the cliffhanger to be very effective.”
- “Because of its length, it tries to create a story, but there is not enough time or substance to really deliver in that regard.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
11%
12%
Overall, the graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with many reviewers praising the art style as aesthetically pleasing and reminiscent of traditional artwork. While some noted that certain assets may appear borrowed, the visuals are generally described as stunning and immersive, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. Despite being a short game or in demo phase, the graphics are considered impressive, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- “The visuals of this game were great and the sewing/cutting actions are satisfying.”
- “Absolutely stunning graphics, very reminiscent of Spirited Away and traditional Japanese artwork.”
- “The graphics and art style were downright on point too.”
- “The game graphics look better than you might expect, but that's just because it looks like some or all of them are 'borrowed' from asset stores or wherever.”
- “Considering it is marketed as being in the 'demo' phase, it has decent graphics, mechanics, and story.”
- “For a demo, the graphics were pretty decent.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
16%
15%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its creepy and mystical qualities, enhanced by interesting creatures and engaging mechanics. Reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals and the intriguing story, noting that while the game is short, it effectively builds tension without relying heavily on jumpscares. Overall, the atmosphere is described as immersive and captivating, making it a standout feature of the experience.
- “Great atmosphere, interesting creatures, and unique feeling mechanics.”
- “The mechanics, atmosphere, and visuals are very engrossing.”
- “The atmosphere is mystical and creepy, and the thread mechanic is pure brilliance.”
- “I really love the atmosphere of the game, and my only real problem with it is that it's way too short.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for being quite buggy, with several players encountering game-breaking glitches, particularly related to collision detection. While some users found these issues manageable and appreciated the overall experience, others felt that the glitches significantly detracted from their enjoyment, leading to frustration and even uninstallation. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a notable concern, though many are hopeful for improvements in future updates.
- “It is very buggy and boring, worst 21 minutes spent.”
- “I ran across two 'game breaking' glitches, both of them on collision detection when attaching two pieces of cloth together to form a bridge/ramp.”
- “However, I experienced 2 game breaking glitches that forced me to restart from the beginning, so I ended up uninstalling.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its relaxing quality and impressive soundtrack, receiving a perfect score of 10/10. However, some users reported issues with bugs affecting the music, such as the chase theme not stopping, which detracted from the overall experience.
- “The music is also relaxing.”
- “Soundtrack: 10/10”
- “The music just went full blast with the Japanese strings and percussion instruments.”
- “Well, that came as quite a shock too - and the music just went full blast with the Japanese strings and percussion instruments... but that's not what I meant.”
- “There were a few bugs in the game such as the chase music never stopped and at one point I couldn't progress because the yarn wouldn't break, but I just had to walk off the platform and it fixed it.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitious and tedious, leading to a sense of monotony in completing tasks. This can detract from the overall enjoyment and engagement with the game.
- “Some of the tasks were repetitious and tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward.”
- “I found myself doing the same activities over and over, which became incredibly boring.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's mechanics unique and praise its simple yet emotionally impactful story, highlighting its ability to evoke strong feelings.
- “I've never played a game with the mechanics showcased here, and the story is simple but emotionally effective.”
- “The characters' journeys resonated with me on a personal level, making every decision feel weighty and impactful.”
- “The emotional depth of the narrative left me reflecting on my own experiences long after I finished the game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, with many settings, such as brightness, failing to have a noticeable impact on performance or visual quality.
- “The game is poorly optimized, with a bunch of settings that seem to do nothing; brightness, for one.”
- “Despite adjusting various settings, I still experience significant lag and frame drops.”
- “The optimization is lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the game even on high-end hardware.”