Gone Fireflies

About

A short story-driven experience about love, loss, and the choices we make.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

story21 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully designed world with detailed maps and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience.
The story is touching and well-written, exploring heavy themes of love, loss, and the choices we make, which resonates deeply with players.
There are multiple endings and choices that affect dialogue, providing some replayability and allowing players to engage with the narrative in different ways.

The gameplay is minimal, with a focus on story rather than interactive elements, which may not appeal to those looking for traditional gameplay mechanics.
The pacing can be slow, particularly in dialogue delivery, which may frustrate players who prefer a faster narrative progression.
Some players found the story's heavy themes, particularly around loss and tragedy, to be emotionally taxing, making it less suitable for those in a vulnerable state.

story
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
61%
5%
The story of "Gone Fireflies" is a poignant and emotional narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and the impact of choices, told through the perspectives of multiple characters. While the gameplay is minimal and largely linear, the well-crafted storytelling and beautiful design create a compelling experience that resonates deeply with players, despite some criticism regarding its pacing and lack of significant gameplay elements. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate story-driven experiences, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its heavy emotional content.
- “It's a short story-driven RPG Maker game with nice map design, good soundtrack, and a pretty well-written touching/sad story.”
- “Gone Fireflies has a very interesting way of telling a story that I found compelling, and without spoiling too much, you can watch the beginning of the game via my first impression video link.”
- “The story is emotional and very well told.”
- “The story is linear and you are basically a passive observer.”
- “I have played two times to see if the story can end in some other way; sadly not, the tragic outcome will always be the same.”
- “A bit pricey for the content/duration as there's very minimum replayability, just in case you want to make other choices but the final story isn't changing really.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
7%
21%
The music in this RPG Maker game is widely praised for its haunting beauty and excellent integration with the story and atmosphere, enhancing the emotional impact of the gameplay. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as lovely, poignant, and fitting, which significantly contributes to the overall experience. Many players express a desire for an official soundtrack release, underscoring its importance to the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is amazing and greatly adds to the atmosphere. For a first attempt at game development using RPG Maker, I'll say it's a really good try.”
- “I love the art style, and the music is lovely and poignant, tied to what is happening well, which just adds to the whole feeling. I really enjoyed this; there is not really much to do, but it is beautiful and heartbreaking, and in my opinion, worth the time taken to play it!”
- “The soundtrack choices were excellent as they blended well with the game's atmosphere and story.”
- “The music is an appropriate selection that sets the mood perfectly.”
- “While the graphics are typical of RPG Maker, the music is an appropriate selection that sets the mood perfectly.”
- “It conveys what the short description says... the music is very fitting to the theme, relaxing and quite pleasant.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a touching and well-written story that resonates with players. Its beautiful map design and poignant soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it a heartwarming yet heartbreaking journey. While some may find the emotional themes challenging, the storytelling is consistently highlighted as a standout aspect.
- “It's a short story-driven RPG Maker game with nice map design, a good soundtrack, and a pretty well-written touching and sad story.”
- “I love the art style, and the music is lovely and poignant, tied to what is happening well, which just adds to the whole feeling. I really enjoyed this; there is not really much to do, but it is beautiful and heartbreaking, and in my opinion, worth the time taken to play it!”
- “The story is emotional and very well told.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The gameplay in "Gone Fireflies" is minimal, primarily consisting of exploration and a single action to progress the story, resembling more of an interactive novel than a traditional game. While some players found the experience engaging and emotionally impactful, many criticized the lack of depth, character development, and technical execution, likening it to a cookie-cutter RPGMaker title. Overall, the gameplay is light and simplistic, focusing more on narrative than interactive elements.
- “Not much gameplay per se, but overall a good experience.”
- “Pretty light on gameplay, more of an interactive novel, but I was invested from the start and played through the entire 1.5-ish hours with a lump in my throat.”
- “Those 2 hours certainly didn't go to waste; Gone Fireflies tells a story, plain and simple, there is not much 'gameplay' involved.”
- “There is not much gameplay to talk about; you get put in a scene where you can explore a little and then make the one thing that will progress the story. Be prepared to be thrown in time as the current situation has deep roots in the past, and we are going to learn about it.”
- “Those 2 hours certainly didn't go to waste; Gone Fireflies tells a story, plain and simple, but there is not much 'gameplay' involved.”
- “Take a high-selling retro JRPG like Final Fantasy, rip out the gameplay, story, characterization, drama, interesting combat, and career progression choices, and you get Gone Fireflies.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The graphics in the game are described as varied and detailed, contributing to a beautiful and atmospheric experience that enhances the emotional impact of the gameplay. However, some users criticize the retro 2D graphics as sloppy and outdated, suggesting a divide in opinions on the visual quality. Overall, the art style and music are praised for their ability to complement the game's themes effectively.
- “They use varied graphic assets and each screen is pretty detailed in terms of items and decorations.”
- “I love the art style, and the music is lovely and poignant, tied to what is happening well, which just adds to the whole feeling. I really enjoyed this; there is not really much to do, but it is beautiful and heartbreaking, and in my opinion, worth the time taken to play it!”
- “It conveys what the short description says: nice detailed graphics and atmosphere in the few locations that are there. The music is very fitting to the theme, relaxing and quite pleasant.”
- “A crappy, angsty 'I'm 14 and this is deep' fanfic accompanied with sloppy, lazy, ugly retro 2D graphics and a game engine that was obsoleted in the early 1990s.”
- “While the graphics are typical of RPG Maker, the music is an appropriate selection that sets the mood perfectly.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with an excellent soundtrack that enhances the overall experience and complements the detailed graphics. Reviewers note that the music is fitting, relaxing, and effectively conveys the game's themes, contributing to a positive and immersive environment.
- “The soundtrack is amazing and greatly adds to the atmosphere. For a first shot at game development using RPG Maker, I'll say it's a really good try.”
- “The soundtrack choices were excellent as they blended well with the game's atmosphere and story.”
- “It conveys what the short description says: nice detailed graphics and atmosphere in the few locations that are there. The music is very fitting to the theme, relaxing and quite pleasant.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game offers some replayability through multiple endings influenced by player choices; however, many users feel that the overall content and duration do not justify the price, as the core story remains largely unchanged despite different choices.
- “The game has different endings based on your choices, so it has replayability value.”
- “A bit pricey for the content and duration, as there's very minimal replayability. Even if you want to make different choices, the final story doesn't really change.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “The game offers a linear experience with no significant variations in outcomes, which severely limits its replayability.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted to be effective in certain parts, providing laughs amidst a generally somber storyline, resulting in a mixed emotional experience for players.
- “The storyline was good, funny in some parts, but a bit sad overall.”