Guilt Free

About

Guilt Free is a single player action game. It was developed by Lateral Games and was released on October 2, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

Guilt Free is a visual novel crossed with a point and click made to offer perspective on mental health and eating disorders. Navigate a couple's rocky relationship and encounter "flaws" or "quirks" that may actually be symptomatic behaviors.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 163 reviews

story25 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features a touching and well-written story that sensitively addresses the complexities of eating disorders and mental health.
The art style is unique and visually appealing, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative.
Players appreciate the multiple choice mechanics and the various endings, which encourage replayability and deeper engagement with the characters' experiences.

Some players found the character development shallow, particularly regarding Alice, which detracted from their ability to empathize with her struggles.
The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, especially when trying to achieve all endings, leading to frustration for some players.
Critics argue that the game oversimplifies the complexities of eating disorders and mental health, potentially leading to misunderstandings about these serious issues.

story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
51%
7%
The game's story is praised for its depth and emotional resonance, effectively exploring complex themes such as eating disorders and the impact on relationships. While some players found the narrative straightforward or simplistic, many appreciated the unique perspective of the partner and the branching paths that allow for varied outcomes. Overall, the storytelling is described as engaging and poignant, with a strong emphasis on the importance of understanding mental health struggles.
- “The story is beautifully told and eye-opening to how bulimia and mental illness can affect you and those around you.”
- “I absolutely love that this game tells Alice's story in this beautiful, enjoyable, and sometimes heartbreaking way.”
- “The branching story in 'Guilt Free' allows players to step into the shoes of a partner navigating a complex relationship affected by an eating disorder.”
- “The story isn't that good and neither are the characters.”
- “3/10, you will feel annoyed while playing this and it doesn't help the other lackluster elements like the boring story and the shallow characters.”
- “The criticisms voiced by others are valid, in particular Sapphire Phoenix’s comprehensive review, in that the story is simplistic, and reducing the character of Alice to a puzzle box that needs to be 'solved' trivializes the premise of the game.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
24%
12%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and nostalgic art style that complements the emotional depth of the story. While some users noted the graphics as amateurish or minimalist, others found them captivating and effective in conveying the game's themes, particularly regarding sensitive topics like disordered eating. Overall, the art style is generally appreciated for its beauty and ability to enhance the immersive experience.
- “Super pretty art style, a heartbreaking and realistic depiction of disordered eating, and the interactive elements and choices all feel immersive.”
- “Lovely graphics and a really good message about eating disorders.”
- “The art style was pretty and suited the despairing feeling of the topic.”
- “The graphics aren't great, barely any graphics, just extremely amateurish illustrations.”
- “I was expecting some kind of horror scenes by the first impression of the art style, then I guess I was wrong at the beginning.”
- “The art style is decent; I suppose that's the only good thing about this.”
emotional
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The emotional aspect of the game is deeply impactful, with many players finding it both touching and distressing as it addresses serious topics like eating disorders and mental health. While some appreciate the immersive storytelling and beautiful art style, others feel overwhelmed by the heavy themes, leading to a mix of heartwarming and heartbreaking experiences. Overall, the game resonates strongly with those who relate to its subject matter, evoking a range of emotions from empathy to sadness.
- “As someone who has been struggling with eating disorders, this warmed my heart and honestly made me feel seen in a way.”
- “A great job on touching on such a sensitive topic as well as bringing awareness to the problem.”
- “For those who can relate to this topic, this game can be rather emotional and/or distressing, and for those who cannot, it offers an insightful glimpse into the world of someone with an eating disorder.”
- “3/10, you will feel annoyed while playing this, and it doesn't help the other lackluster elements like the boring story and the shallow characters.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The gameplay is a blend of visual novel and point-and-click mechanics, offering a unique experience with light exploration and hidden achievements. While the story and graphics are praised, many players find the gameplay tedious and unsatisfying, with some noting janky mechanics and a lack of engaging background music. Overall, it provides a chill experience but may not hold the attention of players for long due to repetitive dialogue and gameplay elements.
- “Its branching story, multiple endings, and exploration mechanics make it a captivating and immersive experience.”
- “I love the graphic design, the background music, and the mechanics in the game.”
- “A combination of visual novel mechanics and a point and click game is not something you see often, at least in my case, so this was a unique and interesting experience.”
- “The gameplay was rather tedious.”
- “There aren't any background music as I noticed; it does have some sound effects though, which makes the gameplay a little more monotonous.”
- “If you're an achievement hunter, the gameplay itself also feels like a tedious grind.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly when pursuing achievements. The lack of multiple save points exacerbates this issue, making the experience feel more laborious, especially for those seeking to explore different endings.
- “The gameplay was rather tedious.”
- “This is a very tedious game.”
- “If you're an achievement hunter, the gameplay itself also feels like a tedious grind.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the background music and soundtrack, others note a lack of background music and find the sound effects contribute to a monotonous gameplay experience. Overall, the music aspect is seen as a blend of positive and negative elements.
- “I love the graphic design, the background music, and the mechanics in the game.”
- “Simple UI, nice soundtrack, and decent choices.”
- “There isn't any background music as I noticed; it does have some sound effects, though. Somehow, it feels weird and makes the gameplay a little more monotonous.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers high replayability, particularly due to its multiple endings and the engaging narrative that explores sensitive themes like eating disorders and body dysmorphia. However, players should be mindful of potential triggers in the content. Overall, it is highly recommended for those who can handle its themes.
- “This short and highly replayable game accurately depicts bulimic and anorexic symptoms, effectively conveying the experience of slowly uncovering and helping someone through an eating disorder and body dysmorphia.”
- “A great replayable visual novel with multiple endings; I highly recommend!”
- “It has replay value if you don't find the content triggering.”
- “Replayability is high.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no crashes or glitches, and runs smoothly overall.
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I haven't experienced any stability issues; it feels very reliable.”
- “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from shallow character development, leading to a lack of genuine choices that diminish player engagement and emotional investment in the characters.
- “The major problem with this game is shallow character development.”
- “Because of this lack of character development, I was left feeling like the 'right' choices aren't genuine.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is largely driven by the likable and funny main character, who adds a charming and entertaining element to the overall experience.
- “The main character is likable and funny.”
- “The humor in the dialogue had me laughing out loud.”
- “The game is filled with clever puns and hilarious situations.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is praised for its smooth performance, with seamless transitions between scenes enhanced by appealing visuals and sound design.
- “It all runs smoothly, and the transition visuals and sounds between scenes are a nice touch.”
- “The game is incredibly well-optimized, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization; it really enhances the overall experience.”