Hauma: A Detective Noir Story
- September 11, 2023
- SenAm Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Hauma - A Detective Noir Story" is a visual novel set in Munich, where you play as Judith, a former detective, uncovering a conspiracy among the city's elite. The game features real-life locations, puzzles, item collection, and immersive noir-style storytelling, with a prologue already available for play.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful art style and excellent voice acting that enhances the overall experience.
- The story is engaging and incorporates local history, providing a unique narrative that keeps players intrigued.
- The puzzles, while sometimes challenging, are generally well-designed and contribute to the mystery-solving gameplay.
- There are multiple game-breaking bugs that can render progress impossible, leading to frustration for players.
- The writing and dialogue can be inconsistent, with some characters' emotions not matching the context, making it feel disjointed.
- The ending feels abrupt and lacks closure, leaving players with unanswered questions about the story and characters.
- story70 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-voiced, complemented by beautiful artwork, while others criticize it for being predictable, linear, and lacking depth in character development. Many noted that certain plot points felt rushed or underbaked, leading to a sense of confusion or missed opportunities for richer storytelling. Overall, while the art and voice acting are praised, the narrative's execution leaves room for improvement.
“Great voice acting across the board, good story and excellent artwork throughout.”
“The fantastic artworks, interesting story and great voice acting really managed to absorb me!”
“Amazing game with a beautiful art style and engaging story & voice acting.”
“The story feels like a bad parody of The Da Vinci Code.”
“The story was too straightforward, bland, and predictable.”
“Now the... not so good: the dialogue and story is mediocre at best, cringe at worst.”
- graphics48 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, often described as comic book-like, which enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Many reviewers highlight the excellent artwork and voice acting, contributing to an engaging experience, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay clarity. Overall, the visuals are a standout feature that many players find appealing and immersive.
“I adore the art style of the game very much and how they really managed to get across that comic book feel!”
“The characters felt so real, the voice acting was top notch, the puzzle solving was satisfying and the art style is just so gorgeous!”
“Amazing game with a beautiful art style and engaging story & voice acting.”
“Even the art style doesn't save it, not worth buying, 3/10.”
“Even the art style doesn't save it, not worth buying, 3/10.”
“This game has such a unique art style which I absolutely love!”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily point-and-click, focusing on gathering clues and solving puzzles, which some players found unbalanced and occasionally confusing. Despite minor issues, such as a lack of clarity in certain gameplay elements and a rushed ending, the overall experience is engaging and complemented by fantastic artwork. Players appreciate the detective mechanics and find the game enjoyable, with an average playtime of around five hours.
“It's an engaging story with simple but effective - and occasionally just a tiny bit confusing - gameplay, fantastic artwork throughout, and despite some surface level faults, it's a fun experience throughout and I would highly recommend.”
“The detective mechanics are really cool.”
“The gameplay is point and click (you gather clues and connect them) and takes around 5 hours.”
- music4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quality despite a limited selection. Additionally, the combination of the music and the visually pleasing art style enhances the overall experience.
“The music is pretty good and the art style is visually pleasing.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability due to its linear narrative and the presence of only one true ending, which discourages players from engaging in multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes.
“Not a lot of replayability as I think there is only one true ending - I wasn't offered repeat playthroughs to get other endings.”
“The story was also very linear with no apparent multiple endings, which limits replayability.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its distinctive art style and dense, immersive quality, enhanced by professional voice acting that adds to the overall tension. Reviewers emphasize that these elements are crucial for creating an engaging experience.
“I really like the art style and atmosphere the game builds.”
“I really like the dense atmosphere, the professional voice acting (which is crucial for this type of game) and the underlying tension.”
