Her Lie I Tried To Believe
- August 3, 2020
- Hangover Cat Purrroduction
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Her Lie I Tried to Believe," players navigate the complex emotions of Tim, a character driven by hatred towards a former rival. After a childhood of competition, both grow apart, and Tim is forced to move forward. This psychological visual novel explores themes of anger, envy, and acceptance, with disturbing subject matters that may not be suitable for all players.
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Reviews
- The story is dark and emotionally gripping, providing a unique perspective on toxic relationships.
- The plot twist at the end is unexpected and impactful, leaving a lasting impression.
- The artwork and soundtrack complement the narrative well, enhancing the overall experience.
- The writing contains numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, detracting from the immersion.
- The characters are often unlikable and their motivations can feel unrealistic or forced.
- The game lacks interactivity, as it is a kinetic novel with no choices, which may disappoint some players.
- story681 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of this visual novel is characterized by its dark and disturbing themes, exploring complex relationships marked by obsession, emotional manipulation, and trauma. While some players found the narrative engaging and praised its plot twists, others criticized it for being poorly written, predictable, or lacking depth in character development. Overall, the story elicits strong emotional responses, making it a compelling yet unsettling experience for those who can handle its mature content.
“The story is very intriguing and personally very different than anything I've played or read.”
“I love this story as much as it tears my heart, and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who can handle dark and dismal subjects and having their emotions on a roller coaster.”
“This story is dark, twisted, and uncompromisingly cruel in its approach.”
“A tortured plot drives this game with no other merits; if offered for free, you should avoid it.”
“This is a love story between a sociopath and a psychopath, and as such will be far from wholesome.”
“The main character is an awful human being who the writer continuously tries to make us sympathize with, and Cassandra doesn't even feel like a fully fleshed-out character; she seems like merely a plot device used to mess with the main character.”
- music90 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to create a strong atmosphere and enhance emotional moments, while others find it repetitive or mediocre. Some players consider the soundtrack to be one of the game's standout features, describing it as beautiful and memorable, while a few critics note a lack of diversity in the compositions. Overall, the music is generally appreciated for its role in supporting the narrative, despite some reservations about its repetitiveness.
“Not only is the story itself incredibly good, but I remember the ambient music for this being some of the best music I've ever heard (no exaggeration; the music is definitely in my top favorite of all time, and I'm not talking about just video game music).”
“The storyline was amazing, the plot twists and the music that was playing in the background really highlight what was happening at the key moment.”
“The soundtrack is one of the strongest aspects of this game, which helps a lot to immerse yourself in this game.”
“Let's first start with the environment and music of this visual novel; to be really honest, it's garbage. It doesn't even make me feel engaged, and that goes for the environment.”
“Overall good job, but there's not a lot of diversity in the soundtracks. They are repeated too many times and always on the minor scale, which is soothing for the story but could have more to it.”
“Art and music are really, really mediocre--at best. I understand that this game didn't have a high budget, but it's still a little inexcusable.”
- emotional76 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is described as an intense emotional rollercoaster, tackling dark themes such as abuse and manipulation, which can deeply affect players, especially those who are emotionally sensitive. Many reviewers noted that it elicits strong feelings, often leading to tears and a sense of emotional exhaustion, while also emphasizing the importance of being emotionally prepared before playing. Overall, it is praised for its impactful storytelling, though it comes with a strong warning for those who may struggle with its heavy subject matter.
“I sat here playing the game in a puddle of tears; I was emotionally drained because of this, yet my will to continue reading until the end was stronger than ever.”
“This game has really made me feel differently throughout this experience, especially in the end.”
“It's a short, emotional, and extremely impactful visual novel.”
- graphics47 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the appealing art style and well-designed backgrounds, while others criticize the character designs and overall visual execution as mediocre. Many players appreciate the aesthetic's contribution to the game's atmosphere, despite noting that it lacks uniqueness and could benefit from more detailed visuals. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for a free visual novel, but they do not significantly elevate the storytelling experience.
“The game itself is really great with its cool art style and storytelling with its innocent beginning, surreal midpoint, and shocking/depressing ending.”
“The story for this free game was in depth and the artwork was pleasing to see.”
“Beautiful artwork (the 'painted' backgrounds fit very well with the characters which are more cartoonish, surprisingly).”
“The graphics and music are decent, the latter giving the whole novel a rather sombre atmosphere.”
“The visuals were very average.”
“It lacked effort graphically and also when it came to the storyline.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual novel has been criticized for lacking interactivity and meaningful choices, leading to a tedious experience for some players. While the emotional storytelling and art are praised, the absence of branching paths makes it feel more like a kinetic novel, resulting in mixed feelings about the overall engagement. Some users appreciated the polished menus and options, but overall, the gameplay experience is seen as minimal and unvaried.
“A gameplay that truly shows the raw emotions of humans.”
“About the gameplay, it was marvelous!”
“For me, personally, given I have the same kind of mentality as the characters, this game was a 10/10 with the story; there isn't much to say about the gameplay but the menus are nicely formatted with a fair amount of options for adjustability.”
“If we were going to have a visual novel with zero gameplay, then make it chock full of images, so that it isn't just tedious page reading.”
“I was bored within the first 30 minutes of gameplay, and could only stomach about 20-30 minutes of this at a time.”
“All that story-based stuff aside, the mechanics and art: it's a visual novel with no branching decisions to make (some call that variation a kinetic novel), so you're strapped in and going on this 89° angle drop into humanity's black heart whether you like it or not.”
- character development9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and emotional impact, while others criticize it for being superficial or lacking context. Several users express a desire for more characters and realistic backstories to enhance the overall experience. Overall, while some find the character arcs compelling and well-written, others feel they fall short of expectations.
“I loved the character development; it may come off as stupid or cheesy, but people actually do these kinds of things.”
“The character development was very well written, especially considering the particular psychological conditions and idiosyncrasies that both main characters have.”
“I think there should be more context and realistic character development.”
“I'm all for dark subject matter, but with purposeful character development and proper backstory; otherwise, it just comes off as 'edgy'.”
“And there are definitely visual novels out there with less character development.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its flawless execution, effectively complementing the story's mood with a well-crafted original music score and sound effects. While some elements like graphics and animation may be considered bland, the overall ambiance is described as dark and somber, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative. Reviewers appreciate how the music and sound design align with the scenes, creating a cohesive and immersive experience.
“Not to mention the atmosphere that it put over me; it was so flawlessly done, and it matched the mood the story was going for perfectly.”
“Emmanuel Turpin, you have made something special here with this dark and highly atmospheric soundtrack, and I have my eye on you.”
“The graphics and music are decent, the latter giving the whole novel a rather sombre atmosphere.”
“I will say that I expected to see outright gore at some points, especially after [spoiler]what she did to his stomach[/spoiler], but I suppose if you peppered in too much of it, it would ruin the atmosphere.”
“They fit within the scenarios and do create the atmosphere needed for each scene.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of unintentional comedy and intentional absurdity, with players finding amusement in typos and bizarre plot twists. While some moments are genuinely funny, others evoke a sense of discomfort, leading to laughter in unexpected contexts. Overall, the humor is inconsistent, oscillating between hilariously bad and disturbingly poignant, creating a unique but uneven experience.
“I kind of find it funny, but I think the ending was supposed to make the player feel disturbed and disgusted, but I literally burst out laughing, especially with what the main character says following it.”
“This game has a hilariously bad ending.”
“I love it, but I wouldn't want to meet the guy who made this, even though he made me laugh a lot.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can feel tedious, with some players suggesting that a lack of engaging gameplay makes the experience monotonous. Additionally, the need for excessive grinding may require players to invest significant time, leading to frustration.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“If we were going to have a visual novel with zero gameplay, then make it chock full of images, so that it isn't just tedious page reading.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment in the game's lack of replayability, noting that while the narrative is a strong expression of literary art, it offers limited incentive to revisit due to its singular dark path and conclusion. Some players wish for alternative, more uplifting routes to enhance replay value.
“It irks me how such a great expression of literary art has no replayability. While I bet a lot of folks would like a happier route, I believe this story has a perfectly dark path with a fitting end.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying it feel redundant.”
“The game offers a single experience that doesn't change much upon replay. I found myself wishing for more variety in the story paths.”
