Hermitage Strange Case Files

About

In "Hermitage: Strange Case Files," become a bookshop owner and former anthropology professor who investigates mysterious incidents with a group of unconventional allies. Gather clues through various forms of media and conversations, and use your skills and observations to solve supernatural cases. Experience a Lovecraftian-inspired visual novel with unique characters and a gripping storyline.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 48 reviews

story30 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique Lovecraftian story with interesting mysteries and a well-crafted atmosphere.
The art style and soundtrack are praised for their quality, enhancing the overall experience.
Characters, while somewhat two-dimensional, are enjoyable and the narrative has moments of cleverness and intrigue.

The English translation is inconsistent, with numerous typos and awkward phrasing that can hinder understanding.
The pacing is slow, with excessive dialogue and exposition that can feel tedious and lead to players skipping scenes.
Gameplay elements, particularly the deduction mechanics, can be unclear and frustrating, often requiring trial and error to progress.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The story is a mix of intriguing concepts and familiar tropes, featuring a dark, Lovecraftian atmosphere with a focus on a bookstore owner and his allies investigating cults. While some characters are well-developed, many are seen as two-dimensional tools for advancing the plot, and the narrative suffers from inconsistencies and dropped threads in later cases. Overall, the storytelling is engaging but lacks meaningful player choices, leading to a somewhat disjointed experience.
- “The story is also interesting and had a good message behind it.”
- “Great art style, fantastic, Lovecraft-themed story and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “The characters are written well, the story is interesting and the ending is well done and very creative, just like the rest of the game.”
- “Finally, overall the story to this game is just bad.”
- “It's almost as though the last two cases (and epilogue) belong to a completely different story, as most of the story threads introduced in the earlier cases are just dropped.”
- “The entire point of the visual novel genre is allowing player choice to affect the story and this game has none.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many tracks being described as enjoyable enough to listen to outside of gameplay. Reviewers noted a diverse range of styles, including jazz reminiscent of the Persona series and unique electric themes, which contribute significantly to the storytelling, particularly during intense scenes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with some players expressing a desire for it to be available for purchase separately.
- “The soundtrack is good enough that I would listen to some of the tracks outside the game.”
- “And the music always so perfectly enhances the story, especially the ending action scenes feel so intense.”
- “Add in fantastic art and a gorgeous soundtrack (reminiscent of the jazz pieces in the Persona games) and I wish I never had to stop playing.”
- “While Bustafellows definitely has far higher production values with animated backgrounds and voice acting and a more robust soundtrack, that’s not what makes Hermitage worse.”
- “There are some good tracks, and those that aren't actually my kind of music still fit well in-game and added to the atmosphere.”
- “Theirs some Persona-sounding jazz, Deadly Premonition discordant saxophone, Death Note anime rock songs, and unique electric themes, and more probably.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
19%
19%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their unique art style, which blends 2D and 3D elements, and features a charming comic book aesthetic complemented by vibrant colors and detailed building designs. While the visuals evoke an anime feel, the serious and dark narrative sets it apart from typical anime games. Overall, the artwork enhances the urban fantasy setting and contributes to an engaging atmosphere, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “Great art style, fantastic, Lovecraft-themed story, and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “The art style has a lot of charm, and it does a good job of mixing 2D and 3D art.”
- “A lovely comic book art style with more painted pieces for critical/key moments in the plot, combined with a very stylish UI, creates an actual sense of putting threads together in order to try and solve the mysteries before you.”
- “Though the visual aesthetic looks 'anime', this is not an anime game; the story is serious and dark.”
- “If there's one thing I really liked about the game, it's the art style and the setting.”
- “But an urban fantasy game dripping with that Persona 5 aesthetic is just exactly my cup of tea.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
64%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by a slow pace and trial-and-error mechanics, often hindered by inconsistent translations that can obscure the player's understanding of objectives. While there are some interactive elements and decision-making opportunities, the limited gameplay primarily revolves around selecting clues to solve mysteries, which can feel disconnected from the actual deductions required. Overall, the experience is unique but marred by design flaws that detract from its potential.
- “While the game is no Ace Attorney or Danganronpa, there are some interactive gameplay elements beyond simply reading the text.”
- “The only form of gameplay comes in the form of a few decisions and movement puzzles in the story, as well as suspicion sections, in which you have to decipher the truth about something based on clues.”
- “The gameplay portions get in the way occasionally due to the rough translations; most of it you can figure out on your own, but sometimes it's got the Ace Attorney problem where you don't know what it actually wants from you.”
- “There is limited gameplay which mostly consists of choosing which three clues will answer a particular mystery; however, it can be hard to understand what the game is going for, resulting in some trial and error.”
- “The only form of gameplay comes in the form of a few decisions and movement 'puzzles' in the story, as well as 'suspicion' sections, in which you have to decipher the truth about something based on clues.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its compelling art and effective use of music, which enhances the overall experience. While some players felt the plot could have been more gripping, the suspenseful and emotional moments contribute significantly to the immersive environment. Overall, the atmosphere is described as intriguing and well-crafted, serving as a strong foundation for the game's narrative.
- “Great atmosphere and art.”
- “There are some good tracks and those that aren't actually my kind of music still fit well in-game and added to the atmosphere.”
- “In terms of plot and atmosphere, horror and the mysteries/cases that the hermitage crew solve, I had hoped the game would grip me more overall, although it wasn't bad by any means and certainly had some suspenseful, intriguing, disturbing, and emotional moments.”
- “For me, this aspect of the game mostly helped build the atmosphere, especially because only a small portion of this is actually needed to progress with the story and much of it is flavor.”
- “There are some good tracks, and those that aren't actually my kind of music still fit well in-game and added to the atmosphere.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be extremely tedious and repetitive, leading to a frustrating experience.
- “In case it is not obvious, this is a very tedious process.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a mix of suspenseful and emotional moments, particularly within its horror elements and the mysteries solved by the hermitage crew. While some players felt it could have been more gripping overall, it still delivers intriguing and disturbing experiences that resonate emotionally.
- “In terms of plot and atmosphere, horror, and the mysteries/cases that the hermitage crew solve, I had hoped the game would grip me more overall. Although it wasn't bad by any means, it certainly had some suspenseful, intriguing, disturbing, and emotional moments.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that the character designs are well-executed, indicating a strong visual appeal in the game's character development. However, there is no further detail provided on the depth or progression of the characters themselves.