Illusion Carnival

To Contact UsJoin our We welcome your inquiries at [email protected] Should you encounter a bug impeding your progression, try returning to the main menu and re-entering the game. For further updates on development, follow the developer's social media accounts：Twitter | Youtube About the GameThis game marks the inception of the "Illusion Carnival" series. "Illusion …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 961 reviews

graphics159 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The art style is stunning and visually captivating, making the game a feast for the eyes.
The characters are unique and well-designed, each with their own interesting personalities that draw players in.
The story is intriguing and leaves players wanting to know more, creating excitement for future chapters.

The gameplay can feel basic and lacks complexity, with some players desiring more challenging puzzles and combat.
The English translation has some awkward phrasing and grammatical issues, which can detract from the overall experience.
Certain gameplay mechanics, like the speed of dialogue and the camera movement, can be frustrating and may disrupt immersion.

graphics
278 mentions
57 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning and unique art style, which combines whimsical and eerie elements to create a captivating atmosphere. Players have praised the vibrant visuals, character designs, and the overall aesthetic, often comparing it to beloved titles like "Madoka Magica." While the visuals are a standout feature, some reviews note that the gameplay mechanics could benefit from further refinement to match the high quality of the graphics.
- “The visuals are absolutely stunning, breathtaking, heart-stopping, pure magic.”
- “The art style is a feast for the eyes, adding to the overall immersive experience.”
- “The graphics and aesthetics of this game are incredible.”
- “Camera and room exterior visuals could work better.”
- “While the art style and OST clearly have a lot of effort put into them, the gameplay, writing, and pacing left a lot to be desired.”
- “The visuals are mind-blowing; in fact, I think a problem with the game is that sometimes the visuals go too hard and it becomes a bit overwhelming.”
story
181 mentions
54 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed feedback, with many players praising its intriguing and engaging narrative, unique characters, and beautiful art style. However, some found the storytelling confusing or difficult to follow, particularly due to its episodic nature and the limited information available in the first chapter. Overall, while the story captivates many, it also leaves room for improvement and further development in future installments.
- “Beautiful illustrations with an intriguing story, worth every single second of gameplay.”
- “The story is captivating, and it's just overall an incredible game.”
- “The story, while very much just getting started, has me extremely excited to see what is next to come.”
- “The story is hard to follow.”
- “The dialogue and storytelling are rough around the edges.”
- “The story is nonsensical.”
music
102 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its captivating and atmospheric qualities, perfectly complementing the stunning art style and enhancing the overall experience. Many players noted that the soundtrack effectively sets the mood for various scenes, from whimsical to eerie, contributing significantly to the game's immersive storytelling. Overall, the combination of beautiful visuals and a well-crafted soundtrack makes for a memorable and engaging gameplay experience.
- “The atmosphere, character design, and music are so much fun.”
- “The music composition for the specific environment fits its theme well, and the choice of music and sound is relatively great and simple if you want to immerse the player in the world of illusion.”
- “The music is definitely great; it makes me feel like I'm actually in a carnival from the 1920s.”
- “I do not like how I could remember each music.”
- “While the art style and OST clearly have a lot of effort put into them, the gameplay, writing, and pacing left a lot to be desired.”
- “As far as I can tell, most of the music is not original.”
gameplay
102 mentions
50 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique mechanics, engaging puzzles, and enjoyable blend of bullet hell and rhythm elements. However, some critiques highlight its simplicity, occasional clunkiness, and a need for more complexity and challenge, particularly in combat and puzzle design. Overall, while the gameplay is generally fun and complemented by stunning visuals and a captivating story, there is a consensus that it could benefit from further refinement and depth in future updates.
- “Beautiful illustrations with an intriguing story, worth every single second of gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is fun, challenging both your mind and reflexes.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, the storyline is pretty solid, and the OST is awesome.”
- “Gameplay is still a bit basic honestly; I would prefer some added difficulty and complexity, but the story, music, and artwork are pretty top-notch.”
- “While the art style and soundtrack clearly have a lot of effort put into them, the gameplay, writing, and pacing left a lot to be desired.”
- “The gameplay itself consists of dodging with shift and using E to do an area of effect attack around you to hit some enemies, which works, but is quite basic.”
character development
40 mentions
68 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its stunning design, unique art style, and vibrant visuals, which contribute significantly to the overall experience. Reviewers consistently highlight the creativity and appeal of the character designs, noting that they enhance the storytelling and gameplay. Overall, the character development is seen as a standout feature, making the game visually captivating and engaging.
- “Amazing character designs, and beautiful visuals.”
- “The default keyboard controls feel a little weird in more intense sections and the game only has a single chapter, but the art and character designs shine bright and left me wanting more at the end.”
- “The character designs are definitely my favorite part of the whole game.”
- “The character designs are neatly designed, all well expressed and delivered/presented greatly.”
atmosphere
24 mentions
63 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating visuals, unique art style, and immersive music, which together create a whimsical yet eerie experience. Reviewers highlight the dynamic camera movements and the thoughtful sound design that enhance the overall ambiance, making it a standout feature that draws players into its enchanting world. Many express excitement for future chapters, indicating that the atmosphere significantly contributes to their enjoyment and anticipation.
- “With an incredible paper cut-out art style to match the creepy-fun atmosphere of the carnival and characters that are immediately lovable, Illusion Carnival feels like an instant genre-defining classic.”
- “You can feel the love and care and passion put into this game, the art and atmosphere are interesting and look great.”
- “The visuals, the music, the atmosphere - it's impossible to describe.”
- “The art style is whimsical without being too much and the gameplay is easy to grasp so you can really take in the atmosphere.”
- “The game’s visuals are vibrant and captivating, perfectly capturing the whimsical yet eerie atmosphere of a carnival gone wrong.”
humor
12 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game effectively balances humor and horror, featuring witty dialogue, engaging characters, and memorable one-liners that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the funny story elements and fourth wall breaks, although some find parts of the narrative to be confusing or cringe-worthy. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay, making it enjoyable and entertaining.
- “The game is really good at being spooky when it wants to be but being funny when it doesn't need to be.”
- “Yello people wishing to download this absolute fever dream of a game, it's great and slightly scary psycho horror with funny fourth wall breaks and a lot of witty jokes, while keeping the seriousness, it's just a bunch of fun, and you get to see a junior high student die pretty soon :d.”
- “Also the line 'no time to explain get on top of my head' made me laugh so hard.”
stability
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report it as bug-free and engaging, others note that it remains somewhat buggy and still in development. The glitches, while occasionally spooky, contribute to the overall charm for some users, making it an interesting experience despite the imperfections.
- “The game runs smoothly without any bugs.”
- “I haven't encountered any stability issues during my gameplay.”
- “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless experience.”
- “The game is still a little buggy and in development, but if you can look past this, it is a good time.”
- “The characters are very cute, made creepy by the numerous glitches you encounter throughout the story.”
- “From the 2D effect of the characters and the carnival, the glitches and all the bursts of confetti!”
optimization
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing significant graphical stuttering even on high-end hardware like the RTX 2080 Super, particularly during demanding scenes such as the final battle. While the unique art style and soundtrack enhance the overall experience, performance issues detract from the gameplay.
- “Quite a wonderful repertoire performance; the unique art style has already moved me at the beginning of the game. Built on this unique art is the amazing performance effect, and the excellent soundtrack makes the experience richer and more immersive, with a beautiful fairy tale shell rendering psychological fear.”
- “There are some performance issues, I guess.”
- “With the amount of time the final battle takes to load (which I'm very thankful the game warns you about in the loading screen), I was surprised I was still getting significant graphical stuttering on my RTX 2080 Super during the fight.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while chapter 1 lacks significant emotional depth, the overall experience is enriched by stunning visuals, engaging music, and a heartfelt storyline that fosters a connection to the characters. Players appreciate the attention to detail and the love infused into the game, which enhances their enjoyment and emotional investment.
- “Amazing visuals, great music, silly characters, and a great heartfelt storyline.”
- “It really gave the game a lot of life and made me feel like I wasn't just stuck doing one thing to progress the story. Those little details show that the team put a lot of love into the game, which is so fun to see and makes the player love it as well.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious rather than challenging, with battles and puzzles feeling more like a chore. While the art style and character design are appreciated, the repetitive nature of gameplay, particularly the reliance on spamming moves, detracts from the overall experience.
- “Both the battles and puzzles were more tedious than challenging.”
- “I just defaulted to spamming the dodge move, which gets tedious and takes me a bit out of the game.”
- “The gameplay and story are still engaging, but the controls can be a little tedious.”
replayability
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability, primarily through the pursuit of achievements and the discovery of hidden secrets, making it enjoyable for a few hours of gameplay.
- “Overall, a super solid game that can pass the time for a couple of hours and offers some replay value from hunting achievements and finding secrets.”
- “The game has a fantastic replayability factor, with multiple paths and choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
- “I love how the game encourages you to explore different strategies and play styles, making every run feel fresh and exciting.”
- “Overall, a solid game that can pass the time for a couple of hours, but the replay value is limited despite the hunting achievements and finding secrets.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return, making replayability a major drawback.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices and variations in gameplay, which significantly reduces its replayability.”