Impostor Factory

About

Impostor Factory is a single player casual role playing game with mystery and science fiction themes. It was developed by Freebird Games and was released on September 30, 2021. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Impostor Factory" is a single-player mystery role-playing game with a delightful story, good gameplay, charming visuals, and ingenious music. The game follows Quincy, who attends a fancy party at a secluded mansion, where things quickly take a turn for the bizarre and emotional. Despite the grinding, the game delivers a hilarious and atmospheric experience. Wishlist the series' Beach Episode on Steam!

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,560 reviews

story868 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Impostor Factory features a beautifully crafted story that balances humor with emotional depth, leaving a lasting impression on players.
The game showcases significant improvements in writing and pixel art, enhancing the overall experience compared to previous titles.
Players report being deeply moved by the narrative, with many experiencing strong emotional reactions, including tears.

Some players feel that the game lacks interactivity and gameplay elements, making it feel more like a visual novel than a traditional game.
The pacing in Act 2 is criticized for being slow and drawn out, leading to moments of boredom for some players.
While the story has its emotional moments, many feel it doesn't hit as hard as the previous entries in the series, leaving some disappointed.

story
2,425 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
62%
2%
The story of *Impostor Factory* has received mixed reviews, with many praising its emotional depth and character development, while others feel it lacks the impact of its predecessors, *To the Moon* and *Finding Paradise*. The narrative is described as rich and engaging, with unexpected twists, but some players found it overly linear and less interactive, resembling a visual novel more than a traditional game. Overall, it is recommended to play the earlier titles for a fuller understanding of the story's context and emotional weight.
- “I’m not the sentimental type, but I’ll admit the story left an impression.”
- “A beautiful story that brought me to tears.”
- “The story is masterfully crafted, keeping you hooked with its unpredictable twists and turns.”
- “The story just unfolds as you do things.”
- “None of the story means anything in the end and it was all a heavy-handed lore dump of nothingness.”
- “The story is okay-ish if you are familiar with the franchise and the characters, but the delivery also left some to be desired.”
emotional
829 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Impostor Factory" has garnered mixed responses from players, with many noting its ability to evoke strong feelings, though not quite reaching the heights of its predecessors, "To the Moon" and "Finding Paradise." While some players experienced profound emotional moments and tears throughout their playthrough, others felt the emotional impact was less intense, attributing this to the game's pacing and narrative complexity. Overall, it remains a heartfelt journey that resonates with themes of life, love, and loss, continuing the series' tradition of blending humor with poignant storytelling.
- “I don’t think any game has ever made me feel the passage of time the way Impostor Factory did.”
- “This game is an emotional rollercoaster—suspenseful, heartbreaking, and surprisingly humorous at times.”
- “Kan Gao and the rest of the team at Freebird Games continue to showcase what the apex of emotional storytelling truly is.”
music
551 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The music in "Impostor Factory" continues the series' tradition of beautiful and emotionally resonant soundtracks, though some players feel it lacks the standout tracks of its predecessors, "To the Moon" and "Finding Paradise." While the score is generally praised for its ability to enhance the narrative and evoke feelings, several reviews note a reliance on recycled themes and a lack of memorable new compositions, particularly missing the vocal contributions of Laura Shigihara. Overall, the soundtrack is still considered a strong element of the game, effectively supporting its storytelling and emotional depth.
- “Every pixel feels intentional, every note in the soundtrack like it was plucked straight from a memory you forgot you had.”
- “His ability to pair the story with such moving music is nothing short of masterful—it’s the kind of soundtrack that stays with you long after you put the game down.”
- “The music is beautiful along with a wonderful, funny and fantastic story.”
- “If there is a slightly lower point in the series it is the music though, it fits the scenes, but it will not blow you away like everything else.”
- “The music in this game is alright. By no means is the soundtrack bad, it's just not as memorable as 'To the Moon' or 'Finding Paradise' in my opinion.”
- “However, the music in this installment was underwhelming as most were recycled from the past games.”
gameplay
316 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
79%
8%
The gameplay in this title is heavily criticized for being overly simplistic and lacking meaningful interaction, often described as more of an interactive story or visual novel than a traditional game. Players noted that the focus is primarily on narrative, with minimal gameplay elements such as walking and clicking, leading to a linear experience that feels more like watching a movie than engaging in a game. While some appreciate the streamlined approach to storytelling, many express disappointment over the absence of puzzles and player choices that characterized earlier entries in the series.
- “The gameplay is even more simplistic than before, but in my opinion, it only improves with the pacing of the storytelling - you are probably here for the story and feels anyway.”
- “The gameplay has also been streamlined so that there aren't any distractions from the progression of the story.”
- “There's basically no gameplay; you are watching a movie.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it might have been a bit less of a game and a bit more of a visual novel, but for me that was a strength rather than a weakness: the pace was set well enough to simply allow you to progress through the story without it feeling rushed nor getting stuck and losing the thread of the story while playing.”
- “The gameplay is non-existent; think of it as a walking sim, but I wouldn't say that's a bad thing.”
humor
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of absurdity, warmth, and poignancy, often providing comic relief amidst emotional storytelling. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and quirky characters, with moments of genuine hilarity interspersed with deeper themes of sadness and introspection. While some reviews note a decline in humor compared to previous titles, many still find it effectively balances lightheartedness with the game's more serious undertones, making for a unique and engaging experience.
- “It's amazing how they manage to make their games both sad, happy, and funny at the same time.”
- “The writing rides the impossible line from being laugh-out-loud funny to heartbreakingly grim, and from cheerful optimism to a thrilling sense of ominous mystery.”
- “Heartwarming, funny, and tear-jerking, just how I know a Freebird Games game to be.”
graphics
141 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
59%
7%
The graphics in "Impostor Factory" are praised for their charming pixel art style, which effectively conveys emotion and enhances the storytelling experience. While some reviews note that the visuals are not cutting-edge, they appreciate the improvements over previous titles in the series, highlighting the detailed artwork and animations that contribute to the game's overall aesthetic. Despite being created with RPG Maker, the graphics are considered a significant strength, complementing the game's touching narrative and beautiful soundtrack.
- “The graphics are impressive, the story is good, and the gameplay is streamlined.”
- “The pixel graphics are beautifully done, as are all of the games by Freebird, but this game really stood out to me.”
- “Another brilliant production with superbly detailed graphics, a powerfully emotive story, and beautiful, well-placed music.”
- “The rudimentary graphics and lack of voiced lines hurt the atmosphere and make an odd contrast with the emotionally heightened (and generally melodramatic) story.”
- “Even the visuals became more barren/rudimentary as the game progressed, and evoked a feeling of a project that had run out of steam/funding/time two-thirds through.”
- “Graphics: 3/10”
atmosphere
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
56%
10%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its compelling blend of haunting narratives, charming pixel art, and evocative music, which together create a deeply immersive experience. While some reviewers note a shift in mood compared to previous installments, the overall emotional impact remains strong, with many highlighting the game's ability to evoke nostalgia and reflection. However, a few critiques mention that certain elements, like rudimentary graphics and a lack of engaging mechanics, can detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “The pixel art is charming, creating a nostalgic atmosphere that perfectly complements the story’s deeper themes.”
- “From the very first moment I delved into the game, I was captivated by its haunting atmosphere and the unfolding narrative.”
- “The music is beautiful and creates an atmosphere that heightens all of the emotions being projected in each scene.”
- “The rudimentary graphics and lack of voiced lines hurt the atmosphere and make an odd contrast with the emotionally heightened (and generally melodramatic) story.”
- “Ending.... well... they tried... they tried really well... but they lost atmosphere.”
- “In Impostor Factory, Quincy and Lynri are the people whose life stories unfold, and what ended up happening was that their down-to-earth marriage story set the atmosphere for the story but no one else was around to make comments about their lives and engage in humorous shenanigans to offset the melodrama.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
11%
78%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the narrative elements that accompany the gathering of items, others feel that certain tasks, such as searching for collectibles and solving puzzles, can become tedious and detract from the overall enjoyment. The linear nature of the gameplay, particularly during extended sequences of exploration without engaging interactions, has also been criticized for feeling monotonous.
- “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I get that it sets up everything for act 3; it just felt tedious.”
- “There's about an hour of murder-mystery gameplay and three hours of tedious walking around someone else's memories (if you're going to make a walking simulator, make sure the walking part is on point maybe?).”
- “Now I get why the devs made this choice, but trawling through the memory without any banter or conversation beyond that of the memory owner got pretty tedious.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Overall, the character development in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers highlighting its depth and emotional resonance, particularly in the main characters. While some noted that certain titles in the series may lack the same impact, the combination of strong narrative, character design, and engaging storytelling makes it a standout choice for fans of story-driven games. Additionally, the inclusion of humor and a rich soundtrack further enhances the character experience.
- “This, as the rest of the game from Freebird, is beautiful in regards to the story, narration, character development, and music.”
- “For those looking for a rich narrative and wonderful character development, this is the game for you.”
- “I highly recommend it for anyone who really enjoys story-based games and character development.”
- “I felt a lot was put into making the animations, where more could have been put into character development and 'the reveal'.”
- “While the character development of the main characters remains outstanding, I found Impostor Factory to lack the poignancy and emotional resonance of the other titles in the series.”
- “It'll have a combat system, it'll have a story, soundtrack, character development, options to choose from, and so on... if you play it and the story sucks, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's bad.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability due to its linear storytelling and minimal player interaction, making it feel more like a one-time experience rather than one worth revisiting. While some players appreciate the emotional journey and narrative, they note that the reliance on story twists limits the potential for replay value compared to earlier titles in the series.
- “Even if it doesn't have a lot of replay value, it's still such a good game that you have to play it at least one time and experience the journey.”
- “This game probably has as much if not more replayability value as previous ones.”
- “It’s not as strong or replayable as the earlier Freebird games in the series, but it still manages to deliver a heartfelt story that evokes some emotion.”
- “There is no replayability at all since the story is linear.”
- “However, I don’t think video games are the right medium to tell these types of stories – there’s very little gameplay, it’s linear with no replay value, and Act II is just linear storytelling.”
- “Likewise, there is little replay value present as these games heavily rely on the narrative beats rather than gameplay per se.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization is praised for delivering impressive performance, especially on desktop PCs, with smooth gameplay and well-optimized graphics that evoke emotion and charm. Users note a stark contrast to other games that struggle with frame rates, highlighting the effectiveness of the game's engine. Overall, it is considered a strong point despite some minor issues.
- “All in all, an impressive optimization of the visual factor to bring equal parts emotion and charm.”
- “The game runs so smoothly while the last games ran like crap on 20fps; this runs smoothly and having a well-optimized engine is great for modern PCs.”
- “Graphics (quality/UI/performance) – 3/10”
- “Performance: no issues, only played it on my desktop PC.”
- “I never expected to get this level of performance out of a mobile game.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for misaligning with its core themes, as players feel that advertising it as a murder mystery detracts from the intrigue that originally attracted them to the timeloop concept. This disconnect may weaken the game's appeal and overall effectiveness in engaging its audience.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I feel like the game is constantly pushing me to spend money, which ruins the immersion.”
- “The in-game purchases are not balanced and make it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report a range of bugs and glitches that impact the overall stability of the game, leading to occasional crashes and performance issues. These technical problems detract from the gaming experience, suggesting that further optimization is needed.
- “The game is plagued with bugs and glitches that ruin the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous stability issues, including frequent crashes and frame drops.”
- “The constant glitches make it nearly impossible to enjoy the gameplay.”

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82%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews

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4h Median play time

4h Average play time

3-4h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Impostor Factory is a casual role playing game with mystery and science fiction themes.

Impostor Factory is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Impostor Factory.

Impostor Factory was released on September 30, 2021.

Impostor Factory was developed by Freebird Games.

Impostor Factory has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Impostor Factory is a single player game.

Similar games include Finding Paradise, Just a To the Moon Series Beach Episode, To the Moon, A Bird Story, Life is Strange and others.

Impostor Factory

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