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Joana's Life

33%Game Brain Score
humor
story, graphics
33% User Score Based on 89 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows

About

"Joana's Life" is a suspenseful game set in a suburban town where a series of mysterious and gruesome deaths have occurred. Players are drawn into the mystery after finding an old, stained mirror in their home, which serves as a key mechanic in uncovering the truth. The game features a detailed game world, AI-populated environments, and a haunting atmosphere with an eerie soundtrack. As players progress, they must piece together clues and different perspectives to understand the horrors hidden behind the mirror.

Joana's Life screenshot
Joana's Life screenshot
Joana's Life screenshot
Joana's Life screenshot
Joana's Life screenshot
Joana's Life screenshot

33%
Audience ScoreBased on 89 reviews
humor2 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions

  • The game has a unique mechanic involving a mirror that adds an interesting twist to gameplay.
  • Some players found the atmosphere and sound design to be effective in creating a spooky environment.
  • There are moments in the game that can be genuinely creepy and engaging, providing a sense of tension.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, making it difficult to progress.
  • Many players reported a lack of direction and clarity in objectives, leading to confusion and frustration.
  • The sound design is often criticized for being poor, with annoying audio elements that detract from the experience.
  • story
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews reflect a mixed reception regarding the story aspect of the game. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and moral lessons, others criticize the narrative for being clichéd, confusing, and poorly executed, often overshadowed by gameplay issues and a lack of coherence. Overall, the story seems to be a significant point of contention, with many feeling it detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
    • “The game and the story are great!”
    • “As you get deeper into her life story, a monster starts to appear.”
    • “Last: the plot of this game is not good at all.”
    • “The story is short and leaves you confused.”
    • “None of it makes any sense, and all semblance of story gets thrown out the window in favor of cheap jumpscares and nonsensical game design.”
  • graphics
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting decent visuals and a spooky atmosphere, while others criticize the blandness and lack of variety in object models. Many users report bugs that affect object visibility and placement, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game's graphical execution falls short, with complaints about dark environments and a lack of distinct style.

    • “Just atmosphere is spooky enough even without jump scares, nice graphics, creepy ambient music and sounds and disturbing game at some moments.”
    • “The game's visuals and environment are set up alright.”
    • “The graphics are fine while inside a house, if a bit buggy, but the outside looks terrible.”
    • “When I started the game, some objects disappeared and appeared as I moved. It took me some time to realize that it wasn't a bug, but it was the in-game options that selected every graphical option to the lowest level, even though I can run the game at max.”
    • “The graphics are just bland and lack style.”
    • “Seriously, with graphics on max, the room is so dark that the floor blends in with the furniture.”
  • gameplay
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay features traditional walking and puzzle-solving elements, enhanced by unique mechanics like using a mirror to reveal hidden aspects of the environment. However, while these ideas are intriguing, they are marred by technical issues and inconsistent execution, leading to a frustrating experience for players. Overall, the game presents a mix of creative concepts that struggle to come together cohesively.

    • “The game has a fairly unique mechanic: you can use a mirror to see what's behind you, and it won't always be what you can see directly with your eyes.”
    • “This game has some nice ideas in practice, such as mirror and spirit-calling mechanics.”
    • “This game, which has some nice ideas in practice (such as mirror and spirit-calling mechanics), can't manage the technical part of the job.”
    • “I had this problem called 'exploring the house' during my gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is your usual walking and puzzle-solving, but the mirror is certainly an interesting take on it.”
  • music
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is noted for its fittingly ominous and despairing tone, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere. While some players found the intro music particularly enjoyable, others appreciated the creepy ambient sounds that enhance the game's spooky elements. Overall, the soundtrack effectively complements the game's disturbing themes.

    • “The atmosphere is spooky enough even without jump scares, with nice graphics, creepy ambient music, and sounds that create a disturbing experience at some moments.”
    • “The music is certainly fitting as it's very ominous and despairing.”
    • “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
  • optimization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is severely lacking, with players experiencing significant frame stuttering and performance issues even on mid-range hardware like the GTX 960. Many have reported that adjusting settings only marginally improves the situation, leading to frustration and ultimately causing some to abandon the game altogether.

    • “I tried desperately to like this game... after three hours of agonizing gameplay, stuttering frames, and terrible puzzles (and I use the term loosely), I finally raged and decided to quit.”
    • “The optimization is a joke; I'm running on a GTX 960 and the post-processing must be set to medium to achieve a barely playable 40 fps at 1080p.”
    • “On top of that, there are performance issues and bugged scripts and triggers.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its spooky and immersive qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics, eerie ambient music, and unsettling moments. While some players feel a sense of confusion regarding objectives, the overall ambiance effectively creates a chilling experience that exceeds expectations.

    • “This game has exceeded my expectations in terms of horror and atmosphere; everything is perfectly crafted.”
    • “Joana's life is portrayed beautifully and is very atmospheric.”
    • “The horror atmosphere is often overshadowed by confusion, as I find myself unsure of what to do next.”
    • “The atmosphere is spooky enough even without jump scares, featuring nice graphics, creepy ambient music, and disturbing moments throughout the game.”
    • “This game has exceeded my expectations in terms of horror and atmosphere.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is largely derived from the quirky NPCs and the absurdities of the expansive world, often leading to unintentionally funny moments that can disrupt gameplay. Players who appreciate a blend of humor with bad horror elements may find enjoyment, though some have experienced frustrating glitches that add to the comedic chaos.

    • “The NPCs and the vast outer world are pretty hilarious; I wish I could have progressed further in the game.”
    • “There were a few times I had to restart the game because it would do funny things.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report that the game's stability is inconsistent, with some graphical issues noted indoors and significant problems outdoors, leading to an overall buggy experience.

    • “The graphics are fine while inside a house, if a bit buggy, but the outside looks terrible.”
    • “Buggy game”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often unrelated to the core gameplay, leading to a mixed overall experience.

    • “My wife and I played through the game, and while we had a decent time in parts, other parts were tedious and unrelated to the gameplay.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is rather tedious.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the overall quality is amateurish and disappointing. Despite some engaging elements, the game's reliance on clichés and poor execution leads to a negative perception, suggesting that it is not worth purchasing unless for a friend who enjoys horror games.

    • “All of the one minute of the only enjoyable part and possible reason to care about the lore and story is ruined by the cliche. Everything about this game is amateur, but yet when I wanted to quit, I kept pushing on for some unknown reason. Because of that one thing somehow pulling me in for more, it narrowly escapes a 2/10 and becomes a 3/10. Don't buy unless it's for a friend who loves horror games and you just want to make them suicidal from this poor, lazy effort cash grab.”
    • “The monetization in this game is outrageous. It feels like every corner I turn, there's another paywall or a prompt to buy something. It completely ruins the experience and makes it feel like a money grab rather than a game.”
    • “I was really excited to play this game, but the constant push for in-game purchases made it unbearable. It feels like the developers care more about making money than providing a good gaming experience.”

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