Leaving Lyndow

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 495 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Leaving Lyndow Game Cover
Leaving Lyndow is a beautiful experience in a fascinating world, but may be more of a 45-minute-long commercial for the upcoming Eastshade than an actual game.
Starting at $3.99Buy now
Get on Steam Get on itch.io Store

"Leaving Lyndow" is a first-person exploration game and a prequel to "Eastshade." As young artist Clara, you reminisce about your life and relationships in your seaside village, preparing to embark on a dangerous journey to become an artist apprentice. The game features breathtaking visuals and heartfelt moments, inviting players to reflect on relationships, fear, and growth.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 495 reviews
story69 positive mentions
replayability4 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and art style create an immersive atmosphere.
  • The game evokes strong emotions related to leaving home and saying goodbye.
  • Relaxing music and sound design enhance the overall experience.
  • Extremely short gameplay, typically completed in under an hour.
  • Limited interactivity and shallow character development.
  • Creepy character designs detract from the overall experience.
  • story244 mentions

    The story of "Leaving Lyndow" is a brief yet heartfelt narrative centered around Clara's departure for a maritime expedition, capturing themes of farewell and new beginnings. While the game features stunning visuals and a relaxing atmosphere, many reviewers note that the story feels incomplete and serves primarily as a teaser for its sequel, "Eastshade." Overall, it offers a charming experience but leaves players wanting more depth and substance in its storytelling.

    • “Leaving Lyndow is a beautiful short story that is absolutely worth a buy.”
    • “The story revolves around Clara being accepted on board a scientific expedition and the associated risks and challenges that we all experience in life when change comes our way.”
    • “Incredibly charming short story of a certain departure.”
    • “The story is barely a prelude, and it doesn't feel immersive enough for a standalone title.”
    • “Leaving Lyndow looks nice and has a lovely atmosphere, but at something like 40 minutes long, it barely tells the ghost of a story before you're done.”
    • “The story is too short to build anything and just gives you a glimpse at a story.”
  • graphics135 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and attention to detail, creating a visually stunning and immersive atmosphere. While some players noted issues with character designs and optimization, the overall aesthetic is described as charming and evocative, enhancing the game's relaxing experience. However, the game's short length and limited gameplay may detract from the overall enjoyment for some players.

    • “The graphics are spectacular and not too photo-realistic; it has a subtle color palette that gives it a fairy tale, almost cartoony look, yet is full of details and great environments.”
    • “The gorgeous visuals, conjoined with the environment and general attention to detail, evoke a lot of emotions.”
    • “The graphics are beyond impressive, especially for an indie game!”
    • “The only thing to pay attention to is the graphics; it could make some players nauseous.”
    • “Graphics were pretty poor as I saw trees in the sky!”
    • “Even on the highest graphics settings, the world is rendered in a far, far lower detail than Eastshade.”
  • music119 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, providing a calming and immersive experience that complements the stunning visuals. While some players noted the absence of a distinct score at times, many found the soundtrack to be relaxing and emotionally resonant, contributing significantly to the game's meditative intent. Overall, the music is considered a highlight, with many players expressing a desire for more of it throughout the gameplay.

    • “Each part of Leaving Lyndow, from the world to the gentle music to the heartfelt story, is a joy to behold, and I found myself taking multiple screenshots throughout my journey or simply listening to the music while enjoying the vistas.”
    • “The music is absolutely stunning, the graphics are meticulously layered and vivid, and the story is elegantly illustrated throughout.”
    • “The peaceful music and ambient noises create an atmosphere that evokes a sense of wonder and longing.”
    • “The absence of a distinct musical score leaves players in a contemplative silence that, while mirroring the game's meditative intent, occasionally results in a muted emotional resonance.”
    • “But it's all ruined because the devs insist on you completing a single tedious music puzzle (the only puzzle in the game, mind you).”
    • “The most annoying thing though, is the mandatory music tone puzzle.”
  • atmosphere61 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Leaving Lyndow" is widely praised for its serene and immersive qualities, featuring beautiful visuals, calming music, and a peaceful ambiance that enhances the overall experience. While the game is short, lasting about an hour, players appreciate the tranquil journey and the emotional depth conveyed through its simple narrative and scenic exploration. However, some reviewers note that the limited gameplay and brief story may leave players wanting more despite the captivating atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere is incredible, props to the developer.”
    • “The peaceful music and ambient noises create an atmosphere that evokes a sense of wonder and longing.”
    • “The aesthetics and sound come together beautifully to create a world with an appealing atmosphere that makes me wish I could be in it.”
    • “Neither are particularly special in my opinion, but the writing and atmosphere achieved here are strong enough to justify the short amount of time the game asks of you.”
    • “The exploration is modest, interaction with objects/characters is limited but appropriate given the game's length, music and atmosphere is relaxing with a hint of emotion, and lastly the scenery - absolutely stunning.”
    • “Very short it took me just under an hour to complete but very pretty walking sim with a few puzzle elements, it felt very calm and relaxing and would love to see this expanded out to a full game, it has a touching atmosphere.”
  • gameplay57 mentions

    The gameplay of "Leaving Lyndow" is characterized by its short duration, typically around 30 minutes to 1 hour, and primarily consists of exploration and minimal interaction, resembling a walking simulator. While the game features beautiful visuals and a relaxing atmosphere, many players find the lack of depth and engaging mechanics disappointing, leading to mixed reviews regarding its overall enjoyment. It is recommended for those who appreciate serene environments and narrative exploration, but may not satisfy players looking for more substantial gameplay experiences.

    • “Relaxing gameplay with a cute story and beautiful sceneries.”
    • “The artistic brilliance and thoughtful landscapes inspire delight, and the unhinged gameplay of not having any time restraints helps adhere to the relaxing and casual nature of exploring.”
    • “Overall, it is a relaxing game, offering about an hour to an hour and a half of gameplay for just a few quid - would definitely recommend.”
    • “Some players may be put off by the lack of gameplay, the fishbowl-esque graphics, or the off-putting character designs…all of which have helped garner poor game reviews, but the game itself can be relaxing and quite enjoyable even though it is rather short.”
    • “There is no gameplay, just walking around and looking at objects, saying goodbye to characters with no voice acting.”
    • “The developers have created a beautiful and imaginative setting, but there's very little in the way of gameplay beyond optional minigames, and the whole game lasts about half an hour.”
  • emotional46 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Leaving Lyndow" is characterized by its touching narrative and beautiful visuals, which resonate with players, particularly those who have experienced similar farewells. While many appreciate the heartfelt moments and serene atmosphere, some feel the game lacks depth and substance, leaving them wanting more from the emotional engagement. Overall, it offers a brief yet impactful experience that evokes a range of feelings, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking a deeper emotional journey.

    • “Leaving Lyndow adopts a narrative brush with an economy of strokes, inviting players to fill in the emotional palette with their interpretations.”
    • “Each part of Leaving Lyndow, from the world to the gentle music to the heartfelt story, is a joy to behold, and I found myself taking multiple screenshots throughout my journey or simply listening to the music while enjoying the vistas.”
    • “A beautiful and touching short game with an incredible art direction and soundtrack.”
    • “I cried a bit.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with most players noting that it offers little incentive to play again after a short initial experience of about half an hour to an hour. While it is appreciated for its beauty and soundtrack, the consensus is that it serves more as a brief, relaxing experience rather than a game with lasting replay value. Players recommend it primarily for its story, especially when purchased at a low price.

    • “A playthrough should take between a half hour to an hour, and replay value only really comes in the form of slowing down and really appreciating your surroundings.”
    • “Not a ton of replayability, but as a tester for the dev to see how people react to the style and the mechanics and methods he uses, it is a good little offering for short play fans, who want something beautiful and quiet to walk through, to relax and play music on pipes, or have fun swirling beads around.”
    • “While the features might not offer much replayability and the game resembles more a proof of technological talent - I am surely gonna visit the village of Lyndow once more someday.”
    • “It is a short game with almost no replayability, but it's beautiful, has a lovely soundtrack, and is cheap.”
    • “Overall, I'd recommend it for the story, not for any form of replayability though.”
    • “Zero replay value.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique and artistic character designs that contribute to world-building, while others find them off-putting or ugly. The lack of depth in storytelling and character engagement, combined with a short runtime and minimal gameplay, detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, there is a desire among some players for further exploration of the game's universe, indicating potential for growth in character development in future installments.

    • “I truly hope the developers will create more games in this universe because it's a beautiful world, fun character designs, and wholesome and pretty deep stories and characters.”
    • “An interesting point and click 'walking simulator' which displays a beautiful atmosphere and ambiance coupled with wonderfully designed areas, soundtrack & artistic character design.”
    • “Some people dislike the character designs - I think they work, and are a nice aspect of world-building.”
    • “Unfortunately, its extremely short run time (less than an hour), lack of voice overs from the characters, and odd character designs inconsistent with that of Eastshade, make this hard to recommend.”
    • “The character design is ugly, the story is presented as an afterthought with nonsensical written text and worst of all, the gameplay is truly horrible.”
    • “The character design leaves something to be desired.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    The optimization of the game received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance on high settings, achieving stable frame rates around 60 fps, while others reported significant issues, including poor optimization and frame rate drops even on capable hardware. Overall, the game's performance varied widely among users, highlighting a need for improvements in certain areas.

    • “Performance was great overall; the lowest my frame rate hit was a second or two at 66 fps, and the rest of the time was higher.”
    • “Optimization is perfect. Running this game on max settings on my GTX 1050 and i5 was a breeze, holding a steady 60 fps.”
    • “It's quite well optimized. I played through on the highest graphics settings at 4K resolution on my GTX 1060, and it ran a constant 50-60 fps indoors and about 40-60 fps outdoors, so hats off to the developer for that.”
    • “Terrible optimization for such a small indie game (even at the lowest graphics quality).”
    • “As beautiful and wonderful as Eastshade was to play and experience, it was hampered by some of the worst performance issues I have encountered in a recent game.”
    • “Poor optimization (FPS drops on my GTX 1070 sometimes).”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to achieve completion. While the visuals and music are appreciated, the slow movement and repetitive tasks detract from the overall enjoyment, making the grinding feel more like a chore than an engaging experience. Some achievements may encourage additional playthroughs, but the necessity of completing a singular, tedious puzzle further frustrates players.

    • “Time for grinding will be required.”
    • “You'll be grinding a lot.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The story is nice, and the scenery is nice, but not being able to run through it after the first time makes it feel quite tedious.”
    • “Sorry, but I don't find it entertaining at all to do pixel hunting in a nice, but unremarkable 3D world where movement is tedious and slow.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is marked by several graphical glitches and bugs, which, while not game-breaking, contribute to a sense of a lackluster and uninspired experience. Users have noted that these issues detract from the overall visual appeal and enjoyment of the game.

    • “In this prelude, I did encounter a few graphical glitches, but nothing that outright hampers the game.”
    • “Boring, uninspired, buggy, not the greatest looking, either.”
    • “Glitches and bugs are prevalent.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is perceived as primarily serving as a promotional tool, with players feeling that the experience functions more as an advertisement for Eastshade rather than a standalone game.

    • “It's abundantly clear that this short walking simulator was nothing more than an advertisement for what was to come.”
    • “All in all, a very good advertisement for Eastshade.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by absurd and anachronistic elements, such as an NPC mimicking sawing wood without any actual tools, creating a comedic contrast reminiscent of watching a historical film interrupted by modern anomalies. This blend of visual gags and sound effects contributes to a lighthearted and amusing experience.

    • “There's a funny NPC who is supposed to be sawing wood, but they're just moving their hands in random directions (without any saw to be seen) while you hear the sound effects playing.”
    • “It's like watching an old-style movie that's supposed to be set in the pre-industrial age and then suddenly seeing a jet making a contrail in the sky, making you laugh because you didn't notice it before.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

63% average critic score

Buy Leaving Lyndow

Play time

6hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games