Letters: A Written Adventure
- September 6, 2018
- 5am Games GmbH
- 4h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Letters: A Written Adventure" is a narrative-driven game where players experience a touching story through letters and words. As the player, you will interact with various letters and objects, uncovering a heartwarming tale of friendship and connection. With its unique gameplay and engaging story, Letters offers a refreshing take on the adventure game genre.
Mac OS
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a creative and engaging story with well-written characters, making it a nostalgic and heartfelt experience.
- The unique gameplay mechanics involving word manipulation add a fun twist to the narrative, allowing for replayability and varied outcomes based on player choices.
- The art style is adorable and beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall charm of the game.
- The platforming mechanics can feel tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story.
- Many players found the game to be too short for its price, leading to concerns about its value compared to other titles.
- Some players experienced issues with controls, particularly when using a controller, which affected their gameplay experience.
- story63 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its engaging and emotional narrative, with players appreciating the impact of their choices on the plot and character development. While some found the story simple or rushed, many enjoyed the unique mechanics that blend storytelling with gameplay, resulting in a heartfelt and nostalgic experience. Overall, the game offers a variety of paths and outcomes, making it appealing for those who value narrative depth alongside interactive elements.
“The game does a really good job of ensuring a smooth, high-quality story across whatever choices you make, even though this can change the story and ending dramatically.”
“Everything is executed in loving detail and the background story of the protagonist as she grows up is very engaging.”
“A lovely game that tells a surprisingly deep story in a playful way with unique word-based platform-puzzling.”
“What I am sure of is that there are many bad design decisions in the game, and even though the plot definitely kept me curious, literally everything else was unpleasant.”
“I felt like the story moved too quickly, jumping from a 10-year-old with divorcing parents to a 16-year-old with a budding relationship (that can end swiftly if you don't like Alex's pushiness) and career opportunity, only to end with that opportunity now finished and Sarah jumping ahead 14 years for the epilogue.”
“And the reason it isn't just a straight-up visual novel is because the story is pretty boring.”
- gameplay40 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique mechanics and fun elements, while others find it repetitive and tedious, particularly in navigating through levels. Many agree that the gameplay often detracts from the story rather than enhancing it, leading to a desire for more engaging mechanics. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for those who prioritize narrative over gameplay, but it could benefit from improvements to its core mechanics.
“It’s unique in its gameplay style and I love being able to maneuver and break up words to change the narrative.”
“A short, fun game with interesting game mechanics and a great story.”
“I really love the gameplay mechanics and I will do one or two reruns to get all the achievements.”
“It's a very cute game with a lovely art style and some heartfelt writing, yet the gameplay itself is a chore.”
“For the most part, I found myself kicking at random words to try to progress and backtracking through the entire letter; the gameplay was getting in the way of the story, rather than helping it along.”
“It's the most mind-numbing gameplay I've seen in such a highly rated game.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and heartfelt storytelling, with players forming strong attachments to the characters and plot. The combination of cute art style, clever mechanics, and meaningful choices enhances the emotional experience, though some players wish for a longer gameplay duration to further explore these connections. Overall, the game effectively balances lighthearted moments with deeper themes, making it a touching and engaging experience.
“It's so nostalgic and touching, great work with the story.”
“Moreover, the game still has a very tender and touching plot; it is very easy to imagine yourself in the place of the main character.”
“On the other side, the more serious, a bit awkward or uncomfortable sides of coming of age and family were very well handled, at times a bit frustrating or uneasy, at times very touching.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their adorable and beautiful art style, featuring charming characters and a watercolor aesthetic that enhances the storytelling. However, some users have reported technical issues, such as bugs and lag, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the visuals are considered a highlight, appealing particularly to those who appreciate detailed and cute artwork.
“The graphics are adorable.”
“This game is so cute, I do love the art style.”
“Beautiful watercolor-style artwork!”
“I understand that there is a ton of coding and artwork in there, but $15 still feels a bit hefty to me.”
“Very buggy game to play on stream; the graphics buttons do not seem to work right, which has led to lag and crashing of the game a lot.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its multiple choices and routes, encouraging players to explore different outcomes and achievements. While the playtime for a single run is relatively short (around 2 hours), the heartfelt story and engaging options provide ample motivation for players to revisit the game. Overall, the combination of emotional depth and varied gameplay choices enhances its replay value.
“This game is heartfelt and fun to play. I really liked the story and the fact that there were so many options to pick from, which gives this game a lot of replay value.”
“This game has great replay value as there are different routes you can take for different intervals of your life.”
“It is short, but it has enormous replayability due to the different choices you can make and to see what all the words can do.”
“Although a little on the pricey side compared to the time it takes to complete one playthrough (about 2 hours or so), the replay value and the amount of love poured into this game makes up for it.”
“It is short, but it has enormous replayability value due to different choices you can make and just to see what all the words can do.”
“I enjoyed the couple of hours I spent playing this game a lot and now want to see the other choices as well (replayability!).”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by clever insider jokes, particularly appealing to those familiar with 90s culture, and is woven into both the gameplay mechanics and narrative. Players appreciate the blend of funny moments and relatable scenarios, which not only entertain but also provide meaningful choices and lessons. Overall, the game is described as charming and amusing, with subtle jokes that reward attentive players.
“It made me laugh, it made me think just enough, it had interesting choices to make and I love that they mattered.”
“Funny gameplay idea, with a lot of great insider jokes for '90s kids.”
“From funny moments and relatable dramatic scenarios, this game not only has a good plot story but also something to learn from.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant but unremarkable, serving its purpose without standing out. It effectively complements the various chapters of the protagonist's life, enhancing the overall emotional experience of the adventure. While some players find the mechanics of downloading songs amusing, others note that the background music can feel repetitive at times.
“The music fits perfectly with the different chapters and phases of Sarah's life and rounds up this cute adventure with an earnest undertone.”
“As a gamer girl from Switzerland who grew up in the nineties and likes metal music, I am in this game and ...”
“I found the background music to be nothing special, but it was pleasant enough that I didn't mind while playing.”
“The mechanics of the game are nice, but the music feels a bit repetitive and long-winded.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, yet they understand its purpose and still enjoy the overall experience.
“The gameplay can get a bit tedious, but I understand why it is the way it is; overall, it's fun.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be very unstable, with frequent bugs causing lag and crashes, particularly during streaming. Additionally, issues with the graphics buttons further exacerbate the instability.
“Very buggy game to play on stream; graphics buttons do not seem to work right, which has led to lag and frequent crashes.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its uniqueness, enhanced by clever puzzles and the freedom for players to make their own choices within the story.
“I enjoyed the game’s unique atmosphere, the clever puzzles, and being able to make my own choices in the story.”
