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.
iPad
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Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
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Windows
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Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Letters: A Written Adventure features a unique and creative gameplay mechanic that combines word puzzles with a heartfelt narrative, making it a charming experience.
- The game is visually appealing with beautiful artwork and a nostalgic atmosphere that resonates with players, especially those who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s.
- Players appreciate the replayability due to multiple story paths and choices that impact the narrative, allowing for a personalized experience.
- The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, particularly with the platforming elements that require moving up and down pages, which some players found frustrating.
- Many reviewers noted the game is quite short, typically taking around 2-3 hours to complete, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
- There are complaints about the lack of a proper save system and inconsistent controls, which detracted from the overall experience for some players.
- story98 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and heartfelt, particularly appreciating the branching paths and character development, while others criticized it as predictable and slow-paced. Many highlighted the unique word-based gameplay that enhances the storytelling experience, though some felt the narrative could be overly simplistic or rushed. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic and emotional journey, appealing to those who enjoy narrative-driven experiences with meaningful choices.
“Imagine curling up with a heartfelt story that unfolds through the lost art of letter writing - that's exactly what you'll find in Letters: A Written Adventure.”
“There's something magical about how the game weaves together its clever letter-based gameplay with such an honest, touching story about finding your way through life's early chapters.”
“The story is heartfelt, and it took me no time at all to get lost in the letters and text messages.”
“I was impressed by the demo 5 years ago, but this is just your generic 'emotional story' told via barely any gameplay, not done particularly well.”
“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 and career opportunity, only to end with that opportunity now finished and Sarah jumping ahead 14 years for the epilogue.”
- gameplay56 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique word-based mechanics and emotional storytelling, while others find it tedious and slow, detracting from the overall experience. Many noted that the gameplay feels limited and repetitive, often overshadowing the narrative. Overall, the game is seen as more suited for those who prioritize story over gameplay, with a desire for more engaging mechanics.
“There's something magical about how the game weaves together its clever letter-based gameplay with such an honest, touching story about finding your way through life's early chapters.”
“It’s unique in its gameplay style and I love being able to maneuver and break up words to change the narrative.”
“The core gameplay mechanic works surprisingly well, even though I am ESL I rarely had trouble getting through the puzzles, and the hint mechanic is spectacularly unobtrusive.”
“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.”
- emotional26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its heartfelt and nostalgic narrative, effectively using letter writing to convey emotional depth and character growth. While some players found the gameplay mechanics challenging and wished for a longer experience, the touching story and clever word-based puzzles resonated deeply, often evoking strong emotional responses. Overall, it is described as a cozy, wholesome experience that captivates players with its moving storytelling and charming aesthetics.
“There's something magical about how the game weaves together its clever letter-based gameplay with such an honest, touching story about finding your way through life's early chapters.”
“This game made me cry by the end of it because I was so proud to see Sarah grow.”
“Overall, it is a fun and moving game that will captivate players with its emotional and branching narrative design and its unique blend of aesthetics.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their originality and charm, featuring a cute, hand-drawn art style that enhances the emotional storytelling. Players appreciate the beautiful watercolor visuals and nostalgic elements, which contribute to a relaxing and immersive atmosphere. However, some users have reported technical issues, such as bugs and lag, that detract from the overall experience.
“I really liked the graphic style and the in-game messenger fueled my nostalgia.”
“The idea is creative and interesting, the characters are all well written, with their own distinct personalities, motivations, etc., and the graphics are adorable.”
“Beautiful watercolor-style artwork!”
“I understand that there is a ton of coding and artwork in there, but 15 bucks feels still a bit hefty to me.”
“Very buggy game to play on stream; graphics buttons do not seem to work right, which has led to lag and crashing of the game a lot.”
“Overall, it is a fun and moving game that will captivate players with its emotional and branching narrative design and its unique blend of aesthetics.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its multiple endings and diverse story paths, encouraging players to explore different choices despite its short playtime of around two hours. Many users appreciate the heartfelt narrative and the opportunity to unlock achievements, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy replaying games for varied outcomes. Overall, while some find the game a bit pricey for its length, the replay value compensates for it.
“A cute little game with lots of replayability value with the different choices that affect the ending.”
“It is a short game and will only take around two hours to complete, but the multiple endings and story paths provide heaps of replayability, allowing for many hours of playtime in total.”
“This game has great replay value as there are different routes you can take for different intervals of your life.”
“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.”
“I hated how short it was, but it did tell a complete story and there are some elements of replayability given that you can start a new game and make your choices over for new achievements and such.”
“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.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the free soundtrack and its fitting accompaniment to the game's narrative, while others found the background music to be pleasant but unremarkable. Overall, the audio elements, including relaxing tunes and sound effects, enhance the gaming experience and complement the visual styles effectively.
“The soundtrack (included for free) is really good and I can tell I'm going to enjoy this.”
“The music fits perfectly with the different chapters and phases of Sarah's life and rounds up this cute adventure with an earnest undertone.”
“The different visual styles and music fit the game perfectly.”
“I found the background music to be nothing special, but it was pleasant enough that I didn't mind while playing.”
“As a gamer girl from Switzerland who grew up in the nineties and likes metal music, I am in this game and ...”
“Also liked the relaxing music, sound effects and adored the art in this game!!”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, featuring a mix of funny gameplay mechanics, relatable scenarios, and clever insider jokes that resonate with 90s kids. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and the amusing twists in solving riddles, which add depth and entertainment to the experience. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging storytelling, making it both enjoyable and thought-provoking.
“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.”
“Funny little jokes that you'll only see if you pay attention and read more than just words.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the central word puzzle mechanic is engaging, the slow character movement and repetitive gameplay can feel tedious and less rewarding at times. Despite these frustrations, many still appreciate the overall fun of the game.
“Some ideas like the central word puzzle mechanic translate well, while other aspects like the character movement feel slow and tedious.”
“Occasionally I missed, and I had to go back to the very top, which was more tedious than it was rewarding.”
“The gameplay can get a bit tedious, but I understand why it is the way it is, and 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 stability problems.
“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.”
