Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish

I really enjoyed what the game had to show me in the end, and I’d highly recommend it if you can get past the slightly odd writing style and enjoy the medium. There is a lot of content for what you pay, and it’s worth it as a stand-alone episode.

83%Game Brain Score

story, music

gameplay

100% User Score Based on 40 reviews

Critic Score 47%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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About

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is a single player quiz game with horror, fantasy, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Pomera Studios and was released on March 30, 2016. It received neutral reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is a thrilling mystery story revolving around a series of unfathomable incidents in a town.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish screenshot

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews

story12 positive mentions

gameplay2 negative mentions

The story is well-written and engaging, with strong character development and a satisfying conclusion for a first chapter.
The voice acting and soundtrack are excellent, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
The visual presentation, including character art and dynamic scenes, is impressive despite some background graphics being less appealing.

The gameplay is quite linear and lacks meaningful choices, making it feel more like a kinetic novel than an interactive experience.
There are concerns about the game's low budget, with some graphics and character animations appearing dated or simplistic.
The sequel's uncertain future leaves players feeling unsatisfied, as many plot points remain unresolved.

story
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The story is a captivating blend of horror, humor, and mystery, centered around a doll and a series of disappearances, featuring memorable characters with extraordinary abilities. While it effectively establishes a self-contained narrative, it is clear that this is just the first chapter of a larger tale that has yet to be continued, leaving some players wanting more. The storytelling is engaging, though some found the scene selection method disruptive, and the pacing slow at the beginning before it picks up momentum.
- “The story was freaky, sweet, sad, and hilarious at times.”
- “It tells a story of a group of people with extraordinary skills, dealing with trouble caused by human emotion.”
- “The story does take a moment to really get going, as it is setting up the world, but once it does, it really takes off.”
- “What I didn't like was how storytelling was forcefully cut into 'scenes' which you select from the city map.”
- “While essentially telling a complete story, it’s made extremely clear that this was supposed to be chapter 1 of a larger story, which a couple of years later at the time of this review, has not panned out.”
- “But it feels like we are thrown into this world and story without enough time to ease into it, and new characters appear fully developed - nobody seems to grow or change much throughout the experience.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, particularly during tense moments. The soundtrack is described as amazing and reminiscent of other popular titles like Persona, evoking nostalgia while complementing the game's visuals and narrative. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack was amazing, and as you read some of the terrifying parts, the background sounds really help make you feel more tense.”
- “Of course, since this is a game, you get the added bonus of lovely anime art and some pretty darn good music.”
- “About the music either.”
- “If you've played Persona, the map and accompanying music are extremely similar and gave me a nostalgic feeling.”
- “I'm not sure what to praise more - the character art, the backgrounds, the music or how dynamic some of the scenes are.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The graphics in the game are generally considered disappointing, with some users noting that while there are moments of excellent artwork, they are infrequent. Many scenes lack character visuals, relying instead on scrolling text, which complicates dialogue comprehension. Overall, the graphics do not justify the game's price point, especially given the limited character designs.
- “There is some excellent artwork to be found, but those examples can be few and far between.”
- “Well firstly, the novel had pleasant graphics and animation.”
- “The writing and music are amazing, the graphics are decent.”
- “Graphics-wise, it's a bit of a disappointment.”
- “There are other issues, like scenes without character visuals, just text scrolling down the screen, making it very difficult to tell who is talking to whom.”
- “$16 is definitely not the price this game is worth, considering that the game only has a few characters and that is the only real artwork in the game.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively blends horror with humor, providing moments that are both freaky and sweet, while also delivering laugh-out-loud scenes. This unique combination enhances the overall experience, making it both entertaining and emotionally engaging.
- “The story was freaky, sweet, sad, and hilarious at times.”
- “A horror story with a bit of humor, to be precise.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay has been criticized for being extremely bland and lackluster, even by visual novel standards, leading to a disappointing experience for players.
- “But the gameplay is very, very bland.”
- “Even for a visual novel, the gameplay is lackluster.”

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47%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is a quiz game with horror, fantasy, mystery and thriller themes.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is available on PC and Windows.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish was released on March 30, 2016.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish was developed by Pomera Studios.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is a single player game.

Similar games include Fault Milestone One, Return to Shironagasu Island, Lucid9: Inciting Incident, Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos, SoulSet and others.

Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish

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