MalViolence: Definitive Edition

About

Caution: Escape from this supervillain at your own risk...A sci-fi visual novel packed with brain-teasing puzzles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

MalViolence: Definitive Edition screenshot

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 67 reviews

story19 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

The game features impressive visuals, engaging music, and a well-crafted story that ties together with the puzzles.
Puzzles are creatively designed and can be adjusted in difficulty, allowing players to choose their preferred challenge level.
The game is free and offers substantial content, including multiple endings and a compelling narrative that encourages exploration.

Some puzzles can be overly difficult or time-consuming, leading to frustration and a reliance on trial-and-error methods.
Character dialogue can feel unnatural, and some players found the character designs confusing or off-putting.
The story may come across as generic or cheesy to some, detracting from the overall experience for those who prioritize narrative depth.

story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
44%
8%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and engaging narrative, with many players appreciating the intricate connections between the puzzles and the plot. While some found the story to be generic or cliché, others highlighted its compelling characters and the richness of optional lore that enhances the overall experience. The multiple endings based on exploration and puzzle-solving add to the replayability, making it a recommended choice for those who enjoy a well-crafted story alongside challenging gameplay.
- “It's the only game ever where I made the effort to get all achievements because every bit and every change contributes to the story.”
- “Even something as little as a rather simple drawing on a clipboard is there to break your heart with its story and its emotion - it's been a week since I finished the game and I can't stop thinking about the 'armed arms' drawing.”
- “The story was really well-written, and the named characters were excellently fleshed out.”
- “Mainly played through it for the story, and honestly disappointed.”
- “It's the most generic possible story imaginable and was pretty boring for me.”
- “- the story is in 'evil tyrant' / mad scientist / dystopian setting and tries to be funny but I never laughed or even smiled while reading it.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and ability to complement the overall experience, enhancing the storytelling and visuals. Players appreciate the impressive soundtrack, voice acting, and the game's artistic presentation, noting that it stands out remarkably for a free title. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “A lovely visual novel, short and sweet with great voice acting, music, and writing.”
- “The music complements the game well and it is partially voice acted, which I was not expecting in a free game.”
- “Impressive visuals and music.”
- “The music complements the game well, and it is partially voice acted, which I was not expecting in a free game.”
- “But either way, thankfully I just skipped all the puzzles because I love visual novels and nice graphics/story/writing/voice acting/appropriate soundtrack, so I just skipped them except I messed one up and got a bad ending.”
- “Banger soundtrack”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game emotionally impactful, often leading to tears due to its heartfelt story and character connections. The puzzles, while challenging, are thematically tied to the narrative, enhancing the overall emotional experience and making the gameplay feel rewarding despite its difficulty. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke strong feelings in a relatively short playtime.
- “I cried 10/10 love this game so much. Cautionne is my baby; he deserves so much better. (Also, the prologue 'Protoviolence' is on itch.io, so if you liked this, you will cry even more.)”
- “The game was really interesting; the puzzles can be a bit time-consuming even on normal, but despite that, the gameplay is still good and the story was very heartfelt.”
- “I thought it was interesting and emotionally satisfying, surprisingly so, given how short the game is outside of puzzling time.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their impressive visuals and polished artwork, contributing to a fantastic overall presentation that includes music and sound design. Players appreciate the aesthetic quality, noting it stands out even as a free title.
- “Impressive visuals and music.”
- “Fantastic presentation (visuals, music, sounds, background and movement) really top-notch for a free game!”
- “The game itself looks and feels pretty and polished; the artwork is especially good in my opinion.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The humor in the game is polarizing; some players find the quick failures amusing and satisfying, while others criticize it as boring and unfunny, failing to elicit any laughter despite its attempts at humor in a dystopian setting. Overall, the comedic elements seem to resonate with some but leave others disappointed.
- “It's really satisfying to beat, and the failures are funny and quick, allowing you to get right back to it.”
- “I don't know, I found Portal 2 funny.”
- “Boring, unfunny when it tried to be, and a waste of time.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Character development in the game is highlighted by the impressive design of Cautionne and the depth of the story, which includes detailed endings and subvariations, enhancing the overall experience despite the game's brevity.
- “Cautionne is peak character design.”
- “The music is nice, the character design is great, and honestly, the story is pretty good for such a short game, especially considering the details that go into the endings and their subvariations.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
- “The game fails to provide any real choices that impact character growth, leaving the experience feeling linear and uninspired.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game offers high replayability due to its multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes.
- “Very interesting gameplay; without a doubt, it's highly replayable due to all the different endings you can achieve.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes makes this game incredibly replayable.”
- “Each playthrough offers a unique experience, encouraging you to dive back in for more.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is highly praised for its fantastic quality, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia reminiscent of classic, old-school visual novels.
- “The atmosphere is fantastic and perfectly reminiscent of a classic, old-school visual novel.”
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is engaging and features intriguing puzzles that may require significant time to solve, even on normal difficulty. Overall, players find the gameplay enjoyable and complemented by a heartfelt story.
- “The game was really interesting; the puzzles can be a bit time-consuming even on normal, but despite that, the gameplay is still good and the story was very heartfelt.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, especially towards the end, though the selectable difficulty allows for a more tailored experience. The puzzles are reminiscent of the Layton series, providing a balance between challenge and accessibility.