Mandemon
- August 1, 2023
- 致意
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Mandemon" is a single-player Adventure game with an intriguing suspense story set in a fictionalized Japan, featuring excellent graphics and an ingenious soundtrack. Your choices in this visual novel will shape your fate and reveal different secrets, with multiple endings and a Flowchart system. As the protagonist, piece together clues about the enigmatic "Mandemon" and the transformation of Mr. Kisaragi, while experiencing Living2D character art and a haunting atmosphere.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and a captivating atmosphere, enhanced by a well-chosen soundtrack.
- The story is intriguing with multiple endings that encourage exploration and replayability.
- For its low price, the game offers a solid experience with good voice acting and a compelling narrative.
- The game is quite short, which leaves some characters and story elements underdeveloped.
- The timeline mechanic is poorly implemented, making it difficult to track choices and endings.
- There are issues with the English translation, including unnatural phrasing that can disrupt immersion.
- story51 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as beautifully crafted and intriguing, featuring a complex narrative that unfolds through multiple branching paths, requiring players to explore different endings to fully grasp the plot. While many reviewers appreciate the art, music, and voice acting, there is a consensus that the story is relatively short, leaving some players wanting more depth and development. Overall, the storytelling is engaging, with twists and a unique world-building that captivates players, despite its brevity.
“A beautifully crafted story, and in continuation of 致意's unique established style, it is sprinkled with an appropriately picked assembly of Rachmaninoff's classic compositions, that in many ways complement the style and the emotional content of the plot.”
“The story sets up big mysteries in a strange new world, and once you get settled in, it flips the rug out from under you again.”
“Mandemon tells a captivating multiple-route mystery story, filled with melancholy and embellished by sumptuous art, enchanting music, and a competent full cast of voice actors.”
“The story is really out there, and you have to play through all the branching paths in order to understand what the heck is going on.”
“This story had a lot of potential but it was too short; while it did pique my interest, it didn't manage to become something I would not forget.”
“It had the structure of a branching story with its twists and turns, but I didn't feel that what happened carried a strong meaning for me.”
- music17 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful and immersive soundtracks, particularly the one featured in the main menu. The combination of compelling music, stunning artwork, and effective voice acting contributes to a captivating atmosphere that draws players into the story. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout element that complements the game's emotional depth and artistic presentation.
“Amazing music, great art, good general story concept.”
“The artwork for this game is beautiful, and so is the music!”
“The complexity, character, the sudden thought-provoking sentences that feel like they appear out of nowhere, the music that helps build the vibes, everything.”
“Mandemon tells a captivating multiple-route mystery story, filled with melancholy and embellished by sumptuous art, enchanting music, and a competent full cast of voice actors.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style, animated sprites, and character designs, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the combination of stunning visuals and a somber soundtrack, noting that the artwork plays a crucial role in storytelling. While the game features a grungy aesthetic that some find appealing, it is also important to be aware of its mature themes and content.
“Gorgeous art style and character designs, with much more beautiful CGs than the last game.”
“Absolutely amazing game with a beautiful art style, interesting characters, and a well-rounded story that has plenty of endings that are all cool.”
“Seriously, half of the story is told by its gorgeous art style!”
“The graphics are outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“The character models look flat and lifeless, making it hard to connect with the story.”
“The environments feel bland and uninspired, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, mysterious, and dystopian qualities, complemented by stunning art and effective sound design. Reviewers appreciate the eerie and melancholic tone, which enhances immersion and adds depth to the ambiguous setting. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
“Loved the atmosphere!”
“Went into this not knowing quite what to expect and was impressed by the dark, mysterious, dystopian atmosphere as well as the gorgeous art and great translation.”
“Loved the eerie and melancholic atmosphere of the game, as well as the ambiguous setting.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its cumbersome timeline mechanic, which can make exploring the narrative and unlocking endings feel tedious and challenging. While some players find the effort rewarding, others worry that the difficulty may hinder overall enjoyment, despite the availability of guides to assist in navigating the branching paths.
“Check out Paranormasight for a better timeline mechanic.”
“The struggle to unlock all the endings is worth it in my opinion, even if it can be tiring to get every choice right.”
“The biggest flaw in this game is the atrocious timeline mechanic.”
“One thing I hate about the game is the mechanic; it's tiring to get all the endings. You could get 9 out of 10 choices right and that's not enough to unlock a route. Although the struggle is worth it in my opinion, not everyone has the same effort as me, so I'm worried that not everyone could get the full enjoyment of this game.”
“Mechanically, it is a little more difficult to explore the narrative space than other branching visual novels usually are, but still doable, and there are Steam guides to help you find endings.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the character designs and art style are praised for their beauty and improvement over the previous game, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the narrative.
“The character designs are stunning, featuring a gorgeous art style and beautifully crafted CGs that surpass those of the last game.”
“The visual aspect shines with great character designs, complemented by a clean and beautiful user interface.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a beautifully crafted story that aligns with 致意's unique style, enhanced by a carefully selected array of Rachmaninoff's classic compositions, which effectively complement the emotional depth of the plot.
“A beautifully crafted story, and in continuation of its unique established style, it is sprinkled with an appropriately picked assembly of Rachmaninoff's classic compositions, which in many ways complement the style and the emotional content of the plot.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that while the game provides numerous choices, achieving certain endings can be tedious due to the need to navigate multiple options. However, this grinding aspect is considered worthwhile for fans of mystery visual novels.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over just to level up, which quickly became boring.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is frustrating and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
