Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell
- February 19, 2018
- ALICE IN DISSONANCE
- 28h median play time
Get on Steam"Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell" is a surreal puzzle-platformer game with a unique narration style. You play as a character named Alice who enters a dreamlike world, where you must navigate through complex levels and solve challenging puzzles to progress. The game features hand-drawn art and an Alice in Wonderland-inspired atmosphere, with a captivating soundtrack and intriguing storyline that will keep you engaged till the end.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The artwork is stunning and beautifully illustrated, resembling a watercolor children's book, which enhances the overall experience.
- The story is short yet emotionally impactful, exploring deep themes of happiness and growing up, making it a memorable read.
- The music complements the narrative perfectly, creating a captivating atmosphere that draws players into the fairy tale world.
- The game is very short, lasting only about 1-2 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- As a kinetic novel, it lacks choices and multiple endings, which might disappoint players looking for a more interactive experience.
- Some parts of the story can feel a bit dark or unsettling, which may not align with the initial impression of a light-hearted children's tale.
- story112 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell" is a beautifully illustrated and emotionally resonant kinetic novel that presents itself as a children's fairy tale while exploring deeper themes of childhood, fear, and happiness. Despite its short length of about 2-3 hours, the narrative is rich with bittersweet moments and dark undertones, making it a compelling experience for mature audiences. The combination of stunning visuals, soothing music, and a heartfelt storyline has garnered praise, positioning it as a must-read for fans of visual novels.
“It's a wonderfully balanced story between fantasy, wonder, fear, real-life suffering, and happiness.”
“The art is beautiful with each scene looking like a watercolor painting, the music can be sad at times but is always very calming, and the story is a fairy tale with a nice balance of dark and cheerful moments.”
“Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell is a kinetic novel with no choices, written in the style of a children's storybook, but it carries a deeper meaning that only mature audiences can fully appreciate.”
“The story is a sort of different take on Peter Pan, and while it may seem like a children's story at first, the nuances can only be understood by more mature audiences.”
“The short story looks like a plain fairy tale on the surface, but the subtlety with which it conveys its much deeper meaning is awe-inspiring.”
- music51 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and quality, enhancing the overall experience with a beautiful and atmospheric soundtrack that complements the art and story. Many reviewers noted that the music is both soothing and evocative, effectively capturing the game's fairy tale essence while also conveying darker undertones. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack creates a unique and immersive experience that resonates with players.
“Written, animated, and translated very well, the music is superior quality as it’s by Foxtail-Grass, the same studio that has done an immense amount of professional work in the Touhou series.”
“The soundtrack is a joy too, hitting all the right emotional notes while sounding great throughout.”
“The art is beautiful with each scene looking like a watercolor painting, the music can be sad at times but is always very calming, and the story is a fairy tale with a nice balance of dark and cheerful moments.”
“The soundtrack may sound repetitive at times despite it being different.”
“Unfortunately, there isn't a 'sound gallery' in the main menu to listen to the tracks, but that's what the soundtrack DLC is for.”
“Even though the story might be kinda short for its price for it being about 2.5 hours long, the art and the soundtrack makes up for it in every way possible.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the visual novel are widely praised for their stunning watercolor art style, reminiscent of a children's picture book, which enhances the overall aesthetic and storytelling experience. Reviewers highlight the charming and cute character designs, as well as the dynamic presentation that sets it apart from traditional visual novels. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and captivating, contributing significantly to the emotional impact of the narrative.
“A short yet powerful fairy-tale-inspired visual novel with a fascinating art style and impactful moral lesson about confronting discomfort in order to find happiness even in rough situations.”
“The dynamic use of the visuals is really great; rather than the traditional 'character sprite stares at the reader' visual novel format, the visuals seem to flow like you were reading a picture book.”
“Absolutely beautiful art style and the transitions fit amazingly for the style of being multiple short stories of Mhakna and Sebia's adventures in Enles Land.”
“Well... indeed the art style is like a child's picture book, and the story is a fairy tale in a literal sense.”
“This is highly unusual for a visual novel, and not just in its watercolor and pastel art style.”
“Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell is a short kinetic novel with a unique art style.”
- emotional22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its heartfelt characters, enchanting storytelling, and beautiful presentation that evoke strong feelings, often leading to tears. The combination of a touching narrative, charming art, and a moving soundtrack creates a nostalgic and immersive experience, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a short yet impactful emotional journey. Overall, it is described as a heartwarming and wholesome visual novel that resonates deeply with players.
“The characters and their stories are all heartfelt and wonderful.”
“Short but still manages to be emotionally impactful, great if you want to cry but don't want 100 hours of playtime to get there.”
“With its charming art, heartwarming soundtrack, excellent use of its characters, and a camera perspective that makes you feel like you're actually in the fantasy land, Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell is one of the most beautifully presented visual novels I've ever read.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as straightforward, with a total duration of approximately three hours.
“There is about 3 hours of gameplay.”
“It's just gameplay.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is highly praised for its immersive quality, complemented by a heartwarming story, exceptional music, and striking art. Despite its brevity of 2-3 hours and lack of choices or multiple endings, the overall experience is described as deeply engaging and emotionally resonant.
“A very atmospheric, short (~2-3 hours; I was, uh, reading very thoroughly) visual novel without any choices or different endings.”
“Simple yet heartwarming story, exceptionally good music and atmosphere, spot-on art.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users generally find the game to be highly replayable, with many describing it as infinitely or nearly infinitely replayable, suggesting a strong incentive to return to the game for multiple playthroughs.
“The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
“I find myself coming back to this game time and time again; the replayability is outstanding!”
“Every run feels fresh and exciting, making it a game I can play endlessly.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
“The game offers a linear experience with no real variations in outcomes, which severely limits its replayability.”
“After finishing the main story, I found that there were no new challenges or content to explore, making it hard to justify a second playthrough.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in this short visual novel is praised for its charm, complemented by beautiful music and an engaging story, which enhances the overall experience. The cute character design further adds to the appeal, making the characters memorable and relatable.
“A short visual novel with beautiful music, a captivating story, and charming character design.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or multiple attempts to progress effectively.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
