Misericordetta
- March 31, 2023
- Crushed
Get on itch.io Store"Misericordetta" is a Historical Adventure game with an interesting plot, excellent visuals, and a masterful soundtrack. In this 20-3
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Reviews
- Incredible writing and character development, with a diverse and compelling cast that feels real and relatable.
- The soundtrack is outstanding, featuring over 100 tracks that enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the story.
- The unique black and white art style, combined with immersive storytelling, creates a captivating and haunting experience.
- The game is completely linear with no player choices or branching paths, which may disappoint those looking for interactivity.
- As a 'Volume One', the story ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many questions unanswered and requiring players to wait for future installments.
- Some players may find the text difficult to read against busy backgrounds, which can detract from the overall experience.
- music97 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its outstanding quality and atmospheric contribution to the overall experience. The soundtrack features a diverse range of styles, including trip-hop and jazz, and is described as both immersive and memorable, enhancing the game's gripping narrative and unique art style. Overall, players find the music to be a standout element, elevating the visual novel to new heights and making it a must-listen even outside of gameplay.
“The soundtrack is a triumph in this genre; its careful combination of jazzy modern sensibilities and medieval instrument choices shines, and I found myself waiting before proceeding through a scene to ensure I'd heard each song all the way through.”
“Incredible soundtrack, atmosphere, character writing, dialogue, mystery—Misericorde Vol 1 hits all the right notes to be a perfect immersive experience.”
“From moment one, Misericorde drew me in with its gorgeous art direction and killer soundtrack, setting me in for such a strong atmosphere to accompany such an engaging story and characters.”
“Even when it comes to visual and audio stimuli, the anime style and drum & bass/acid jazz soundtrack of this game were slightly jarring.”
“If your visual novel game has no voice acting, no decisions, no puzzles, and no player agency at all, then at the very least I would expect the artwork to be so outstanding that it’s basically a graphic novel that you wanted to have a soundtrack to, so you made a game.”
“The game is about 10 hours long and I didn’t find myself exhausted by the soundtrack repeating itself, so I feel that says a lot… compare that to the Seeds of Chaos soundtrack which is about a 30-100 hour game and has basically one very badly composed song.”
- story93 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Misericorde: Volume One" is a gripping and linear visual novel that immerses players in a compelling mystery set in a medieval convent, featuring a unique art style and a captivating soundtrack. While it lacks player choices and concludes on a cliffhanger, the narrative is well-crafted, with rich character development and an intriguing plot that leaves players eager for the next installment. Overall, it is praised for its engaging storytelling and atmospheric presentation, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
“The story is so gripping I devoured it in a couple of sittings.”
“Misericorde is a gripping, mysterious, and masterfully-written mystery with a cast of characters who all shine individually and who, in combination with each other and with the setting of the story, supply a compelling narrative that will keep the 'pages' turning.”
“Great atmosphere/music (probably one of my favorite soundtracks in recent years!), fantastic art direction, and an intriguing story.”
“This game is truly a visual novel - there is no story branching or choices throughout the game, just in case you didn't know like me going in.”
“As 'volume one' in the title gives away, there's no real story conclusion.”
“I cannot judge the quality of its mysteries as of yet, since there are still many unanswered plot points (including the main one), but it's intriguing nonetheless; there are many details and subtleties, and I cannot wait to find out what it all means.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their unique art style, which combines photorealistic backgrounds with sketched sprites, creating a striking and unsettling aesthetic that enhances the storytelling. The grainy black and white imagery, along with well-designed characters, contributes to a haunting atmosphere that captivates players. Overall, the visuals are described as beautifully rendered and perfectly complement the game's gripping narrative and exceptional soundtrack.
“The mixture of pixel art and heavily-affected photographic backgrounds creates a distinct, unsettling aesthetic that provides an eye-catching visual complement to the text, plus cute nuns. The tone shifts smoothly between comedic and deeply unnerving, and while the plot can sometimes feel like it's progressing at a snail's pace, the tension when the pace is ramped up is delicious.”
“The dark setting of the abbey is truly one of the scariest things I have ever seen in a game - the black and white imagery lends to a giallo aesthetic that is sublime.”
“The artwork is wonderfully rendered with both a softness and care for each character, but also contrasted with a striking and stark aesthetic that sets a great eerie mood for the whole experience.”
“The mixture of pixel art and heavily-affected photographic backgrounds creates a distinct, unsettling aesthetic that provides an eye-catching visual complement to the text.”
“The art style seems to be a form of rotoscope with drawn characters interposed onto grainy photos of the convent as background.”
“I can think of no feasible reason why instead of just writing a novel you made the ludicrously more difficult option of creating a visual novel that would require you to make artwork that, as far as I can tell, you didn’t want to do and code all of this into a game.”
- atmosphere23 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a well-researched setting, exceptional character writing, and a haunting soundtrack. The monochrome aesthetic and filtered backgrounds contribute to an unsettling yet captivating vibe, making the experience feel both engaging and eerie. Overall, the combination of art, music, and narrative creates a compelling atmosphere that draws players in from the very beginning.
“The atmosphere is immaculate; there was a moment where the soundtrack hit, and I realized, 'Oh, I really connect with this.' I love the protagonist and the point of view she provides too, someone barely keeping it together that could snap at any moment.”
“Incredible atmosphere, writing, and an absolutely stellar soundtrack to seal the deal.”
“From moment one, Misericorde drew me in with its gorgeous art direction and killer soundtrack, setting me up for such a strong atmosphere to accompany such an engaging story and characters.”
“It makes the presentation look a bit ‘wonky’, but works in selling the unsettling atmosphere the story is trying to establish.”
“I love the monochrome colour palette, which adds well to the unsettling atmosphere, and the filtered photo backgrounds work well in anchoring the story in an uneasy sort of 'pseudo-reality'.”
“Beyond the classic whodunit, there's a level of atmosphere helped by the art style, sounds, and music to create something incredibly haunting.”
- character development6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its stellar writing and standout character designs, which are considered some of the best in the visual novel genre. However, despite the strong aesthetic and engaging characters, some reviewers feel that the overall gameplay experience does not live up to the quality of the character development.
“Very well written; the character design work is some of the best I've seen in the visual novel genre. Despite all of the characters wearing the same outfit, each one still stands out.”
“So it’s disappointing that this game has such stellar writing and character development, and seems to overall have a drastically stronger sense of how to tell a mystery.”
“Great writing, great music, and I love the character designs.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Misericorde's" first volume is described as both engaging and multifaceted, blending funny moments with spooky and moving elements. Reviewers highlight its ability to evoke laughter while maintaining a gripping narrative, making the characters relatable and endearing amidst the darker themes. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that enhances the storytelling experience.
“If, on the other hand, you like narratives and get swept up in engaging stories and compelling characters, Misericorde's first volume is funny, spooky, surprisingly moving, and intensely gripping from start to finish.”
“It's also really funny!”
“Made me laugh out loud and love the characters, then the murder plot comes back with drum and bass.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title is minimal, as it functions primarily as a kinetic visual novel where players simply click to advance the story without any choices or interactive elements. Reviewers caution that those seeking traditional gameplay experiences should avoid it, as it lacks any meaningful gameplay mechanics.
“Let's be clear, this is a visual novel; it is something you read, with art, music, and sound. If you're in the 'gameplay is what matters' camp, steer well clear.”
“This is a true zero-gameplay visual novel - all you're doing is advancing the story with a button.”
“Let's be clear, this is a visual novel; it is something you read, with art, music, and sound. But if you're in the 'gameplay is what matters' camp, steer well clear.”
“Do note that this is what would be known as a kinetic novel; there are no choices or gameplay other than clicking to continue the scene.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of intense conflicts and heartfelt moments, creating a realistic and impactful narrative. Reviewers recommend it for those who appreciate complex, emotionally charged stories about human relationships that resist neat resolutions.
“There are both a lot of nasty clashes and secret-keeping between them, and genuine and heartwarming moments of kindness and understanding that make Linbarrow feel very alive.”
“Credit to the author, I suppose, it certainly is both realistic and emotionally impactful.”
“Recommended for: people who like tangled, emotionally gripping (sometimes upsetting) stories about human intimacy that don't resolve in a tidy manner.”
