Motherland

About

"Motherland" is a sad fairytale indie-game set in a provincial Russian town during an epidemic. As a tourist unable to return home, you'll explore the town's traditions and culture while navigating a non-linear narrative with fully-voiced characters. Brave the damp apartments, buy medicine, and face an everlasting sense of sadness in this vast open world, while stumbling upon nonsense and jokes along the way.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

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

40%

Audience ScoreBased on 15 reviews

atmosphere8 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a great atmosphere with a unique Russian aesthetic and phenomenal music that enhances the experience.
The world is massive and strangely beautiful, providing an interesting backdrop for exploration.
There are some humorous elements and Easter eggs that add a layer of charm to the game.

The gameplay is monotonous and primarily consists of searching for switches, leading to a lack of engaging content.
The game suffers from poor optimization, resulting in low framerates and various bugs that hinder the experience.
There is no in-game map, making navigation in the large open world frustrating and tedious.

atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique Russian aesthetic, complemented by fitting music that enhances the experience. Reviewers highlight the soulful and haunting qualities of the environment, with elements like snowy landscapes and the presence of quarantine enforcers adding to the tension. Overall, the atmosphere is considered the game's strongest aspect, setting it apart from others in the genre.
- “The atmosphere of this game is absolutely great; I love the Russian aesthetic, and the music is a phenomenal fit.”
- “Overall a good game; its main draw is a unique atmosphere. Not many games showcase a Russian/Soviet environment; the only one I can think of is Stalker, but even that game has a post-apocalyptic twist to it.”
- “The game is very atmospheric, and having quarantine enforcers hunting you is frightening, especially with the snowy and foggy environment.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with multiple users reporting poor performance and technical problems. Overall, the consensus indicates that optimization is a major drawback.
- “Also, the game is horribly optimized.”
- “Bad optimization too.”
- “I would also like to point out a minus: the game has problems with optimization.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing it for a lack of plot and logical coherence, while others appreciate its interesting non-linear narrative and atmospheric elements, particularly in the indie title "Motherland." Overall, the storytelling seems to vary significantly between different games, with some offering engaging narratives and others falling short.
- “In this game, I liked that there is an open world as well as an interesting story.”
- “Motherland is a good, atmospheric indie game with an interesting non-linear story, open world, and good voice acting.”
- “Lack of plot and logic.”
- “No plot or story to follow.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its phenomenal fit with the Russian aesthetic, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere. Reviewers highlight both the great soundtrack and sound design as standout features.
- “The atmosphere of this game is absolutely great; I love the Russian aesthetic, and the music is a phenomenal fit.”
- “Great soundtrack.”
- “Great sound design and music.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The gameplay has been widely criticized as lacking engagement and excitement, with many users describing it as boring and nearly non-existent. Overall, it fails to deliver a satisfying experience.
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is very boring or rather almost non-existent.”
- “The mechanics feel clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating to play.”
- “There is a lack of variety in the gameplay, leading to repetitive and dull experiences.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's graphics effectively create a captivating atmosphere, enhanced by a strong Russian aesthetic that resonates well with the overall design. The visuals, combined with the fitting music, contribute to an immersive experience.
- “The atmosphere of this game is absolutely great; I love the Russian aesthetic, and the music is a phenomenal fit.”