Mousebusters
- September 11, 2020
- Odencat
- 3h median play time
Mice versus ghosts?! A pixel art horror adventure game.
Reviews
- The game features a short, emotional story that captivates players and evokes strong feelings.
- The characters and supernatural elements are well-developed, with a cute art style that enhances the overall experience.
- Players appreciate the option to unlock additional content through watching ads instead of paying, making it accessible for those who cannot spend money.
- Many players encountered bugs and crashes, particularly when trying to access menu options, which detracted from the overall experience.
- The gameplay is minimal, often described as a click-through story with little interactivity, leading to some disappointment among players expecting more engagement.
- The game ends on a cliffhanger, requiring payment or significant time investment to unlock the full story, which frustrated some players.
- story638 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and engaging narrative, often described as heartwarming and touching, with many players expressing that it brought them to tears. However, the gameplay is frequently criticized for being minimal, primarily consisting of clicking through dialogues with little interactivity, and many users note that significant portions of the story are locked behind a paywall or require watching ads to access. Overall, while the story is considered a standout feature, the lack of gameplay variety and the monetization strategy have left some players feeling frustrated.
“The ending made me almost cry, and you should really give this a chance if you like story-based games.”
“Beautiful game with a wonderful story, nothing to complain about; game mechanics are smooth and entertaining, and the writing is awesome.”
“It's beautiful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking; the developers put so much thought into this short story, I can't recommend it enough!”
“More of a click-thru story where you're just reading and barely interacting until the end.”
“The story is short and sweet so far, and I'm yet to buy the episodes.”
“Just a 'click to continue the story' game, no decisions nor skills required, and even then there's a paywall to the complete story.”
- emotional140 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players expressing that it made them cry, particularly during the touching endings and significant character moments. Reviewers highlight the heartfelt storytelling, character development, and the ability of the game to evoke strong feelings, making it a memorable experience despite its relatively short length. Overall, the game is described as both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, resonating deeply with players.
“Glad I waited through the credits, got a real conclusion to the story - even if it made me want to cry a little.”
“It's beautiful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. The devs put so much thought into this short story; I can't recommend it enough!”
“The storyline was amazing, the gameplay was simple, and the character interactions were so wholesome.”
“A glorified game of 'press the button we tell you to press' with shallow extras and a boring story.”
- gameplay106 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and lack of depth. While the story and art are often praised as captivating and charming, the gameplay is frequently described as repetitive, minimal, and primarily consisting of tapping prompts with little challenge. Overall, players feel that the game prioritizes storytelling over engaging gameplay, leading to a disconnect for those seeking a more interactive experience.
“Beautiful game with a wonderful story, nothing to complain about; the game mechanics are smooth and entertaining, the art style is pleasant, and the writing is awesome.”
“Great story, great graphics, simple and enjoyable gameplay.”
“Amazing and charming story with easy tap-to-move gameplay.”
“The gameplay is minimal, yes, but the story is cute.”
“There's no real gameplay as the game tells you every single thing you're supposed to do as far as I know.”
“Boring as hell, the gameplay is quite literally just clicking to go where the game tells you and reading dialogue.”
- graphics75 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming art style, often described as cute and reminiscent of retro pixel art. Many players appreciate how the visuals enhance the overall atmosphere and storytelling, contributing to an engaging experience. However, some users noted issues with bugs and performance, particularly with the game being stuck on beta graphics, which detracted from the overall enjoyment.
“Beautiful game with a wonderful story, nothing to complain about. Game mechanics are smooth and entertaining, art style is pleasant, writing is awesome.”
“Great story, great graphics, simple and enjoyable gameplay.”
“The game is so beautifully made, from the graphics to the story everything was beautifully woven into one soul-touching game which tells us about the sacrifices one has to make in order to make others happy.”
“However, I've encountered a lot of bugs, and the game is stuck on the beta graphics and crashes whenever I pick a menu option.”
“The graphic and gameplay are not very much to talk about, but what actually matters in this game is its story.”
“Graphics are well done, but the game is very slow and repetitive.”
- monetization71 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game primarily revolves around a combination of in-game ads and optional purchases, allowing players to either pay for full access or watch ads to unlock content. While many players appreciate the ability to play for free through ads, some express frustration over the frequency and placement of ads, which can disrupt gameplay and create a sense of a paywall. Overall, the approach is seen as a mixed bag, with some players finding it acceptable and others feeling it detracts from the experience.
“I love this game, you don't need to spend money; it's a choice, not like other games where you have to pay just to get no ads. If you don't, you get spammed with them and can't get a chance to play. It's a nice chilled game and the art is lovely.”
“I love this game, I bought the extra episode and no ads bundle, and it was worth it.”
“All the in-app purchases are totally worth it, and I would recommend you guys to play Bear's Restaurant first because some scenes are related to the game.”
“One word of warning: the full story is only unlocked after either purchase or through ads, so most may not see this touching story to the end.”
“I wouldn't have minded the cost if it was upfront about it, but serving ads the whole game and then dropping an upsell on you after a bait and switch ending sucked.”
“Story is okay, but before ending the story, the developer makes us watch 33 ads by making us collect 2000 coffee beans. This is no way to make money by messing with the players.”
- music35 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and emotional impact, particularly during key moments like the credits and boss encounters. Players appreciate the soundtrack for enhancing the overall experience, complementing the charming graphics and engaging story. Overall, the music is described as beautiful, fitting, and a significant aspect of the game's appeal.
“Best of all, I love the 'boss' soundtrack by Jinjo, so cool! 😎 Thank you for this game!”
“Beautiful story, amazing music, and a quick game!”
“I highly recommend this game; the music and the story, everything is good!”
“The soundtrack just matches the silly atmosphere, and yet somehow I feel like I'm gonna be tearing up at the storyline.”
“Now, my review about this game is 5 stars because the graphics, the story, and the background music, especially when my character kills the boss, almost made me cry.”
“The music, characters, ending.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players enjoying the cute and funny mouse animations, humorous dialogue, and amusing mechanics, such as the ghost gun. While the game starts off lighthearted, it also incorporates emotional depth, leading to a bittersweet ending that resonates with players. Overall, the blend of humor and touching storytelling creates an enjoyable experience that leaves a lasting impression.
“The mouse animations are so funny! I took many screenshots since the mouse looks so cute and badass.”
“A touching little story paired up with some cute and humorous events, definitely an hour well-spent.”
“Short and sweet, with surprises along the way; the funny things the ghost gun does are amazing.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging story and impressive graphics, which effectively draw players into the emotional experiences of the characters. The soundtrack complements the whimsical yet poignant tone, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
“Really nice story and graphics; it does a great job with the atmosphere, making you connect to the characters.”
“The story is quite nice; it gives you hints of what happened to the mouse and really pulls you into the atmosphere it creates.”
“The soundtrack perfectly matches the silly atmosphere, and yet somehow I feel like I'm going to be tearing up at the storyline.”
“The soundtrack just matches the silly atmosphere, and yet somehow I feel like I'm going to be tearing up at the storyline.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real depth or engagement.”
“While the visuals are appealing, the overall atmosphere fails to evoke any real emotion or connection.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues with the games, particularly on older devices like the Note 3 running Android 5, citing numerous visual glitches that render the games unplayable. While the gameplay and story are praised, the persistent glitches, especially related to movement, detract from the overall experience.
“Most of your games don't run well on my Note 3 devices (Android 5); there are a lot of visual glitches.”
“That's the last update for my phone, and while your games look fun, I experience a lot of visual glitches that make them unplayable.”
“The game and story were amazing, but please fix some glitches with the movement.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users find the game to be too linear, resulting in limited replayability and a lack of incentive to revisit the experience.
“It's too linear and it doesn't have much replayability.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highly praised, with players noting that the story is compelling and emotionally impactful, culminating in a moving ending that resonates deeply.
“The story was so good, the character development was excellent, and the ending was so moving it almost made me cry, which has never happened to me before.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game features smooth controls and runs without any performance issues, indicating effective optimization.
“The controls are seamless, and the game runs incredibly smoothly.”
“I experienced no issues with the controls, and everything operates flawlessly.”
“The optimization is top-notch, providing a smooth and responsive gameplay experience.”