Nairi: Tower of Shirin

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 87 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Nairi: Tower of Shirin Game Cover
Welcome to Shirin. See the sights, meet the locals. Just try not to get lost.
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"Nairi: Tower of Shirin" is a charming adventure game with puzzle-solving elements. Join Nairi, a young girl in a world filled with anthropomorphic animals, as she uncovers secrets and mysteries in the Tower of Shirin. Along the way, meet and help unique characters, and delve into a captivating storyline with engaging dialogue and lush, hand-drawn visuals.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 87 reviews
story41 positive mentions
character development2 negative mentions
  • The game features adorable characters and beautiful hand-drawn artwork that enhances the overall experience.
  • The story is engaging and has a whimsical charm, with moments of humor and depth that resonate with players.
  • Puzzles are mostly enjoyable and provide a good challenge, especially towards the end, making for a satisfying gameplay experience.
  • The game ends abruptly on a cliffhanger, leaving many plot threads unresolved and making it feel incomplete.
  • Navigation can be confusing due to the lack of a map, leading to frustrating backtracking between similar locations.
  • Many puzzles are overly simplistic, which may detract from the overall challenge and engagement for experienced players.
  • story129 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its engaging characters and charming art style, while others criticize its abrupt cliffhanger ending and lack of resolution, suggesting it feels incomplete. Some find the narrative straightforward and reminiscent of a storybook, while others note that it struggles with pacing and coherence, often feeling like a setup for a sequel rather than a standalone experience. Overall, the story is seen as intriguing and enjoyable, but many players express frustration over its unfinished nature and the need for a follow-up to provide closure.

    • “The story is great but it strongly implies that this is only part 1 and it's unfinished, so I assume there will be a part 2 coming soon.”
    • “Awesome story, lovable, cute characters, fun puzzles, and much more.”
    • “The story is engaging, the art is beautiful, there are lots of cute animal characters, and most of the puzzles are at a decent difficulty level.”
    • “The story starts off alright only to abandon any likable characters; from then on out, it’s a string of exposition dumps.”
    • “All of this I was willing to look past, and I managed to enjoy a decent bit of the game, but they ended the story on such a cliffhanger that it tainted the whole game and left a sour taste in my mouth.”
    • “It is not episodic; it is literally just a game that was made to not properly bring the story to a conclusion before it ends at a point where the story is clearly not close to ending.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful hand-drawn artwork and unique art style, which enhance the overall aesthetic and storytelling experience. Many reviewers highlight the charming visuals and attention to detail, particularly in the middle-eastern environment, while some express that the graphics are the standout feature amidst simpler gameplay mechanics. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it enjoyable despite its easy puzzles and cliffhanger ending.

    • “The artwork and cutscenes are beautiful.”
    • “Graphically, this point-and-click adventure game is graced with hand-drawn pictures with a penchant for details in the Middle-Eastern environment that dominates this franchise.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, the story is incredibly intriguing, and the puzzles are enjoyable and get quite challenging.”
    • “The visuals are all it has going for it.”
    • “Look, if really basic (and I mean really basic) anime style artwork that looks like it was thrown together by a grade-school kid trying to emulate anime doesn't turn you off, and silly, simplistic dialogue and a nonsensical plot that also seems like it was created by a pre-pubescent doesn't turn you off, more power to you.”
    • “I ultimately struggled to finish the game, not because of difficulty (because it is almost insultingly easy for the first 90% or so of the game), but because the plot, dialogue, and above all else, the art style, made me want to run off to some cloistered, rocky monastery somewhere and leave civilization behind.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its catchiness and charm, complementing the beautiful hand-drawn art and engaging story. Reviewers appreciate the relaxing and subtle soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience without being intrusive. However, some note that the soundtrack may not be particularly memorable and lacks variety, with a few mentioning the absence of voice acting.

    • “Music is catchy and hand-drawn art is beautiful.”
    • “Relaxing soundtrack.”
    • “The artwork is magnificent, the soundtrack is nice but subtle so it doesn't get on your nerves.”
    • “[soundtrack not memorable, no voice acting]”
    • “[point and click doesn't always work on small screen, short soundtrack]”
    • “Never in my life have I actually spent money on buying a soundtrack from a game.”
  • gameplay6 mentions

    The gameplay is criticized for being overly simplistic and repetitive, primarily consisting of point-and-click fetch quests and excessive dialogue that detracts from the experience. While there are interesting puzzles and challenges, the overall mechanics feel underdeveloped, leading to a lack of engagement over the game's length. Despite some enjoyable elements, many players find the gameplay tedious and lacking depth.

    • “Judging just by the gameplay, it has many interesting puzzles and challenges. It doesn't require excessive gear grinding, but just enough to make you take notes and backtrack frequently.”
    • “The mechanics are fantastic!”
    • “The rest of the gameplay is just really boring point-and-click fetch quest stuff.”
    • “Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue... 30 seconds of gameplay... repeat.”
    • “There are a bunch of mechanics that could be improved to make it a slicker game, but if you're looking for a lighthearted adventure to somewhere new, check it out.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The game is praised for its great humor, featuring a mix of cute character design and funny moments, including some surprisingly dark and adult-themed humor that elicits genuine laughter. While the humor is a highlight, some players note that certain story elements feel like meaningless filler, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Great artwork, great humor, great story, great puzzles.”
    • “Character design is super cute, there's lots of funny moments and some surprisingly dark moments too.”
    • “The interactions with side characters have some occasional adult humor that gave me a good chuckle.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by a mix of cute and humorous designs, alongside unexpected dark moments that add depth. The unique desert-like setting enhances the characters' appeal, though some reviewers liken the overall design quality to that of a b-tier animated film.

    • “Character design is super cute, there's lots of funny moments and some surprisingly dark moments too.”
    • “The character design is also pretty indicative of a B-tier animated movie.”
    • “The desert-like setting makes the character designs unique.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a wholesome and easily understandable story that evokes a mix of heartwarming moments and occasional sadness, leaving players feeling deeply connected to the narrative.

    • “So heartwarming yet sad at times.”
    • “As for the story, it hasn't been finished yet, but so far it's quite wholesome and easy to understand.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly when it involves navigating multiple screens, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. While many appreciate the variety of tasks, some feel that certain elements become frustrating, especially towards the end.

    • “Some of the first type can be a little tedious when you have to switch between 6 and 12 screens, but I loved them all until the very end, where 1 or 2 of the second type were totally wack.”
    • “Do you know how some point-and-click adventure games can feel tedious or even painful to play?”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its comedic elements and unique moments, contributing to an enjoyable experience that encourages at least one playthrough. Overall, it effectively combines engaging script and ambiance with challenging puzzles.

    • “The comedy, good atmosphere, and some of the unique moments made it worth playing.”
    • “The script, atmosphere, and puzzles all warrant at least one playthrough.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
    • “Despite some interesting elements, the overall atmosphere fails to create a compelling experience.”
    • “The game’s atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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