Nairi: Tower of Shirin
- November 28, 2018
- HomeBearStudio
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"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
Reviews
- Adorable art style and charming characters that create a delightful atmosphere.
- Engaging story with interesting plot twists that keep players invested.
- Puzzles are mostly intuitive and enjoyable, providing a satisfying challenge.
- The game ends abruptly on a cliffhanger, leaving many plot points unresolved.
- Some puzzles can be overly simplistic, while others spike in difficulty unexpectedly.
- Navigation can be confusing at times, leading to tedious backtracking.
- story309 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Nairi: Tower of Shirin" is described as charming and engaging, featuring a whimsical world populated by anthropomorphic animals and a young protagonist navigating a complex narrative filled with intrigue and emotional depth. However, many reviewers express disappointment over the abrupt cliffhanger ending, indicating that the game feels incomplete and is essentially just the first part of a larger story, leaving players eager for a sequel. While the art and character design are praised, the pacing and structure of the story receive mixed feedback, with some finding it tedious due to excessive fetch quests and exposition.
“The art and story make for a perfect combo that reminds me of reading a good adventure book.”
“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.”
“Absolutely delightful, this is a world I deeply want to delve deeper into with its beautiful hand-drawn art, soothing music, and remarkably intriguing story and puzzles.”
“The story is incomplete, but I think it's not a big problem.”
“The game ends on a cliffhanger right when the story is picking up pace.”
“It is not episodic; it is literally just a game which 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.”
- graphics84 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, hand-drawn art style, often compared to Ghibli aesthetics, which adds a delightful visual appeal to the experience. Players appreciate the cute character designs and vibrant environments, noting that the artwork significantly enhances the overall enjoyment of the game, despite some criticism regarding the simplicity of the story and puzzles. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, making the game visually engaging and appealing, particularly for a younger audience.
“The artwork and cutscenes are beautiful.”
“Tower of Shirin has a setting that's a lovely hand-drawn mix of a storybook aesthetic with an Arabian setting, and adorable animal characters litter the world.”
“The art style is gorgeous and stylized.”
“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.”
“Visuals are shown in crayon-like drawings, except that it has softer strokes and color.”
- music41 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and catchy qualities, perfectly complementing the charming visuals and engaging gameplay. While some reviewers noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive or subtle, the overall consensus is that it enhances the game's delightful atmosphere and emotional depth. Many players found the combination of beautiful hand-drawn art and well-crafted music to be a standout feature, contributing significantly to their enjoyment of the experience.
“Absolutely delightful, this is a world I deeply want to delve deeper into with its beautiful hand-drawn art, soothing music, and remarkably intriguing story and puzzles.”
“The writing was fantastic, the characters are lovable, the dialogue is funny, the art is beautiful, the puzzles are logical, and the music always sets the mood perfectly.”
“Beautiful artwork, wonderful music, and fun quirky characters.”
“The visuals are stunning, but the music gets annoying at times.”
“Sounds and music: 5/10, okay, nothing to be in awe of but nothing to whine about.”
“Never in my life have I actually spent money on buying a soundtrack from a game.”
- gameplay33 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the clever puzzles and art style, while others find it tedious and overly reliant on point-and-click fetch quests. Many reviews highlight the lack of challenge and the repetitive nature of the gameplay, particularly in the latter half, where backtracking and filler content detract from the overall experience. Overall, while there are moments of fun and innovation, the gameplay often feels simplistic and stretched thin.
“The gameplay and puzzles/riddles were pretty fun, but what I loved most was the characters and art style.”
“The art is just so lovely, the music fits perfectly, and the puzzles and gameplay are clever and never frustrating - there's a very good sense of 'a-ha!'”
“The puzzles presented in the game are innovative and very well mixed with new mechanics that are tied to the interesting and unpredictable story.”
“The rest of the gameplay is just really boring point-and-click fetch quest stuff.”
“The gameplay, while manageable and even sometimes fun at first, becomes unbearably tedious in the latter half as the map becomes somewhat bloated, with tons of clicking between screens and not much happening in a series of fetch quests for random NPCs that distracts from the actual plot; it's about 30% filler overall, if I had to think up a percentage, and it really shows.”
“Sadly, much of the gameplay is tedious back and forth on absurd fetch quests.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game becomes increasingly tedious, particularly in the latter half, where players encounter numerous fetch quests and excessive backtracking through multiple screens. While some puzzles are well-balanced and engaging, the overall gameplay is marred by repetitive tasks that detract from the narrative and exploration experience. Many players felt that the game could benefit from a more streamlined approach to its quests and navigation.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The gameplay, while manageable and even sometimes fun at first, becomes unbearably tedious in the latter half as the map becomes somewhat bloated, with tons of clicking between screens and not much happening in a series of fetch quests for random NPCs that distracts from the actual plot; it's about 30% filler overall, if I had to think up a percentage, and it really shows.”
“Sadly, much of the gameplay is tedious back and forth on absurd fetch quests.”
“The second half also gets pretty tedious with fetch questing that slows everything down for a while.”
- humor15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its charming humor, with many players enjoying the witty dialogue and funny character interactions. While the humor is often light-hearted and relatable, some moments also delve into darker themes, creating a balance between hilarity and emotional depth. Overall, the writing and character design contribute significantly to the game's comedic appeal, making it a delightful experience for players.
“The protagonist herself was likable as well, and I think the younger crowd would relate to her and enjoy the humor of the dialogues between characters.”
“Charming little adventure game with a diverse cast of fun, cute, and interesting characters that make for quite an interesting story. Some scenes are surprisingly sad, while others are outright hilarious.”
“The writing was fantastic, the characters are lovable, the dialogue is funny, the art is beautiful, the puzzles are logical, and the music always sets the mood perfectly.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, featuring lovable characters and touching dialogues that evoke a range of feelings, from joy to sadness. While the story is still unfolding, players appreciate its mystical charm and the emotional depth that can lead to unexpected moments of poignancy. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a gentle, feel-good experience.
“Every character is lovable and friendly in some way, giving a heartwarming feeling when you are talking to them.”
“So heartwarming yet sad at times.”
“If you're looking for a heartwarming, chilled, and innocent story, I'd heartily recommend playing this game.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted by charming and unique designs that enhance the likability of each character, with many reviewers noting the balance of humor and darker themes. The setting contributes to the distinctiveness of the characters, and the surprising twists in their development keep players engaged despite limited time for deeper exploration. Overall, the character design is reminiscent of a rough animated movie, adding to the overall appeal.
“The character designs are superb; each character is more likable than the previous one, which is important when you don't have a whole lot of time to get to know them.”
“Many comments on how cute everything looked, and the 'shocking' twists in character development kept people entertained.”
“Character design is super cute, with lots of funny moments and some surprisingly dark moments too.”
“The character design is also pretty indicative of a rough animated movie.”
“Many comments on how cute everything looked and the 'shocking' twists in character development kept people entertained.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its fantastic character interactions and engaging dialogue, contributing to a unique and enjoyable experience. The blend of comedy and memorable moments further enhances the overall ambiance, making it a worthwhile play.
“Fantastic atmosphere, characters, and dialogue!”
“The comedy, good atmosphere, and some of the unique moments made it worth playing.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, as players enjoyed their initial experience but found little incentive to play it again.
“Replayability: not really”
“The game lacks the depth to encourage multiple playthroughs.”
“Once you've completed the story, there's little incentive to return.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches and a smooth performance throughout.
