Nephise

About

"Nephise is a single-player Adventure game with a focus on atmosphere, spectacular visuals, and compelling music. As you explore the enchanted forest and silver cave, you'll solve puzzles by rotating statues and collecting red orbs, all while being guided by the narration of an elder. The game is a short and relaxing experience, ideal for those seeking to immerse themselves in a mysterious and moody world."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 490 reviews

story40 positive mentions

gameplay8 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and calming atmosphere create an enjoyable experience.
The game features a nice little puzzle and a humorous twist at the end.
It's a short, relaxing game that can be completed quickly, making it suitable for casual play.

The game is extremely short, taking only about 15-30 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
Slow walking speed and lack of a sprint option can make the gameplay feel tedious.
The story is vague and lacks depth, with many elements feeling disconnected or unexplained.

story
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
67%
12%
The story in the game is widely criticized for being minimal, incoherent, and lacking depth, often described as non-existent or merely a collection of random elements that fail to form a cohesive narrative. While some players appreciate the visuals and atmosphere, many find the storytelling to be simplistic and unsatisfying, with a few noting that it feels more like a walking simulator than a fully realized game. Overall, the narrative is seen as a weak point, with many reviewers recommending it only for those who prioritize aesthetics over story.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “While quite simple, the story in Nephise is effective and amusing, and as such marks a bit of a departure from the more somber topic matters covered in the Drizzlepath series.”
- “The narration has good voice acting, and the story is short, simple, and concise with a funny little twist at the end.”
- “The 'story' was not even that, and you literally will never get through it without a walkthrough because the 'answers' to the puzzles are illogical and sometimes flat out wrong.”
- “The story is non-existent, the puzzles can't even be considered easy because they practically don't exist, and it may or may not have been made for the sole purpose of eating up as much of your time as possible.”
- “The story is pointless and goes nowhere.”
music
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
The music in the game is generally described as relaxing and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience with its soothing melodies and harmonious tones. However, many players noted that the limited variety and repetitive nature of the soundtrack can detract from the immersion, leading to a sense of monotony during extended gameplay. While some found the music charming and fitting for the game's aesthetic, others felt it became annoying after prolonged exposure.
- “This game features a silent protagonist with an awesome narration to fill in the atmosphere as well as beautiful music, perfect for the puzzle-solving occasion.”
- “The atmosphere is very much dream-like and mystical, backed by relaxing music.”
- “I enjoyed the environment and musical overture that filled my headset as I made my way through the game.”
- “After walking 30 minutes around the map with no clue and the same music looping again and again, I don't feel like the game is giving any worthwhile experiences.”
- “The music gets pretty annoying after hearing it in a loop.”
- “Meanwhile, repetitive harp music and surprisingly crisp but repetitive crunchy snowy footsteps drill a jagged hole into your brain.”
graphics
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many players noting that they are visually pleasing and suitable for a low-cost indie title. While some describe the visuals as rudimentary or lacking in detail, others highlight stunning landscapes and a calming atmosphere, particularly appreciating the snowy environments and artistic design. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's relaxing experience, despite some criticisms regarding performance and texture quality.
- “I got this game with a coupon for 0.66€ and I was absolutely stunned by its beautiful visuals and the calming voice of the narrator.”
- “First off, the visuals of this game are absolutely stunning.”
- “I found myself playing a strangely relaxing game with beautiful graphics for the next forty minutes.”
- “Graphics are fine - a bit colourless and grey.”
- “There's not a lot to say, it's a short (~60 minutes) walking simulator that has an alright-looking world but piss-poor graphics performance, which seems a trademark of this particular developer.”
- “Bought this game because the graphics looked really pretty and it was cheap, and gotta say...in this case, you get what you pay for.”
atmosphere
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
45%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its dream-like and mystical qualities, enhanced by calming music and effective narration. Players appreciate the soothing and quaint environment, although some note that the repetitive music can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy atmospheric puzzle games and slower-paced experiences.
- “The atmosphere is very much dream-like and mystical, backed by calming harp music.”
- “This game features a silent protagonist with an awesome narration to fill in the atmosphere as well as beautiful music, perfect for the puzzle-solving occasion.”
- “It really sets up an atmosphere and keeps that atmosphere throughout the whole game.”
- “A very short walking sim, heavy on atmosphere, light on practically everything else.”
- “There isn't really any story or gameplay for this game, just atmosphere.”
- “What little atmosphere it builds is quickly destroyed by really out-of-place video-game-y collectibles.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
71%
19%
The gameplay in "Nephise" is largely criticized for being minimal and unengaging, with many reviewers noting that it consists mainly of simple tasks like collecting orbs and solving basic puzzles. Players report a very short playtime of around 15 to 30 minutes, with significant mechanical issues that detract from the experience. While the atmosphere and music are appreciated, the overall gameplay lacks depth and fails to deliver a compelling narrative or challenge.
- “I like that the collecting mechanic was kept and that the narration had a direction (although it might have been a little too spot on lol).”
- “Definitely not a lot of time required to beat the game but easily 30 minutes to an hour worth of gameplay.. where else you going to be entertained for an hour for $2?”
- “The gameplay in Nephise is not so dissimilar to previous titles from Tonguc, but does actually rely more on puzzles and less on actual exploration.”
- “Gameplay: there is none.”
- “There are considerable mechanical and interactive issues: inability to reach areas that look imminently navigable, getting trapped in areas without an exit, arbitrary changes to area access, and loss of motion during some narration, including repeats of that narration, which are easy to trigger on accident.”
- “There's no gameplay other than: a) turn a few statues, b) collect orbs that can be seen from a mile away and c) defeat the final (and only) 'boss' by simply touching it.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
15%
The humor in the game is primarily centered around its abrupt and hilarious ending, which many players found to be a standout feature. While some noted that the puzzles were not particularly funny, the overall narrative and voice acting contributed to a lighthearted experience, culminating in a funny twist that left a positive impression. Overall, the game is described as short but filled with moments of genuine humor.
- “I think that the ending is absolutely hilarious and I really enjoyed the game overall.”
- “It's short, genius, and absolutely hilarious.”
- “The narration has good voice acting, and the story is short, simple, and concise with a funny little twist at the end.”
- “The humor in the game feels forced and falls flat.”
- “The jokes are repetitive and fail to land.”
- “The comedic elements are too brief and lack substance.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant issues such as crashes, terrain glitches, and getting stuck in the environment. However, there are also positive notes regarding the well-designed menus and a lack of major bugs, suggesting that while there are stability concerns, the overall experience may vary among players.
- “On the plus side, the menus are well-designed, and the game is not buggy.”
- “There's something to be said about these positive reviews when my game crashed on the menu while I wanted to change the volume. I got stuck on or in-between several objects and honestly couldn't get further as I found the buggy presentation and narration incredibly frustrating to hear. I even got stuck slightly in the air and managed to break the narration by just approaching the same object twice.”
- “The most props I can give to this particular directionless buggy mess I got for extremely cheap is that it visually looks nice, and I'm sure it tells some kind of story somewhere.”
- “I saw many terrain glitches.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting persistent stuttering regardless of settings adjustments. Despite its visually appealing world, the graphics performance is deemed subpar, reflecting a consistent issue associated with the developer. Overall, the optimization is considered poor.
- “There's not a lot to say, it's a short (~60 minutes) walking simulator that has an alright-looking world but poor graphics performance, which seems to be a trademark of this particular developer.”
- “Was very boring; I found that no matter what settings I changed, the game kept stuttering.”
- “Poor optimization.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has limited replayability, with many players feeling that the story does not warrant multiple playthroughs. Achieving 100% completion can be done in under an hour, further diminishing its replay value. Overall, most users agree that once or twice is sufficient to experience the game fully.
- “The story doesn't offer much replayability, so twice was enough for me.”
- “Not much of a replayable experience.”
- “Furthermore, even clueless dingbats like yours truly can probably get 100% of the achievements in under an hour, so I'm not going to pretend it's a game with a lot of replay value.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game evokes a sense of nostalgia and childlike wonder, reminiscent of carefree play in a park. However, the simplistic gameplay mechanics, such as turning statues and collecting easily visible orbs, may leave players questioning the depth and reasoning behind the character's actions, particularly in relation to the final boss encounter.
- “Made me feel like a child in the park.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, particularly due to repetitive tasks like collecting orbs and solving puzzles. While the scenery is appreciated, the overall experience can feel dull and unengaging.
- “The scenery is rather pretty, though due to the tedious task of walking around collecting orbs and rotating statues, it can come off as a little boring.”
- “She falls into a drunken stupor and dreams that she does a boring puzzle, explores a cave, kills a man, and drinks more; I mean, spends the night at an inn and then has to do an extremely tedious puzzle.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for being a cash grab, with accusations of plagiarism due to the lack of credit given to the original artists and developers of the assets used. This has led to concerns about the ethical implications of the game's financial model.
- “The developers didn't credit any of the artists and real game developers who created the assets, so this is plagiarism, as well as a cash grab.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many paywalls in a game that could have been enjoyable without the constant push to spend more money.”