Nephise Begins
- April 24, 2017
- Tonguç Bodur
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Nephise Begins" is a short, atmospheric puzzle game set in a sunny and foggy forest. Gather animal skulls to use on tall amphoras and toggle the HUD for details. The game features relaxing music and a narrating elder voice, with a focus on creating a relaxing mood for players.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and atmospheric sound design create a relaxing experience.
- Simple gameplay with easy achievements makes it accessible for all players.
- Short playtime allows for a quick, enjoyable session without a significant time commitment.
- Very short game length (around 20-30 minutes) may leave players wanting more content.
- Lacks a save feature, requiring players to complete the game in one sitting.
- The story is minimal and can feel confusing or lacking in depth, with simplistic puzzles.
- story64 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The story of "Nephise Begins" is described as atmospheric yet ultimately disappointing, with a dark undertone that contrasts with its beautiful visuals and soothing narration. Many reviewers found the narrative sparse, confusing, and lacking depth, often feeling more like a demo than a complete game. While some appreciated the game's aesthetic and relaxing experience, the consensus is that the story fails to provide a compelling or coherent journey.
“Nephise Begins is a delightful, atmospheric game that tells the story of Nephise before she became an orb collector.”
“The atmosphere is the game’s standout feature, enhanced by soothing music and an elder narrator who guides the story.”
“It tells a short, simple story set to lulling music.”
“The story is almost inexistent and really basic and horrible; the narrating voice is still very unpleasant and walking in this game is unbelievably slow.”
“30+ minutes to complete, despite this game being about how Nephise started on her orb collecting adventure series, the actual story is… disappointing and sparse; the ending is strange and quick.”
“This is just a bunch of assets crammed together in the framework of a game, but there is no plot and no point.”
- music56 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its soothing and relaxing qualities, enhancing the atmospheric experience of the lush environments. However, many players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, detracting from the overall enjoyment, especially during longer play sessions. While some appreciated the beautiful compositions and fitting themes, others felt that the music did not fully align with the game's setting and could become annoying with its loops.
“The atmosphere is the game’s standout feature, enhanced by soothing music and an elder narrator who guides the story.”
“It has beautiful music and atmosphere.”
“The music is good.”
“Unfortunately, the essence of the entire game, which would be to be a walking simulator, is choppy by nature and did not feel pleasant.”
“The music is worse than in the original and extremely repetitive, apart from the ending where it gets slightly better, although the entire ending sequence is probably the most appalling and embarrassing I have ever seen in a video game.”
“Awfully repetitive music.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and immersive atmosphere, effectively conveying a mystical feel. However, many users noted significant issues such as graphical errors, muddy textures, and unnatural lighting, which detract from the overall experience. While the visuals are a highlight, they are marred by glitches and inconsistencies that prevent them from reaching their full potential.
“Beautiful graphics, great potential but lack of running option is a big minus.”
“Despite its faults, I can’t really give this a negative review because the game is cheap and the graphics are gorgeous; I did like walking around for 30 minutes taking screenshots.”
“Great graphics and immersive environment.”
“Even though there are a few places in the game that are definitely worth seeing and worth a screenshot, if you look closer, you will notice that there are a lot of graphical errors, muddy textures, and a lot of reloading.”
“Even though the setting is completely different, the graphics are quite bad this time, with very unnatural lighting and frequently glitched textures.”
“The graphics in Nephise Begins is where I really see an actual decline from previous entries.”
- atmosphere21 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in 'nephise begins' is widely praised for its calming, fairy-tale quality, enhanced by soothing music and a guiding narrator. While the visuals and overall ambiance create an immersive experience, some players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and that excessive narration detracts from the immersion. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a brief, atmospheric journey, despite its limited interactivity.
“The atmosphere is the game’s standout feature, enhanced by soothing music and an elder narrator who guides the story.”
“It has beautiful music and atmosphere.”
“It has the same dreamy, mystical atmosphere of its predecessor and relaxing music to complement the visuals.”
“Basically, the atmosphere conveyed in the forest is well implemented and, as in every Tonguç Bodur game, there are always 'eye-catchers' that convey a great atmosphere, but I think that is simply not enough.”
“The atmosphere is calming but not a whole lot to do.”
“The atmosphere was full of life when I started the game, and I felt like I was roaming around my own little tale. It fades real quick though. The problem is surprisingly with the narration and design of the game; it's just too much. The constant narration telling you exactly how to do every puzzle without trying ruins the immersion that all the other aspects create.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay of 'nephise begins' is generally considered light and short, appealing more to players who value ambiance and atmosphere over complexity and challenge, with playtime averaging around 30-45 minutes. While some players appreciate the achievements and pleasant environment, many criticize the lack of substantial gameplay elements, likening it to other walking simulators that offer more engaging experiences. Overall, the game is seen as decent but not worth purchasing at full price due to its brevity and minimal interactive content.
“Relatively short, but I certainly enjoyed the music, atmosphere, and gameplay.”
“The game itself is good but very short, so bear that in mind; I'm talking less than 1 hour of gameplay to complete.”
“For those seeking more complex gameplay or longer playtime, 'Nephise Begins' might feel a bit light, as it is primarily designed for players who appreciate mood and ambiance over challenge.”
“I wouldn’t bother buying this game because there are some equally pretty walking simulators out there that actually have some sort of gameplay.”
“Pleasant environment, but hardly anything resembling gameplay.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and whimsical elements, drawing comparisons to "The Stanley Parable" but lacking its narrator's interactive annoyance. Players appreciate the amusing scenarios, such as a parody boss fight and the comical concept of a guardian fox ascending, which elicits genuine laughter. Overall, the humor is described as quirky and fitting well within the game's casual and colorful setting.
“It reminded me a little bit of 'The Stanley Parable' but without the narrator reacting to you, getting annoyed at you, and the meat humor, and much, much shorter...”
“Another very short casual walking simulator that is a prequel to the game called 'Nephise', featuring a colorful autumn valley, collecting skulls for a puzzle to solve, picking mushrooms, and yet another funny parody at a boss fight.”
“Walking in the forest, eating magic mushrooms, looking for bones to let the gigantic fox fly away—funny concept...”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often involving repetitive fetch quests that can feel monotonous. The lack of a save feature exacerbates this issue, making it difficult to manage long sessions of grinding.
“Very tedious.”
“Tedious fetch quests.”
“That is because if there was a save feature, you might actually be able to handle the long, tedious fetch quest over several sessions.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting that it is very short and offers no incentive to play again, as all achievements can be easily obtained in a single playthrough. Overall, the consensus is that the replay value is virtually nonexistent.
“Very short game with no replayability value.”
“Otherwise, don't bother; entertainment value is severely limited, and replayability value is nonexistent.”
“Replay value - very bad - none at all as all the achievements can be easily gained in the first playthrough.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the emotional depth brought by the voice acting, which creates a cozy atmosphere. Additionally, there is a sense of empathy towards the game's creatures, suggesting a desire for more nuanced interactions rather than simplistic violence.
“The voice acting was excellent and made me feel cozy.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally acceptable, with users noting that while it looks good most of the time, there are frequent graphical glitches, particularly with textures flickering or appearing missing.
“The graphics are good but still have many glitches; the stones on the sides flicker often and look like the texture on the side is missing - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti.”
“But to be fair, it looks good most of the time, apart from a few glitches.”
