oath
- September 2, 2024
- vai5000
Get on Steam"Oath" is an interactive story-driven game with top-down RPG exploration and visual novel-style storytelling. The game features hand-drawn art and animation by the musician who created the companion EP for the game. Players can also access the EP and view an art gallery through the main menu. The story revolves around returning to a familiar town and confronting a face from the past.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features goated music and a visually stunning art style that enhances the overall experience.
- The storytelling is interesting and emotionally impactful, with clever dialogue options and metaphors that resonate with players.
- The game offers engaging puzzles and a unique atmosphere, making it a recommended experience for fans of the genre.
- Some players found the execution of the story to be lacking, with certain presentation elements feeling goofy or janky.
- Movement controls can feel overly snappy, and there are minor issues with dialogue triggers and visibility of UI elements.
- The battle minigame lacks depth and strategy, which may disappoint players looking for more complex gameplay.
- music22 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and emotional depth, enhancing the overall atmosphere and visual experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful and well-crafted soundtracks, with some noting inconsistencies in song charts but still recommending the game for its engaging music and visuals. Overall, the game's music is described as a standout feature that resonates with fans of the genre.
“The music is great, and the overall vibe is impeccable.”
“Amazing music, amazing atmosphere, amazing visuals.”
“Not only do I have some incredible songs to add to my playlist, but the atmosphere is unlike anything I've played in a long time.”
“The chart for the first song was a little inconsistent; some sections had a ton of notes and some didn't have very many, even though the song was of a relatively similar intensity throughout.”
“With music and sound design coming from an experimental music scene, it's no wonder the game sonically is crafted so carefully in such strange ways and conveys such specific feelings.”
“Even if you aren't familiar with vai5000 or don't care so much about the music aspect, it's still a neat little project for Omori or Milk Inside a Bag of Milk fans.”
- story14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some praising its interesting and ambiguous storytelling, engaging dialogue choices, and evocative visuals, while others find certain sections lacking in intrigue and depth. Overall, it is noted for its profound themes, particularly around trauma and relationships, and is complemented by strong music and artistic presentation. However, some players express a desire for improved translation and more intricate story elements in specific areas.
“I also really enjoyed the story and the scenes where you choose dialogue options.”
“The story does a really good job overall at keeping things ambiguous but giving you just enough info to tell what's going on.”
“A very short but profound story about what I perceived to be the difficulty someone faces when trying to leave their abuser whom they’re trauma-bonded to.”
“The story doesn't work for me, and some of the presentation feels a bit goofy.”
“I think the 'home' section didn't have quite as much intrigue as the first section, and I kind of wish it had more puzzles/story elements in it.”
“Without trying to sound condescending, the game's story is very late teen/young adult edge-ridden.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their unique and evocative art style, which enhances the game's atmosphere and storytelling. Players appreciate the combination of impressive visuals and music, noting that the artistic design is a significant draw for the game. Overall, the visuals are described as striking and impactful, contributing to a memorable gaming experience.
“Amazing music, amazing atmosphere, amazing visuals.”
“The visuals have such a neat, evocative style that make the story so much more hard-hitting.”
“The visuals are crazy.”
“The art style is what drew me to 100% the game.”
“The visuals have such a neat, evocative style that makes the story so much more hard-hitting.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its visually interesting and unique environments, complemented by an exceptional soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players find the combination of stunning visuals and immersive music creates a captivating and memorable atmosphere.
“It's mostly walking around and interacting/talking with things, so it's a good thing the places you walk around are very visually interesting, unique, and atmospheric.”
“Amazing music, amazing atmosphere, amazing visuals.”
“Not only do I have some incredible songs to add to my playlist, but the atmosphere is unlike anything I've played in a long time.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth and vulnerability, effectively conveying a personal narrative that resonates with players. It offers a realistic portrayal of the psychological impact of emotional abuse, blending elements of fear and comfort to create a compelling multimedia experience.
“It's very emotionally vulnerable and feels like a deeply personal project that really had something to say and was able to do that successfully.”
“I liked the psychological aspects as well, and it seems like a fairly realistic portrayal of what a person in an emotionally abusive relationship would be socialized into behaving due to the emotional abuse.”
“A very well-made multimedia experience that is emotional and scary, yet very comforting at times too.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it cleverly uses dialogue options to enhance character interactions, some users report that it can be demanding on hardware, causing increased fan activity, though overall performance remains stable without frame drops.
“The game runs smoothly on my system, and I didn't experience any frame dips or performance issues, even during intense moments.”
“Despite my laptop's fans kicking in, the optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
“I was pleasantly surprised by how well the game performed; it maintained a steady frame rate throughout my playtime.”
“It also doesn't run the greatest; my laptop fans kept turning on, but I never had any frame dips or performance issues.”
