Once a Tale

About

"Once a Tale" is a story-rich narrative game inspired by classic fairy tales, where players guide Hansel and Gretel through a beautifully handcrafted world, experiencing the adventure through cinematic camera angles. As they search for their way home, players will solve puzzles and interact with various creatures using the siblings' unique abilities. The game offers a family-friendly, magical experience in a stop-motion style world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 54 reviews

story8 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and stunning fairy tale-like animation style that immerses players in a beautifully crafted world.
Puzzles are well-designed and challenging, providing hours of engaging gameplay that is suitable for the whole family.
The narrative is compelling and emotionally resonant, with a focus on storytelling that enhances the overall experience.

Some camera angles can make controls tricky, leading to frustration during gameplay.
There are reports of lag and poor controls that detract from the overall experience.
The game could benefit from additional features, such as voice acting, to enhance immersion.

story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The game's story is described as a captivating and innovative experience, reminiscent of a beautifully illustrated children's book, complete with handcrafted animations and vibrant visuals. Players are drawn into the lore and character fates, with engaging storytelling that combines humor and mystery, making it a recommended choice for story-driven enthusiasts and fairy tale lovers. The unique artistic style and interesting camera placement further enhance the visual storytelling, creating an immersive narrative journey.
- “From the moment you begin your journey in its vividly crafted world, the stunning graphics captivate you, painting every scene with a palette that feels like it's straight out of a vibrant storybook.”
- “The way the story unfolds is both innovative and captivating, ensuring that every player is hooked on the lore and the fates of the characters they meet.”
- “Very interesting art style and an interesting story with a fresh take on good old tales we all know and loved as kids.”
- “The storytelling is another aspect of the game.”
- “Beautiful video game adaptation of a classic story!”
- “Would recommend this game for story-driven enthusiasts and fairy tale lovers!”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique, fairy tale-like animations and vibrant storybook visuals that create an immersive experience. While many reviewers highlight the stunning artistic impression and handcrafted quality, some note issues with controls and outdated graphical performance. Overall, the art style is considered a refreshing and captivating element that enhances the gameplay.
- “The hand-crafted animations are beautiful, and the visuals really make you feel like you are living inside a children's book, flipping the pages to find a new character, new scenery, or new tale that will transport you into another story.”
- “From the moment you begin your journey in its vividly crafted world, the stunning graphics captivate you, painting every scene with a palette that feels like it's straight out of a vibrant storybook.”
- “The motion picture art style is gorgeous.”
- “Poor controls, ugly (mid 10's graphics) and locked at 60fps.”
- “Unique artistic impression in the graphics.”
- “Poor controls, ugly (mid 10's graphics) and locked at 60fps.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The gameplay is primarily puzzle-focused, featuring original stop-motion puppets that enhance the experience. While some camera angles may initially complicate controls, players will find a wealth of well-crafted puzzles that are both challenging and rewarding. As the game progresses, new abilities and mechanics are introduced at a satisfying pace, ensuring hours of engaging exploration.
- “The game is original and the stop-motion puppets bring flavor to the gameplay experience.”
- “Speaking of gameplay, the puzzles are brilliantly designed, challenging enough to be satisfying but never feeling insurmountable.”
- “While some camera angles can make controls a little tricky at first, once you get used to the mechanics, there is lots to be explored in 'Once a Tale' with hours of fun.”
- “The core gameplay is mostly puzzle-focused, and while this type of gameplay may not suit everyone's taste, a true attention to detail has been given to craft very well-made puzzles. Thumbs up to the designers!”
- “You unlock new abilities and discover new mechanics as the game progresses, and so far, they are introduced at a really great rhythm.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The music in the game is highly praised for its impeccable sound production and its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, perfectly complementing the narrative's emotional highs and lows. Reviewers highlight the beautiful soundtrack as a key element that, along with the visual style and engaging puzzles, contributes to the game's charm and immersive experience.
- “The sound production is impeccable, with a perfectly curated soundtrack that complements the highs and lows of the narrative.”
- “Lovely puzzles, a great atmosphere, and a beautiful soundtrack all come together and help this game become a real pearl!”
- “The music is beautiful, and the collectibles that are coming from different tales are fun to catch.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with particular emphasis on the beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of lovely puzzles and immersive music, which together create a captivating and memorable environment.
- “Lovely puzzles, a great atmosphere, and a beautiful soundtrack all come together to help this game become a real pearl!”
- “Special mention to the music that really contributes to the overall atmosphere of the title.”
- “Amazing atmosphere.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its compelling and emotionally resonant narrative that captivates players throughout, making it an engaging experience for families. Its unique art style enhances the storytelling, bringing classic fables to life in a wholesome manner.
- “It weaves a compelling narrative that is both engaging and emotionally resonant, keeping you invested from start to finish.”
- “This is a great wholesome puzzle game that I play with my kids :D. The unique art style breathes life into these classic fables.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through its engaging storytelling, which adds a comedic element to the fun and challenging puzzles. Players appreciate the blend of humor and gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The puzzles are fun and challenging, and the storytelling is quite funny.”

Buy Once a Tale

Once a Tale
$14.99
See offer on Steam

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About

Buy Once a Tale

Once a Tale

Videos

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