PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,507 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo Game Cover
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a pleasant surprise from Squire Enix, a brilliant work of art that sets the genre's standard even higher.
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In PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo, players investigate a series of ghost stories in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, uncovering the hopes, fears, and deadly curses of unique characters. As ordinary office worker Shogo Okiie, you and a friend visit Kinshibori Park at night to investigate the Seven Mysteries of Honjo, leading to a mysterious "Rite of Resurrection" with supernatural consequences. This horror-adventure visual novel game is now Steam Deck Verified.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,507 reviews
story478 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • Engrossing story that pulls you in from the first chapter.
  • Well-written and charming characters that feel real and relatable.
  • Great art style and music that enhance the overall experience.
  • The ending feels rushed and may not satisfy all players.
  • Some puzzles and mechanics are underutilized throughout the game.
  • The game can feel overly linear, with limited choices impacting the story.
  • story1,113 mentions

    Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo features a captivating and intricately woven narrative that combines elements of horror, mystery, and folklore, engaging players from the start with its unique storytelling mechanics. While the game is praised for its compelling characters and plot twists, some players found the ending unsatisfying or felt that certain story elements were rushed or underdeveloped. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate a rich narrative experience, despite some critiques regarding pacing and predictability.

    • “Paranormasight has an engrossing story that pulls you in from the first chapter.”
    • “The story, music, and characters are all so well done and incredible; I genuinely wish I could go back in time just to experience this game brand new all over again. If you like horror stories and timeline-based games, please consider checking this one out; it's so good and deserves so much more love!”
    • “The story is incredibly good and engaging, with some fun twists and a great atmosphere.”
    • “I just don't think it delivered in the story department.”
    • “The game's presentation and initial ideas presented were fantastic, but it didn't really do much interesting with its puzzles past the initial surprises and the story felt somewhat incomplete or just unsatisfying.”
    • “The story is quite linear since most of your choices do not matter much.”
  • gameplay269 mentions

    The gameplay of "Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo" is primarily focused on reading and making choices typical of visual novels, but it introduces several innovative mechanics that encourage players to think critically and interact with the story in unique ways. While some players appreciate the clever puzzles and fourth-wall-breaking elements, many feel that the gameplay lacks depth and consistency, particularly as the game progresses, leading to a more linear experience. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging story and atmosphere, but it could benefit from a more robust implementation of its gameplay mechanics.

    • “The gameplay is simple, but it works.”
    • “Paranormasight has puzzles and mechanics that I have never seen in a video game, let alone a visual novel.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics are interesting and engaging, and I only got stuck a few times trying to figure out what to do.”
    • “The gameplay is sparse, and while there are a few puzzles to solve throughout the game, most of the gameplay consists of making choices of what to do next, many of which have well-designed consequences - though some lead to outcomes that feel a little contrived.”
    • “But the meat of the game is far too linear, there's basically no gameplay to speak of, and the branches and backtracking mechanisms are extremely limited.”
    • “Unfortunately, these ideas don't last for long after the prologue and the game falls into a more comfortable and standard visual novel gameplay style.”
  • music230 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its haunting, immersive quality that complements the story and visuals. While the soundtrack features standout tracks that players found memorable, some noted instances of repetition and occasional mismatches with the on-screen action. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength of the game, contributing to its eerie and engaging experience.

    • “The music is absolutely phenomenal.”
    • “The music in Paranormasight is fantastic, and it really sets the mood for the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing, the art is awesome, and the game makes good use of its format as a piece of media.”
    • “There's a couple of instances where the music for a scene really doesn't fit what's happening.”
    • “The soundtrack is a bit repetitive.”
    • “A lot of scenes suffer from the same music and it's jarring.”
  • graphics198 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their unique and captivating art style, which combines retro aesthetics with expressive character designs and atmospheric visuals. Many reviewers highlighted the effective use of music and sound design to enhance the eerie ambiance, while some noted limitations in animation and resolution options. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and immersive, significantly contributing to the game's engaging storytelling and horror elements.

    • “The art style is beautiful and the game gets the horror parts just right for the game to be spooky at times but still have a coherent storyline with some good mystery.”
    • “The visuals, characters, gameplay, and mystery are all top notch.”
    • “The art style combined with the very unique setting and how all these characters wrap themselves in the story and mystery of the 'rite of resurrection' while still having believable personalities that interweave with these things makes it both interesting and a worthy purchase.”
    • “The graphics in Paranormasight are well-drawn, and while there isn't much animation, it doesn't hinder the game experience at all.”
    • “These aesthetics remain throughout the entirety of the game; however, I do wish that more CGs were included, potentially even with more animations, as I was left yearning for more visuals.”
    • “The story isn't engaging, the puzzles can be very cheesy, and the 'horror' theme is just an aesthetic: it feels more like a detective/mystery game.”
  • atmosphere98 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by striking artwork, haunting music, and a compelling narrative that draws players into its spooky world. Many reviewers highlight the effective use of 360-degree environments and sound design to create tension and a sense of unease, making it a captivating experience for fans of atmospheric storytelling. While some note that the game isn't overly scary, its ability to evoke a chilling ambiance and engage players emotionally is consistently commended.

    • “The way it was able to mix mystery and the paranormal was quite enjoyable, and the way it was able to set up such a spooky atmosphere with its visuals, music, and story heavily immersed me in the game.”
    • “The atmosphere is immaculate, the mystery is compelling, the characters are appealing.”
    • “The setting, music, and art style come together to perfectly wrap this game up in an atmosphere that locks you in from start to end.”
    • “I wouldn't go into this game expecting to be particularly scared; the atmosphere is certainly eerie, but the writing has more in common with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure than with Junji Ito.”
    • “Only real downside is it loses most of the actual horror vibes pretty early on, but the suspense and atmosphere more than make up for it.”
    • “Although not a gruesome game by any means, it thrives on its mood and atmosphere.”
  • character development30 mentions

    Character development in *paranormasight* is praised for its engaging and immersive storytelling, complemented by stunning character designs from Gen Kobayashi, known for his work on *The World Ends With You*. While the character arcs are generally well-received, some reviews note that the payoff may not fully meet expectations due to narrative issues. Overall, the combination of compelling character moments, a rich atmosphere, and distinctive visual style contributes to a memorable experience.

    • “I was incredibly invested in the characters' fates and the intertwined stories, and in love with the character design.”
    • “The character designer, Gen Kobayashi, is more known for his works in The World Ends With You series and makes a very distinct impression in making everything look grounded yet stylized and memorable.”
    • “Really nice mystery horror visual novel game, at first I thought it was about unraveling the 7 mysteries one by one but that's not what it is. However, I was still pleasantly surprised by the game with its character development and story.”
    • “The character designs and art style are particularly fantastic, the limited animation is expressive, and the varied camera angles and shots help bring visual diversity to mostly still imagery.”
    • “The writing/story and music is pretty good; but the presentation, as in: the vibe, character design, sound effects, game mechanics, all of them are literally perfect.”
  • emotional27 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players experiencing profound feelings ranging from joy to grief, often resonating deeply with the characters and their struggles. While some found the emotional highs and lows impactful, others felt that pacing issues and a lack of investment in the characters diminished the overall emotional impact. Overall, the game successfully blends heartfelt moments with darker themes, creating a complex emotional landscape that appeals to fans of horror and mystery narratives.

    • “This game made me cry :(”
    • “The game had so many emotional moments that hit really hard as someone who's been struggling with grief recently, and I can't help but find myself resonating with the characters a lot.”
    • “The story is very good as I said, I won't go into details but it touches on a lot of dark subjects and hits a lot of emotional beats that make you feel a lot of different ways about these complicated characters who all have their differing ideas of what's going on within the world.”
  • humor25 mentions

    The humor in Paranormasight is described as a well-integrated element that provides relief amidst its darker themes, with genuinely funny moments and character interactions that enhance the overall experience. While some characters and plot points may feel underdeveloped, the game successfully balances humor with mystery and horror, creating memorable and engaging moments. Overall, players appreciate the clever writing and character design that contribute to its comedic appeal, though it may not reach the heights of other humor-centric titles like Ace Attorney.

    • “The writing is also just a little bit better than Death Mark or AI: The Somnium Files - it's actually funny when it tries to be, and it isn't relentlessly and obtrusively horny.”
    • “The fact that there's so much heart and humor woven into this dark story makes it one that will stay with you long after you've stopped playing.”
    • “Some of the characters will get you into stitches for how funny they are, and the game isn't all too melancholic in itself with the deaths and curses going about.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find value in revisiting for missed details, others argue that once the story and puzzles are fully experienced, there is little incentive to replay. The overall sentiment suggests that replayability largely depends on individual preferences, with some viewing it as a blessing and others as a curse.

    • “There's quite a bit of replay value, as well, considering there are things you can very easily miss if you're not paying attention.”
    • “Its replayability will be dependent on whether you're the type of person to re-read books over and over, but cost vs value is definitely there whether you are or not.”
    • “🔲 Infinitely replayable”
    • “Although I'm not sure if replayability in this (meta) context is a blessing or a curse.”
    • “I only consider replayability to be for games that have value when replaying the full game all over. As a result, Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo does not have any replayability unless an individual is looking to re-experience the game in its full, but it won't have its significance or impact anymore.”
    • “The mystery itself and puzzles are smart, and while there's almost no replayability once you 100% it, the journey definitely makes this a worthwhile experience.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the multiple endings and the depth of the narrative, many feel that the excessive reading and repetitive actions required to unlock content can be tedious and outdated. The need to replay sections for specific dialogue prompts adds to the grind, making it a chore for some, despite the overall enjoyment of the story.

    • “I usually feel tired having to replay a visual novel for multiple endings, but for this game, it is very well done and not tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “All the tedious reading of information you just trip into is constant and so, so annoying.”
    • “I consider this to be tedious and outdated game design, but I guess it's not uncommon for point-and-click adventure games like this one.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed; while it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck and provides an enjoyable experience with minimal frustration, users report some minor glitches and bugs that detract from overall performance.

    • “The game runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “The game is a perfect fit for the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly (although you will have to call up the on-screen keyboard occasionally).”
    • “Not much else to say other than the fact that it was a fun time with very little frustration, and it runs great on the Steam Deck (with only having to remember the keyboard prompt at certain points).”
    • “The game is a buggy mess.”
    • “It currently has a few small glitches that I've encountered, but nothing game-breaking.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The game's monetization strategy has been criticized for its lack of advertising, with users expressing that it deserves more promotion given its quality. Despite being a shadow-dropped title with minimal marketing, players have found the game to be a pleasant surprise, highlighting its strong character development and engaging story.

    • “The fact this game doesn't have more advertising is criminal.”
    • “Square Enix was wrong for barely advertising this game!”
    • “It was a shadow-dropped game, zero marketing and advertising, and I can say it's better than Forspoken already.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on the device without any issues reported by users.

    • “Runs smoothly on the deck with no problems.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
10-11hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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