Parts of the Elephant

About

Parts of the Elephant is a single player action game with romance and drama themes. It was developed by 1 head 2 skulls and was released on May 14, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Parts of the Elephant is a short and moody visual novel where you decide which threads to follow as the world keeps moving around you. Explore the liminal space of a creepy hotel, find interesting strangers, and learn lessons vicariously through the brief glimpses of their lives that you can peer into - or just make an ass out of yourself until you pass out drunk in someone's bed. Tonigh…

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100%Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

story7 positive mentions

Incredibly well-written narrative with unique, surreal, and thought-provoking storytelling that encourages multiple playthroughs.
Great replay value due to branching stories and exploration mechanics that reveal new content each time without excessive repetition.
Excellent artistic direction, character design, immersive music, and atmosphere that blend mundane and surreal elements effectively.

The game is very short, with some players feeling it is more like a demo or vignette than a full-length experience.
The story and endings can be overly enigmatic or vague, leaving many loose ends and mysteries unresolved, which may frustrate some players.
Some choices feel limited or unrealistic, and there is a lack of positive or varied ending outcomes, leading to a somewhat depressing tone.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
The story of "Parts of the Elephant" is praised for its surreal, intriguing, and richly layered narrative that blends the mundane with the mysterious through excellent writing and character design. Players enjoy piecing together multiple choice-driven storylines and exploring haunting, interconnected backstories, though some find elements intentionally ambiguous, encouraging thoughtful reflection. Overall, it offers a unique, immersive experience that rewards exploration and repeated playthroughs.
- “Spectacular writing, good character design, and I enjoyed how the mundane and surreal were blended together to keep the player guessing at the central mystery of the story.”
- “The writing is so good that you don’t even notice how smoothly it’s pulling everything together until you’ve experienced the story as a whole.”
- “There are a lot of storylines based on your choice, along with interesting backstories of each character that you get to meet in the game; just by choosing an option in a different order, you get a whole new storyline to discover.”
- “Even discovering all of the parts of the elephant, I still felt as though there were storylines I was perhaps missing to gain a clearer picture; I was confused about how some elements connected overall.”
- “There are a few things that I wish were different as far as storytelling goes.”
- “There is a lot of storylines based on your choice, along with interesting backstories of each character, but the way the story unfolds can be confusing and disjointed.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Users praise the game's unique and captivating visuals that enhance the narrative experience, highlighting incredible artwork and creative settings. However, some express a preference for a more stylized UI/UX, as they found the background art less appealing. Overall, the graphics effectively complement the storytelling but have room for refinement in interface design.
- “Really cool narrative style of something different happening in each place depending on the time you go there combined with very unique and interesting visuals.”
- “I had such a good time navigating the winding story-lines in the elephant hotel, and that experience was only amplified by the great writing and incredible artwork.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers excellent replayability, providing increasing thematic depth and intrigue with each playthrough. Despite its relatively short duration, it remains engaging and enjoyable for multiple sessions.
- “The replay value is fantastic, revealing more thematic depth and intrigue each time.”
- “It is relatively short but has excellent replay value.”
- “Fun game, with good replay value, great for a couple hours of playing!”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music effectively sets a haunting tone that heightens tension and encourages exploration, contributing to an immersive and captivating gaming experience.
- “The music helps set the tone and unnerve the player, prompting them to investigate a little further than they might normally.”
- “Very good game that gives you a captivating experience with immersive music and sounds.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is praised for its spectacular writing and well-crafted design, effectively blending mundane and surreal elements to maintain intrigue around the story's central mystery.
- “Spectacular writing, good character design, and I enjoyed how the mundane and surreal were blended together to keep the player guessing at the central mystery of the story.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's strong atmosphere creates an immersive and relaxing experience, making it especially enjoyable for late-night play before bed.
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is praised for its replayability, allowing players to easily explore different story branches without repeatedly experiencing the same content, enhancing the overall experience.
- “If you want to experience the game over and over again and see what else it has to offer, you easily can without needing to relive every last bit of content you may have seen several times already to get to that branch point. An underrated mechanic if you ask me.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect is portrayed as a complex, multifaceted experience where individual perspectives are limited, highlighting the need for communication and understanding to grasp the full, unified meaning beyond isolated interpretations.