Partum Artifex
- February 26, 2023
- DalaKoala Games
In Partum Artifex, receive a mysterious invitation to an exclusive art display, where you can also showcase your artistic skills. Handpicked for your creativity, you'll have the chance to collaborate on redefining art and potentially escape your mundane life. Reflect on the opportunity to achieve artistic immortality.
Reviews
- The game features a captivating atmosphere and a well-crafted story that keeps players engaged throughout.
- Puzzles are thoughtfully designed, providing a good balance of challenge without being overly frustrating.
- The graphics and sound design are impressive, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- Some puzzles can be obscure and may require external guides to solve, which can detract from the experience.
- The game is relatively short, which may not appeal to players looking for a longer gameplay experience.
- There are technical issues such as clunky inventory management and limited resolution options that can hinder gameplay.
- story80 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its depth and captivating nature, with many players appreciating the dark themes and unexpected twists that keep them engaged. The narrative is intricately woven into the puzzle mechanics, enhancing the overall experience, although some found the storytelling could benefit from a more straightforward approach. Overall, the combination of strong voice acting, atmospheric graphics, and a compelling storyline makes it a standout feature of the game.
“The story, the atmosphere, the creepy mannequins… this game isn’t a complete scare your pants off but gives you a feeling that you are being watched and feel like something is going to jump out at you at any given moment.”
“Dalakoala Games has put together some devious puzzles and an unnerving/captivating story to go along with it that really impressed this gamer very much.”
“There's just the right amount of tension and atmosphere; the story I didn't figure out until the end, which was great because it kept me guessing, and doesn't need or use jump scares to hold tension.”
“I think if the story were focused on telling it with real and concrete resources, avoiding supernatural elements, such as dolls appearing out of nowhere, it might be more interesting.”
“Another aspect of this game that bothered me personally is that the story heavily focuses on the murder of an innocent small child by his parents.”
“Storytelling: my biggest criticism might be about this.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its chilling and immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of tension and unease without relying on jump scares. Reviewers highlight the combination of eerie visuals, haunting music, and a compelling story that keeps players on edge, making it an excellent choice for fans of dark, atmospheric puzzle-solving experiences. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both captivating and perfectly suited to enhance the gameplay.
“Fantastic atmosphere, and a downright chilling mystery!”
“The story, the atmosphere, the creepy mannequins… this game isn’t a complete scare your pants off but gives you a feeling that you are being watched and feel like something is going to jump out at you at any given moment.”
“It's not overly intense to the point where it stresses you out but still provides a creepy enough atmosphere that you stay on high alert.”
“It truly sets a horrifying atmosphere that will have your morbid curiosity piqued as you solve puzzle after puzzle to see more into the twisted killer's mind.”
- graphics36 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Many reviewers noted that the visuals, combined with the sound design, create a captivating and immersive experience, despite some minor issues with the graphical interface and a bug affecting the final visuals. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the dark and puzzling narrative.
“Beautiful graphics, good story, good sounds; a lot of time was clearly put into this game.”
“What a hauntingly beautiful graphics and music, wonderfully detailed, challenging puzzler.”
“Captivating, challenging, amazing graphics, great ending.”
“Graphical interface: I found it a bit clunky and it could be more dynamic and easier to access, navigate, and interact with items.”
“A mild bug stops the final visuals from appearing if you don't wait long enough.”
“The level design, visuals, and music come together to create a tense environment as you explore the property housing the artwork of a killer's mind.”
- music28 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and custom composition, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and storytelling. While many players enjoy the soundtrack and its ability to enhance the gaming experience, some express a desire for more ambient sound and additional music throughout the game. Overall, the combination of haunting melodies and effective sound design creates a captivating and immersive environment.
“The music is wonderful, the creepy ambience, and the puzzles aren't too difficult to sort out but still provide enough of a challenge that I was just having a great time throughout.”
“It ramps up really nicely with the music and atmosphere building towards the conclusion.”
“- I wish there was more music.”
“The level design, visuals, and music come together to create a tense environment as you explore the property housing the artwork of a killer's mind.”
“- The music, for what there is of it, is really well done, and completely custom for the game.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay involves exploring an estate, solving puzzles, and uncovering disturbing scenes crafted by a serial killer, which creates a tense atmosphere. While some players appreciate the freedom to explore and the engaging elements, others find the gameplay to be boring and overly complicated. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some enjoying the immersive experience and others feeling it lacks excitement.
“The basic gameplay of the title has you exploring the estate, solving puzzles, reading notes, and witnessing the truly disturbing scenes the serial killer has created to express his artistic abilities.”
“Obviously some is there for gameplay flow and getting from point A to point B, but overall you have free reign, and exploring had me on edge the whole time.”
“I personally found the gameplay boring and excessively convoluted.”
“The basic gameplay of the title has you exploring the estate, solving puzzles, reading notes and witnessing the truly disturbing scenes the serial killer has created to express his artistic abilities.”
“Obviously some is there for gameplay flow and getting from point A to B, but overall you have free reign and exploring had me on edge the whole time.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the puzzles in the game are creative and promote exploration, they can also be tediously obscure, potentially leading players to rely on walkthroughs. This suggests a divide in player experience, with some enjoying the challenge and others finding it frustrating.
“I would stay away from this game unless you thoroughly enjoy tediously obscure detective-like puzzles where you will most likely be checking a walkthrough.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game particularly touching, highlighting the wholesome developer commentary at the end as a significant and heartwarming element that enhances the overall experience.
“The dev commentary at the end of the game is so wholesome!”