Paws of Coal

About

"Paws of Coal" is a cozy detective adventure where you play as Charles, a scholar investigating an outbreak in the mining town of The Burrows. With productivity suffering and miners on strike, it's up to you to find a solution and uncover the true nature of the outbreak. Featuring multiple endings, your choices will determine the fate of The Burrows and its critters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

story6 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Charming art style and well-written dialogue create an engaging narrative experience.
The game features intriguing world-building and complex themes, including socio-political struggles and moral dilemmas.
The deduction mechanics are novel and enjoyable, allowing for multiple endings based on player choices.

The game is very short, ending abruptly and leaving players wanting more content.
Technical issues, including bugs and unresponsive controls, can hinder the gameplay experience.
The user interface can be confusing, making it difficult to navigate and interact with elements in the game.

story
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
61%
13%
The story is a charming yet mature exploration of a rabbit outbreak, filled with potential for world-building and engaging character interactions, though it ends abruptly after a brief narrative arc. While the plot is straightforward and easy to follow, it leaves players wanting more depth and expansion, particularly in its systemic themes. The game features multiple endings and a detective-style gameplay that enhances the storytelling, making it appealing for those who enjoy rich narratives, despite some technical issues.
- “I absolutely loved this game, from the lore to the story in general - I loved the genuine scientist/detective mechanics with finding evidence, making deductions, and doing research with every ounce of information at your disposal.”
- “The game features several different endings to different storylines, an engaging cast of characters, and a promise of more animal adventures in the future.”
- “The story feels like a very brief snapshot of a world/society with complicated systemic issues.”
- “-only thing that slightly bothered me was that it seemed to promise more story than it delivered.”
- “The story teases elements of the larger world in a way that makes you hungry for more, but the game unfortunately ends fairly abruptly after you solve the outbreak.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The gameplay is centered around engaging deduction mechanics that encourage players to gather clues, make moral decisions, and solve puzzles, though some users found the navigation and user interface to be less than optimal. While the investigative elements are praised for their originality and depth, the gameplay leans heavily on reading and dialogue, resembling a visual novel. Overall, players appreciate the light detective work and the intriguing mechanics, despite some clunkiness in the clue system.
- “I was mostly intrigued by the deduction mechanics, and the game delivers.”
- “Even better, after a little over an hour of gameplay, Paws of Coal presented me with a moral decision so organic in its conception that I really needed to take time to consider my options and discuss it within the game's world.”
- “I absolutely loved this game, from the lore to the story in general. I loved the genuine scientist/detective mechanics with finding evidence, making deductions, and doing research with every ounce of information at your disposal.”
- “The game is also a bit tricky to navigate; it took me a while to get the hang of stairs or the journal riddle-solving mechanic, as there is no tutorial.”
- “I'm not sure the UI was optimal for the main mechanic, which is doing the investigation.”
- “A small game where you do some light detective work, but the majority of the gameplay is still reading, which brings it closer to the visual novel genre.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
Overall, the game's graphics are praised for their charming art style and character design, creating an engaging and immersive experience. While the animations and visuals are well-received, some users noted a mismatch between character art and background aesthetics, suggesting a need for better cohesion. The combination of appealing graphics and a beautiful soundtrack contributes to a heartwarming atmosphere, though some players wished for additional audio elements to enhance the overall presentation.
- “I really liked the animations, the art style, and the writing.”
- “The world has a very good design and the graphics are a lot of fun.”
- “An awesome little gem of a game with hyper-cute visuals and an engrossing storyline.”
- “Given the game as it stands (length, price), the repass on matching the visuals to the theme of the game seems like the option that makes more sense.”
- “The character art doesn't quite match the art style in the background; maybe the whole thing needs a faint lighting/color palette adjustment to make them really seem like they go together.”
- “The soundtrack and artwork, character and backdrop, are both lovely, although I found myself wishing for some more interface sounds, and a little bit of voice acting, just to polish the overall design off.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
10%
20%
The music in the game is generally praised for being beautiful and fitting the theme well, contributing to an immersive experience. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive and expressed a desire for more variety, such as additional interface sounds or voice acting. Overall, the music complements the charming art style and enhances the game's atmosphere.
- “Art style and graphics are pretty charming and the music is beautiful.”
- “I really love the music and the art.”
- “A great game with an interesting premise set in an animal kingdom with wonderful art and relaxing music.”
- “Cute game, there are a few small things it could have done better (mainly the soundtrack), but nothing major.”
- “The soundtrack and artwork, character, and backdrop are both lovely, although I found myself wishing for some more interface sounds and a little bit of voice acting, just to polish the overall design off.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a profound and introspective experience rather than traditional fun, appealing primarily to thoughtful teens and adults. The combination of audio and visuals contributes to a heartwarming atmosphere, enhancing the overall emotional impact.
- “Audio and visuals create a heartwarming experience.”
- “It's not 'fun' (as in a happy, energetic, emotionally easy time) and I don't think anyone but thoughtful teens and older would enjoy it.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability has improved significantly, with no crashes reported. However, users still encounter persistent pathing issues and minor formatting inconsistencies, such as font size changes and a punctuation typo.
- “The game does not crash anymore, but the pathing is still extremely buggy.”
- “I did notice a very slight bit of formatting inconsistency (font size changing) and one punctuation typo, but otherwise did not encounter any glitches.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a whimsical humor that resonates well with players, often eliciting genuine laughter, which is a rare achievement for many.
- “Lastly, there's the prevailing whimsical humor.”
- “The game made me laugh out loud, something that seldom happens to me.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game features multiple endings, many users feel that its overall replayability is limited, suggesting that the experience may not significantly change upon subsequent playthroughs.
- “I know that there are multiple endings, yet I think the replayability of this game is not that great.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in the game is characterized by a sense of atmospheric parasitism, suggesting a unique and immersive environment that may evoke feelings of unease or tension. This creates a compelling backdrop that enhances the overall experience, drawing players deeper into the game's world.