Photographs
- April 3, 2019
- EightyEight Games
Get on Steam"Photographs" is a single-player mystery simulation game with exceptional graphics and music. The game features good mechanics, combining puzzle-solving and narrative to tell a beautiful and wholesome story, all within a condensed three-hour gameplay experience. Players search and solve puzzles to develop scenes and hear stories, resulting in a unique and engaging gaming experience.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game features beautifully crafted pixel art and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience.
- Each of the five stories is unique and well-written, effectively exploring heavy themes of tragedy and regret.
- The puzzles, while sometimes frustrating, are varied and tied to the narrative, providing a creative way to engage with the story.
- The puzzles can be tedious and detract from the storytelling, often interrupting the emotional flow of the narratives.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that the content does not justify the price, especially at full price.
- Many players found the writing clichéd and the pacing drawn out, leading to a lack of engagement with the endings.
- story103 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a collection of five vignettes, each featuring unique characters and emotional narratives, but the integration of puzzles often detracts from the storytelling experience. While some players appreciate the connection between gameplay and narrative, many find the puzzles frustrating and feel they disrupt the flow of the story, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall impact of the narrative. Despite its shortcomings, the writing and voice acting are praised, with some stories delivering a strong emotional punch, though the gameplay mechanics may leave players wanting a more seamless storytelling experience.
“I've just crossed the halfway mark, and I have to say that this has been an excellent example of less is more - they chose a visually interesting aesthetic, and then leaned into building a strong connection between the mechanics of puzzle-solving as a means to reinforce the story.”
“The storytelling style is neat, too, making use of both narration and observation and reinforcing it all through the puzzles.”
“Every story was unique and different and even though they were short, they were the perfect length each time to make a lasting impact.”
“A story that's impossible to take seriously, packed in the worst sokoban variation I've ever seen.”
“The puzzles are unnecessary and detract from the story.”
“But ultimately this feels like a storytelling session bogged down awkwardly by its gameplay.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by its simplicity and a variety of puzzle mechanics that aim to enhance the narrative experience, though opinions are mixed. While some players appreciate the integration of gameplay with storytelling and the unique mechanics introduced in each vignette, others find the puzzles tedious, poorly explained, and at times frustrating, detracting from the overall immersion. The artistic presentation and emotional narratives are praised, but many feel that the gameplay does not consistently support the story, leading to a lack of coherence and enjoyment.
“Very interesting game mechanics and stories.”
“Amazing how they are able to connect gameplay to story in such a subtle way.”
“Each of the 5 short stories has a completely different type of puzzle, and their mechanics change as you progress to reflect the developments in the narratives they accompany.”
“Gameplay-wise, this game is dreadful.”
“The narration is very well done, the only con is that the gameplay tends to be a little frustrating despite it really representing well how people lived their stories.”
“But ultimately this feels like a storytelling session bogged down awkwardly by its gameplay.”
- music19 mentions
- 79 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting Ben Prunty's soundtrack as a standout feature. It complements the engaging narrative and pixel art, creating a relaxing and immersive experience that players appreciate, often leaving the music on in the background. Overall, the combination of music, visuals, and storytelling is noted as a key strength of the game.
“The game has wonderful music, visuals, and unique and fun puzzles.”
“The visuals and music by Ben Prunty are the best aspects of the game; both are quite pleasing.”
“The music is really beautiful and helps create a nice, relaxing atmosphere for the game.”
“The music is atmospheric and beautifully supports the story.”
“Everything ties really well together, from the aesthetic to the music, enhancing the narrative and puzzles.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's graphics have received widespread praise for their creative and aesthetically pleasing pixel art, which effectively enhances the storytelling and emotional depth of the narrative. Players appreciate the detailed visuals and the consistent art style, noting that the graphics, along with the music, are standout features that contribute to an immersive experience. Overall, the combination of visually interesting aesthetics and engaging mechanics has resonated well with users, making the graphics a highlight of the game.
“The stories are well told and the graphics are very nice compared to the first games.”
“I really like the game's narrative, the heartstring-pulling stories, the beautifully detailed pixel graphics complemented and explored with the camera lens mechanics.”
“I am in love with the aesthetic of this game and the pixel art and the color schemes for the different levels were super pretty.”
“The artwork is meh.”
“The only part that held up was the pixel graphics.”
“I bought this game because of the pixel graphics, the photography element, and because I love puzzle and story-heavy games.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt narratives and impactful storytelling, which evoke strong feelings and reflections on regret and difficult choices. However, the inclusion of puzzles detracts from the emotional immersion for some players, interrupting the flow of the poignant stories. Overall, while the game delivers significant emotional weight in its short duration, the puzzle mechanics may hinder the full emotional experience for certain users.
“Its a very emotional game, and often makes you question the regret in your life and the lives of others.”
“Each scenario lasts less than an hour, but packs a serious emotional punch as each story unfolds.”
“The stories are heart-wrenching and most definitely have you feeling for the characters making the difficult decisions.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that it offers only a few hours of gameplay without significant incentives to replay. Suggestions for improvement include adding more levels, higher difficulty options, and achievements to enhance replay value. While some players express a desire to revisit the game, the current structure limits its long-term appeal.
“I'd love it if there was an update on some of the puzzles, like if more levels were added so you could get different ones each time you play. If there were options for higher difficulties with more challenging puzzles, it would really enhance the replay value!”
“I can see myself playing it again in the future. It would be great if achievements were added to this game too for more replayability because I love completing achievements.”
“It takes about 3 hours to finish, although there are some multiple choices near the end, which could potentially add some replay value.”
“So this game has 2 hours worth of gameplay with no replayability.”
“There's just no replayability, which is sad when the story is about choices.”
“It takes about 3 hours to finish, although there are some multiple choices near the end, not sure if they add any replay value.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and repetitive, particularly after completing the main story. The desire to explore multiple endings is overshadowed by the lengthy and monotonous gameplay required to achieve them, making the effort feel unjustified for the brief rewards.
“The sequence after completing the five main stories is tedious; the idea of it being a difficult decision is notable, but the rinse and repeat makes it too drawn out.”
“I would love to watch the other endings, but playing through the whole game again for each ending would be really tedious and not worth the 5-minute epilogue.”
“There's no way I'll sit through 2 more hours of rather tedious gameplay for each ending just to see a short cutscene of 'what ifs'.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its beautifully written story, complemented by a captivating and relaxing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
“The focus is on the story, which is beautifully written and supported by an atmospheric soundtrack.”
“The music is really beautiful and helps create a nice, relaxing atmosphere for the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that while the puzzles can be enjoyable, the frequent bugs significantly detract from the experience, leading to frustration when having to replay them multiple times.
“The puzzles are fine, maybe even a bit fun, but not enough for me to play that same buggy puzzle ten times per character; it gets irritating very fast.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it impossible to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay and made it frustrating.”
