Richard & Alice

About

Richard & Alice is a single player role playing game with a drama theme. It was developed by Owl Cave and was released on June 5, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Richard & Alice" is a point-and-click adventure game that takes place in a frozen, post-apocalyptic world. The story revolves around Richard and Alice, two strangers who form a bond while surviving in a crowded shelter. Players uncover the mysteries of their past and the harsh world outside through exploration and conversation. The game features a branching narrative with multiple endings based on the player's choices.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 228 reviews

story136 positive mentions

graphics15 negative mentions

Engaging and emotional story that tackles dark themes of survival and morality.
Well-written dialogue and character development that keeps players invested.
Multiple endings provide replay value and encourage exploration of different choices.

Slow walking speed and cumbersome navigation detract from the overall experience.
Graphics are simplistic and may not appeal to all players.
Puzzles are often too easy, leading to a lack of challenge for seasoned players.

story
349 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
4%
The story of "Richard & Alice" is a poignant and emotionally charged narrative set in a post-apocalyptic world, exploring themes of survival, loneliness, and human connection through the intertwined lives of its two main characters. While the game features multiple endings influenced by player choices, some players found the pacing slow and the dialogue occasionally lacking in realism. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its depth and ability to evoke strong emotions, making it a compelling experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “The characters, while not being animated to show much emotion, came to life beautifully through some excellent dialogue and a story that kept its pace high and never pulled its punches.”
- “Richard & Alice is a game that I would recommend to users who love a good storyline.”
- “The story is very emotional and will touch your heart and soul.”
- “The storyline here, pitch black as it is, falls apart into a self-righteous, quasi-religious, philosophical mess, where any potential poignancy and relevance becomes impossible to take seriously due to comical 'dragon warrior'-styled graphics.”
- “There's simply far too little stuffing here for one to take the game seriously, so Richard & Alice ends up just being dark for darkness' sake, without the character development or backstory required to really make anyone care about what's happening to the folks as the story unfolds.”
- “For a player who was more into the story than I was, I could see where this might be interesting, but the slow pace of both the story and character movement made it more of a chore than it was worth.”
graphics
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
64%
22%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players describing them as mediocre or simplistic, often reminiscent of older titles. While some found the visuals lacking and clunky, others appreciated their minimalist style, noting that they effectively complemented the game's strong narrative. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics are not the main draw of the game, as the engaging story and atmosphere take precedence.
- “The graphics can be a little inconsistent in quality, but when they're good they look fantastic.”
- “The graphics are actually really clever and suit the title well.”
- “The art style is pretty and a lot of it reminds me of 'To the Moon'.”
- “The graphics were a bit of a letdown though and I experienced some minor sound glitches when moving into new areas, but these things didn't bother me too much as it's all about the story, which is solid.”
- “Being a low-budget indie game that was chosen through Steam's Greenlight program, it comes as no surprise that the graphics are simply just mediocre.”
- “The low-res pixel graphics are ugly enough to actively harm the experience, and the writing often tends more to the casual than transcendental.”
gameplay
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The gameplay is primarily a blend of point-and-click mechanics and visual novel elements, with a focus on storytelling rather than challenging gameplay. Many players found the movement slow and the puzzles relatively simple, leading to a frustrating experience that detracted from the overall enjoyment. While the narrative is compelling and well-executed, the gameplay often feels clunky and underwhelming, making it less appealing for those seeking a more engaging interactive experience.
- “Gameplay-wise, it almost feels half point-and-click adventure and half visual novel as there's a fair bit of reading to be done.”
- “The gameplay supports the plot rather than being an unnecessary distraction, as in often purely plot-focused games.”
- “I've found that some games stop themselves up with complicated puzzles and frustrating mechanics, but most of the puzzles in this game are easy to figure out and keep you thinking.”
- “The gameplay, despite its simplicity, manages to be disappointing thanks to the incredibly slow movement speed, paired with a couple of large, empty screens, making exploration (or back-tracking) a painful experience.”
- “The gameplay is not very good; there's way too much slow walking back and forth through screens.”
- “The endless dialogue interspersed with occasional gameplay is a bit annoying.”
emotional
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The emotional aspect of "Richard & Alice" is highlighted by its deeply engaging and poignant narrative, which resonates with players through its well-developed characters and touching dialogue. While the game effectively conveys a heavy, dystopian atmosphere that elicits empathy, some players found it challenging to fully invest emotionally due to pacing issues and a rushed conclusion. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke strong feelings, making it a memorable experience despite its technical shortcomings.
- “This low-budget point and click title manages to convey this desolate world well, whilst developing characters that players can connect with on an emotional level.”
- “The dialogue is nicely done and emotional when it needs to be; I found myself feeling empathetic towards the characters as the game neared its end.”
- “The story is very emotional and will touch your heart and soul.”
- “Bad writing, boring story, terrible controls and art style. Not worth it at all. I kept on playing, assuming it would pick up, but it didn't. Don't waste your time on this.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
46%
11%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke emotions, often drawing comparisons to the haunting soundscapes of Silent Hill. While some found the soundtrack fitting and impressive, others noted its simplicity and occasional repetitiveness, leading to mixed feelings about its memorability. Overall, the sound design, though sparse at times, effectively contributes to the game's dark and immersive setting.
- “The music is good and sets the tone of each level.”
- “While the graphics are on the poor side, the soundtrack is great and matches important scenes well.”
- “A great game followed with an amazing soundtrack and a perfectly unveiling story.”
- “There are no voice-overs or any soundtracks, so there is nothing to comment on here.”
- “The art is MS Paint level, and the music and production values overall aren't any better.”
- “[*][b]music:[/b] bland and ominous.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
22%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively conveying a cold, dystopian world filled with mystery and tension. While the background music enhances the experience, some critiques mention that the dialogue could be more meaningful to further enrich the atmosphere. Overall, the combination of strong visuals, a thought-provoking story, and a bleak setting contributes to a compelling atmospheric experience.
- “Overall, a pretty good, cheap game with a nice story and cool atmosphere.”
- “It has a very immersive atmosphere clouded with mystery and an eerie sense of a dystopian world in which both Alice and Richard inhabit.”
- “The story and the atmosphere of this point-and-click adventure are amongst the best I have experienced in my gaming.”
- “It references such bleak post-apocalyptic fiction such as 'The Road', but the visuals in the game are not conducive to the similar atmosphere it's going for.”
- “Not only is the dialogue and story poorly paced, but it actively fights against its own atmosphere.”
- “Though at times it works well to enhance the atmosphere of a cold, dying world covered in snow.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game offers some replayability primarily through multiple endings and achievements, appealing mainly to hardcore point-and-click fans. However, the inability to skip dialogue and the tedious nature of the gameplay detract from the overall experience, making replaying less enjoyable for many players. Overall, while there is potential for replay value, it is limited and may not satisfy all players.
- “Also, the multiple endings give this lots of good replay value, something which I plan on doing.”
- “This would seem to give it more replayability than, say, To the Moon.”
- “There is definitely replay value in order to get all the endings and achievements, but there's a pretty big con about this: you can't skip the dialogue, plus you have to know when to save so you don't have to go through whole sequences again.”
- “Not much replay value, except to get the different endings, but the story makes the game worth the price.”
- “The game is over in two hours, the replay value is zero except to see alternate endings, and the gameplay itself is irritating in the snow area.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to slow walking speeds and excessive pixel hunting, which detracts from the overall experience. The dialogue often adds to this frustration, with uninspired small talk making exploration feel like a chore. Overall, the combination of these elements leads to a lack of replayability and enjoyment.
- “They grow tedious when in the big areas later on, in part because of the deathly slow walking speed (with no option to speed up).”
- “Add the tedious pixel hunting and it just left me in a bad mood, for the wrong reasons.”
- “It's not a huge hassle to click places to walk, but clicking and then waiting idly for the character to walk is quite tedious.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with no major glitches reported. While some users experienced minor sound issues and graphical disappointments, these did not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “The graphics were a bit of a letdown, and I experienced some minor sound glitches when moving into new areas. These things didn't bother me too much as it's all about the story, which is solid.”
- “On the positive side, the art is pretty decent (but I like pixel art), and I never encountered any game-breaking glitches.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The optimization of the game has been criticized for being problematic, with users experiencing significant issues that prevent it from running smoothly, even for those familiar with troubleshooting finicky games. Despite these challenges, the game's narrative and emotional impact remain strong, suggesting that the optimization issues do not detract from the overall experience.
- “It's not like it's my first rodeo working with finicky games or stuff made in weird, old, or poorly optimized engines: I've messed with RPG Maker runtimes and tweaked graphical settings for bad game launches (Dead Island and Dark Souls launches come to mind). I've disabled dual monitor support for games that refused to load on the appropriate monitor, but I've never had a game just simply refuse to budge.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of light-hearted moments and deeper, more poignant themes, creating a memorable emotional experience. While the drama is well-executed, some players expressed a desire for more comedic elements, particularly in the environmental design. Overall, the humor complements the narrative effectively, enhancing its impact.
- “At times funny, sometimes sad and moving, the story really stays with you, even after you're done with it.”
- “It has good drama and small bits of light humor.”
- “The graphics are good, but funny thing - personally, I wanted more trees in the stage layouts!”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The character development in "Richard & Alice" is criticized for being insufficient, lacking the depth and backstory necessary to engage players emotionally. Reviewers note that the game fails to provide substantial dialogue or meaningful growth, resulting in a narrative that feels dark without purpose.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters as their stories unfold.”
- “The way the characters evolve throughout the game is impressive, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
- “I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of character arcs, which added significant emotional weight to the overall narrative.”
- “There's simply far too little substance here for one to take the game seriously, so Richard & Alice ends up just being dark for darkness' sake, without the character development or backstory required to really make anyone care about what's happening to the characters as the story unfolds.”
- “You would expect a game centered on character development to have large, meaty dialogue chunks, but it does not.”