Saint Maker
- February 22, 2023
- Yangyang Mobile
- 12h median play time
Get on Steam"Saint Maker" is a horror-themed visual novel where players assume the role of a priest investigating supernatural events in a secluded village. Through choice-driven dialogue and action, players uncover the dark secrets of the village and confront the source of its curse, while balancing their own faith and morality. The game features atmospheric visuals, a haunting soundtrack, and multiple endings based on the player's decisions.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The story is emotionally gripping and tackles deep themes of religious trauma and generational abuse, resonating with many players.
- The voice acting is exceptional, adding depth to the characters and enhancing the overall experience.
- The artwork and atmosphere are well-crafted, contributing to a haunting and immersive experience.
- The game is very linear with minimal branching choices, leading to a lack of meaningful player agency.
- Some players found the pacing slow, particularly in the beginning, and felt that certain plot points were predictable.
- There are technical issues, including bugs that can disrupt gameplay, and some players felt the game was not worth its full price.
- story330 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Saint Maker" is generally well-received, praised for its emotional depth and exploration of heavy themes such as religious trauma and personal struggles, though it is noted to be linear with limited player choices that do not significantly alter the narrative. While some players found the pacing uneven and the plot twists predictable, many appreciated the strong voice acting and art, considering the story engaging and impactful despite its brevity. Overall, it is seen as a compelling visual novel that, while not as interactive as its predecessor "The Letter," offers a powerful and touching narrative experience.
“Amazing art, phenomenal voice acting, and a legitimately good story.”
“This was a heartbreaking, powerful story about religious abuse and how the cycle of it perpetuates.”
“The story is gripping and made me very emotional.”
“The story, or what passes for one, meanders like a lost soul in a purgatory of half-baked ideas.”
“It's shallow and presenting the player with choices that actually aren't choices, because ultimately it doesn't matter what you pick; the story won't change anyway.”
“The entire game is entirely backloaded, and some of the backloading feels like it's there to drive sympathy for another character than to actually drive the story forward.”
- emotional52 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players describing it as a powerful and heartbreaking experience that tackles themes of religious trauma, abuse, and personal struggles. The writing and voice acting are noted for their ability to evoke strong feelings, often leaving players in tears and deeply invested in the characters' stories. While some felt the lack of gameplay elements diminished emotional investment at times, the overall narrative impact and emotional depth were considered significant highlights.
“This was a heartbreaking, powerful story about religious abuse and how the cycle of it perpetuates.”
“It has a lot of incredibly emotional moments and I actually teared up a few times.”
“Ohhhh my god, this game was such an emotional roller coaster but I loved every minute!”
- graphics28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful and eerie art style, while others criticize it as bland and inconsistent. Many reviewers appreciate the overall aesthetic and how it complements the narrative, highlighting the effective use of visuals alongside strong voice acting and sound design. However, there are notable mentions of artwork that fails to engage, leading to a divided opinion on the game's visual appeal.
“The artwork was beautiful and eerie.”
“It has its little flaws, like any game, but it has an excellent script, an untraditional narrative, beautiful graphics, and an amazing soundtrack.”
“It also has great graphics, art style, amazing soundtrack, fun characters, and details.”
“The visuals are as bland as a bowl of unseasoned porridge.”
“A story that goes nowhere... voice acting that grates on the nerves... an overuse of... well, you get it... and artwork that’s as exciting as watching paint dry.”
“Artwork was sometimes inconsistent.”
- music24 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting quality and ability to enhance the unsettling atmosphere, particularly in the context of the story's horror elements. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as perfectly tuned to each scene, contributing to the overall immersive experience alongside the beautiful art and strong voice acting. Overall, the combination of music, art, and narrative creates a compelling and engaging environment for players.
“Art is immaculate as usual, the music is perfectly tuned for each scene... I went into this thinking it can't be that good, being so different from the letter which is one of my all-time favorites, but this really sizes up.”
“The music really added to the unsettling atmosphere of the convent.”
“The music is haunting, the story well-written, and the English voice acting - a rarity in a visual novel - is top notch.”
“Art is as beautiful as always, some tense moments in here, fitting soundtrack.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as unsettling and eerie, particularly enhanced by its music and sound design, which contribute to a chilling experience in the convent setting. While some reviewers appreciated the serious tone and creepy elements, others felt that the horror aspect was toned down compared to previous titles, with less emphasis on blood and spookiness. Overall, the oppressive ambiance of the church effectively evokes a sense of discomfort and urgency.
“The music really added to the unsettling atmosphere of the convent.”
“They nailed the creepy atmosphere, the horror moments were solid and the sound design was 10/10.”
“Unlike the letter, the creepy factor is very toned down as there's not much blood or spooky atmosphere beyond a few backgrounds and a few other things I won't spoil here. I was expecting it to be much more 'horror'.”
“The suppressive atmosphere of the church and learning what had happened there is chilling and honestly makes you want to leave as soon as possible.”
“It wasn't so obvious in the letter because it was more cartoonish, while in this one it's trying to be something else. It's like they wanted to make the art more serious to fit the atmosphere but also didn't want to let go of the anime look.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a "pick-your-choice" mechanic that, while disappointing to some, emphasizes thematic choices over significant plot-altering decisions. Although the choices do not lead to major branching storylines, they still create meaningful changes that complement the character arcs and narrative. The character Gabriella has been noted for her resemblance to Chloe Price from the Life is Strange series, highlighting the game's character-driven focus.
“While the choices don't affect much in terms of the overall plotline, there are still changes - just not the massive branching ones. The game places great thematic emphasis on choices overall, instead of the more pragmatic, mechanical approach used in other games. It's a different approach, but it works well in tandem with the characters and the story being told.”
“Gabriella, in particular, ends up feeling a lot like an expy of Chloe Price from the Life is Strange franchise. If you know the game, you'll probably know exactly what I'm talking about.”
“The game places great thematic emphasis on choices overall, instead of the more pragmatic, mechanical one used in other games. It's a different approach, but it works well in tandem with the characters and the story being told.”
“I feel disappointment towards the game's 'pick-your-choice' mechanic, and I say this with quotation marks for a reason.”
“While the choices don't affect much in terms of the overall plotline, there are still changes - just not the massive branching ones. The game places great thematic emphasis on choices overall, instead of the more pragmatic, mechanical approach, so all is not lost.”
“Gabriella, in particular, ends up feeling a lot like an expy of Chloe Price from the Life is Strange franchise, which if you know the game, you'll probably understand exactly what I'm talking about.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, with many players finding the story unengaging and not compelling enough to warrant multiple playthroughs. For those seeking to unlock the bonus secret ending, using a guide is recommended, as the experience may not be enjoyable enough to explore without assistance.
“There isn't really much replay value. If you're not confident and really don't want to replay, I would suggest using a guide for the choices to get the bonus secret ending on your first try.”
“Looking at it on its own merits, it's a pretty meh story, but not interesting enough to warrant replayability.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development is a central theme, exploring the struggles of individuals caught between the pursuit of perfection and the quest for happiness, leading to profound psychological insights and a deep dive into madness.
“The story, the character development, and the exploration of madness are all driven by characters caught at the crossroads of being either perfect or happy.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on an emotional level.”
“The characters seem to follow predictable arcs, leaving little room for genuine growth or transformation.”
“Despite the potential for rich storytelling, the character development is disappointingly flat and uninspired.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of stability, with multiple users reporting significant bugs that detract from the overall experience.
“My biggest grievance is the fact that the game is buggy.”
