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 impactful, exploring themes of religious trauma and personal growth, which resonates deeply with players.
- The voice acting is exceptional, adding depth and realism to the characters and enhancing the overall experience.
- The art and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, creating a haunting and immersive environment that complements the narrative.
- The game is very linear with minimal branching choices, leading to a lack of replayability and a feeling that player decisions do not significantly impact the story.
- Some players found the pacing uneven, with certain sections dragging on while others felt rushed, particularly towards the ending.
- Expectations set by the previous game, 'The Letter', may lead to disappointment as 'Saint Maker' lacks the same level of complexity and horror elements.
- story198 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally praised for its emotional depth and thematic exploration of heavy topics such as religious abuse and trauma, with many players finding it engaging and impactful despite its linearity and limited choice mechanics. While some reviewers noted that the narrative can feel drawn out or repetitive at times, the overall writing, voice acting, and art are highlighted as strong points that enhance the storytelling experience. However, the lack of significant player choices and branching paths compared to previous works has left some players feeling disappointed, as they expected a more interactive narrative.
“The story was fantastic and I enjoyed it a lot!”
“The story is gripping and made me very emotional.”
“The story is written very well and carefully maneuvers through tough and traumatic material in a digestible and engaging way.”
“Almost none of your choices do anything for the story, and when they do, it's just one little optional scene; it's as if they were there just to complete achievements.”
“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.”
- emotional29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from sadness to discomfort, often leading to tears. The writing and voice acting are noted for their ability to evoke strong emotional responses, particularly in relation to themes of religious trauma, abuse, and personal struggles. While some players found the lack of gameplay elements diminished their investment in the characters, the overall narrative is described as a powerful and touching experience that resonates deeply with players.
“This was a heartbreaking, powerful story about religious abuse and how the cycle of it perpetuates.”
“The story in this latest visual novel has taken me on a wild rollercoaster ride of feeling sad, angry, happy, and confused, and I like that it made me feel like that.”
“It has a lot of incredibly emotional moments and I actually teared up a few times.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful and eerie art style, as well as the excellent visuals that complement the story. However, others criticize the artwork as bland and inconsistent, likening it to unexciting imagery. Overall, while the visuals and voice acting are highlighted as strong points, there are notable discrepancies in the quality of the artwork.
“The artwork was beautiful and eerie.”
“The voice acting was impeccable and the visuals were beautiful!”
“It has an excellent script, an untraditional narrative, beautiful graphics, and an amazing soundtrack.”
“And let’s not forget the 'artwork,' or rather, let’s try to forget it.”
“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.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its moody and chilling qualities, effectively enhancing the horror elements and narrative engagement. While some players noted a disconnect due to linearity and achievement notifications, the sound design and music significantly contribute to the unsettling ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is described as gripping and immersive, with a strong sense of tension that keeps players invested throughout the experience.
“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.”
“It is exceptionally atmospheric with a gripping narrative that is sure to keep players on the edge of their seats for the entire playthrough.”
“Because this game is extremely linear, very short and has a really tough time with 'keeping the atmosphere' because of the constant chiming of achievements just ripping you out of the scene.”
“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.”
- music12 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting quality and ability to enhance the unsettling atmosphere, perfectly complementing the art style and voice acting. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, noting its fittingness for various scenes and its contribution to the overall immersive experience. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics, excellent music, and strong voice acting creates a compelling and engaging narrative.
“Art is as beautiful as always, some tense moments in here, fitting soundtrack.”
“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.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability due to a lack of branching paths and alternative endings, making it feel linear and unengaging for players. Many users suggest that using a guide is necessary to achieve the bonus secret ending on the first playthrough, as the overall story does not offer enough incentive to replay.
“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.”
“Whilst I did not mind this design choice, I would have liked to see some more ending routes and/or automatic fail scenes to increase replayability value.”
“[b]Replayability value:[/b] none, there are no branching paths.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a "pick-your-choice" mechanic that has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling it lacks significant impact on the overall plot. While choices do lead to thematic changes and character development, they do not create the extensive branching paths seen in other games, such as "The Letter." This approach, however, is noted to complement the characters and narrative effectively.
“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.”
“The gameplay mechanics are engaging and provide a unique experience that keeps you invested in the characters and their journeys.”
“The character interactions and choices create a rich gameplay experience that encourages exploration and emotional investment.”
“I haven't played through enough to know what the story is about, but I do 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 of other games; the game places great thematic emphasis on choices overall, instead of the more pragmatic, mechanical approach used in other titles.”
“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.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its well-paced progression, effectively exploring the characters' struggles between perfection and happiness without unnecessary filler. The narrative intricately weaves character growth with themes of madness, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.
“The story, the character development, the delving into madness, all because of these people stuck at the crossroads to be either perfect or happy!”
“The story, the character development, the delving into madness, all because of these people stuck at the crossroads of being either perfect or happy!”
“It is well-paced and still facilitates character development, just without any large, noticeable filler content.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported significant stability issues, citing numerous bugs that detract from the overall gaming experience.
“My biggest grievance is the fact that the game is buggy.”
“The frequent crashes make it nearly impossible to enjoy the game.”
“I constantly encounter glitches that disrupt gameplay.”
