Sanator: Scarlet Scarf
- June 6, 2019
- Ignis Sanat
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Sanator: Scarlet Scarf," players navigate a mysterious sanatorium as Elena, a determined journalist. Uncover the truth behind the sanatorium's dark past and supernatural occurrences while surviving encounters with hostile entities. With a strong emphasis on narrative, this atmospheric horror adventure offers a chilling experience filled with puzzles and intrigue.
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Reviews
- Engaging story with a unique dark fantasy setting and well-developed lore.
- Beautiful art style that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Multiple endings and choices that add replayability and depth to the narrative.
- The game is quite short, with a playtime of around 2 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
- The writing can be overly wordy and convoluted, making it difficult to follow at times.
- Translation issues and a lack of character development can detract from the overall experience.
- story109 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the visual novel is described as engaging and dark, with a unique art style and fitting music that enhances the atmosphere. While many players appreciate the intriguing world and multiple endings, some criticize the plot for being simplistic or convoluted, with a lack of character development and emotional depth. Overall, it is seen as a short but enjoyable experience, particularly for fans of dark fantasy, though some feel it could benefit from a more developed narrative and clearer exposition of its lore.
“A very well written visual novel with fantastic plot and lore.”
“The story is compelling; recently I've been looking into plague motives in horror stories, and this one is definitely worth checking out, despite not being very complicated or original.”
“All in all, it is a good short visual novel with a good story, beautiful and fitting music and art, that generate a dark and captivating atmosphere.”
“Because I haven't felt attached to the characters, I didn't care about this game's world, its story, and lore.”
“I haven't really understood the plot, and already forgot most of the story as I'm writing this review, because I was bored out of my mind towards the story's end.”
“It feels like more time went into trying to make a huge fantasy setting than creating an actual story to read.”
- music50 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its atmospheric quality and how well it complements the visuals and story. While some found it merely adequate or not particularly memorable, others praised the soundtrack as exceptional, enhancing the dark themes and overall experience of the visual novel. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, making it a noteworthy aspect for many players.
“The soundtrack is atmospheric, fitting in nicely with the visuals.”
“The game had fantastic artwork and soundtrack, which created a wonderful atmosphere.”
“Amazing music and atmosphere!”
“The music was fine, although I didn't care for it much because of the absence of anything else worthwhile.”
“The music and art are worth the price of admission and really draw you in.”
“The music is fitting and the art was pretty enough, but there is not a lot of content for the price and the way the novel is written might turn some people off, with many sentences being unnecessarily wordy and strangely constructed.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style and atmospheric visuals, which enhance the engaging story and overall experience. While many players appreciate the vibrant and unique artwork, some critique certain character designs as overly simplistic or inconsistent. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a fitting soundtrack creates a captivating atmosphere that resonates well with the game's themes.
“I love the art style of this game so, so much.”
“The game had fantastic artwork and soundtrack, which created a wonderful atmosphere.”
“The graphics are exceptionally good, I loved the use of vibrant red 'paint' splashes to depict the gory scenes and the glorious cat's eye appearance to Syl, but in general, the beauty of this art is how it matches the dark overtones set throughout this medieval story.”
“It has a lot of artworks in it, but not all of them are well done.”
“The art style was one of the reasons I bought this game, but in the end I found it too cartoonish, bland, and lacking details.”
“It's main purpose is its visuals.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is consistently praised for its dark and immersive qualities, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and striking artwork. Reviewers highlight the unique aesthetic and thematic depth, creating a captivating experience that draws players into its grimdark world. Overall, the combination of music, visuals, and storytelling effectively establishes a compelling and eerie atmosphere that resonates well with fans of the genre.
“The soundtrack is atmospheric, fitting in nicely with the visuals.”
“All in all, it is a good short visual novel with a good story, beautiful and fitting music and art, that generate a dark and captivating atmosphere.”
“The aesthetic is beyond excellent and the music adds to the heavy atmosphere.”
“It may not be for everyone, but I would definitely recommend trying it to everyone who's interested in a grimdark atmosphere.”
“Dark fantasy visual novel + good art - short = dive into the occult and eerie atmosphere with choices on how the story develops.”
“Color palette, backlog slider, even the mouse cursor - everything adheres to the game's atmosphere.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some find it heartfelt and dark, others criticize the lack of depth in the characters and storytelling, leading to a weak emotional connection. Overall, it appears to evoke a range of feelings but may not resonate deeply with all players.
“Heartfelt and dark, sad to see so much scum playing instead of buying this little game and enjoying it.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the gameplay engaging and charming, with one user noting that they enjoyed it enough to purchase additional content after just four hours of play. Additionally, there is a cautionary note about watching gameplay videos to avoid spoilers before making a purchase.
“The second I got 4 hours of gameplay, I bought all the wallpapers from the points store; really charming.”
“For those who want to look at gameplay, my video is below. It is the full game, so don’t spoil yourself before buying.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the visual novel is praised for its diverse backgrounds, character designs, and thematic event scenes. However, some users feel that the brevity of the story limits opportunities for deeper character exploration, with certain characters introduced early on not receiving adequate attention later in the narrative.
“There are lots of different backgrounds, character designs, and event scenes that fit well with the visual novel's themes.”
“The character development is rich and engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters.”
“Each character has a unique arc that evolves throughout the story, making their journeys feel meaningful and impactful.”
“Due to the shortness of the actual story, I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities for character development. There were characters introduced in the prologue that didn't appear much after that, which affected story progression, world-building, and general story expansion.”
“The character development feels rushed and incomplete, leaving many characters feeling one-dimensional and underexplored.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character arcs; many characters seemed to lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The visual novel offers notable replayability, as players can unlock achievements and delve deeper into its medieval fantasy lore and myths through multiple playthroughs.
“There is replayability in this visual novel, as it's the only way to unlock some of the achievements, and it provides the opportunity to learn more about this medieval fantasy and the myths behind it.”
“The game lacks significant replayability; once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back.”
“While there are multiple endings, the journey to each feels repetitive, diminishing the overall replay value.”
