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Scéal

Scéal Game Cover
65%Game Brain Score
story, music
gameplay, stability
88% User Score Based on 26 reviews
Critic Score 60%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Scéal Game Cover

About

Scéal is a single player action game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Joint Custody and was released on October 26, 2016. It received neutral reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Scéal" is a single-player Fantasy Adventure game that excels in its emotional storytelling and beautiful art. With an interesting plot, haunting music, and a watercolor-style world, it leaves a lasting impact on players. Critics praise its simplistic gameplay, tragic story, and striking design, making it a gem that should not be missed.

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Scéal screenshot
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Scéal screenshot
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88%
Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews
story9 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful watercolor artwork and enchanting Celtic music, creating a captivating atmosphere.
  • It offers a touching story inspired by Irish folklore, with multiple endings that add some replayability.
  • The option to play in Gaeilge and the overall artistic presentation make it a unique and heartfelt experience.
  • The gameplay is minimal, with some players feeling that the story is too short and lacks depth.
  • There are technical issues, including glitches that can disrupt the experience and a lack of clarity in how choices affect the story.
  • Some reviewers noted that the game feels more like a visual novel than a traditional adventure game, which may disappoint those seeking more interactive gameplay.
  • story
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Scéal" is a simple yet touching narrative centered around a young girl's spirit on a quest to recover her memories, set against a backdrop of beautiful watercolor artwork and enchanting Irish music. While the game is designed as an interactive storybook, many reviewers noted its brevity and lack of depth, suggesting that it may not fully engage players seeking a more substantial narrative experience. Overall, it offers a unique glimpse into Irish folklore, though some felt it could benefit from deeper integration of cultural elements and a longer storyline.

    • “Scéal offers you an intense story with different endings.”
    • “Scéal describes itself as a 'living storybook.' It tells the story of a young girl’s spirit, wandering the world without any memories.”
    • “Combined with the storybook illustrations, the music feels like a lullaby meant to accompany a bedtime story.”
    • “There is almost no gameplay, which would be fine for a story game... but there's barely a story.”
    • “This would be completely fine if the story really pulled you in but it doesn't manage to do this.”
    • “I also wished more information on Irish folklore to be integrated into the game because as someone with no knowledge I found it difficult to see the ways it was incorporated into the storyline.”
  • music
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, featuring enchanting Irish folk melodies that enhance the storytelling experience. Many reviewers highlight the high-quality soundtrack, composed by traditional Irish musicians, which complements the game's watercolor visuals and evokes a haunting, immersive atmosphere. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, though it remains a standout aspect of the game.

    • “I would give this 5/5 alone for being playable in Gaeilge and for the beautiful music, also all sung in Gaeilge.”
    • “The real pleasures here are in the evocative visuals and especially in the beautiful Celtic music.”
    • “With 14 tracks, the musical landscape is rich, beautiful, and at times haunting.”
    • “The soundtrack, while good, got repetitive very quickly.”
    • “I do not recommend Scéal to anyone except those who are keen on Irish folk music.”
    • “Combined with the storybook illustrations, the music feels like a lullaby meant to accompany a bedtime story.”
  • graphics
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their original and enchanting storybook art style, featuring beautiful watercolor artwork that evokes a sense of wonder. Players appreciate the combination of stunning visuals and immersive celtic-inspired music, which together create a captivating atmosphere reminiscent of a children's book with a haunting narrative. Overall, the game's graphics are described as beautiful, evocative, and artistically impressive.

    • “The art style is great and original too, and I like how the text is written in the format of manuscript pages.”
    • “Scael is a beautiful game; it's a simple title that sees you guiding a spirit around an island, which is tied up with gorgeous watercolor style graphics and wonderful Celtic-inspired music.”
    • “The world of the game is comprised of an art style you would find in a children’s book, but a much more haunting tale.”
    • “Designed to resemble a storybook, Scéal’s pages are filled with pretty watercolor artwork.”
    • “The visuals were very pretty, I can say that at least.”
  • gameplay
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in scéal is minimal and primarily serves to support its narrative, with simple mechanics like guiding a spirit and a heart-following mechanic. While some players appreciate the creative elements, such as the paint brush mechanic that reveals memories, the overall gameplay experience is often described as confusing and lacking depth. Despite these shortcomings, the dynamic environment and music contribute to an engaging atmosphere that enhances the storytelling.

    • “The mechanics are quite simple: you guide a little spirit on her quest to find out who she is and what became of her.”
    • “In scéal, there’s a simple and symbolic mechanic: wherever a heart goes, the soul must follow.”
    • “Still, I found the gameplay to be creative and the story to still be entertaining.”
    • “There is almost no gameplay, which would be fine for a story game... but there's barely a story.”
    • “As you can see, the game is focused on its story rather than gameplay.”
    • “While this may sound like an opportunity for the player to put their own creative stamp on the game, the mechanic is, in fact, much less exciting.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report occasional stability issues, including glitches that prevent actions from registering, necessitating a game restart to resolve the problem.

    • “I encountered a few glitches where clicking on the next action just didn't work, and I had to exit the game and go back in for it to work again.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and stuttering, which severely impacted my gameplay experience.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a unique and touching story complemented by beautifully crafted 2D handmade visuals that shift in hue according to the time of day and emotional tone, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “I love the point-and-click 2D handmade style, and the story was unique and touching!”
    • “Depending on the time of day or the emotional tone of the story, the hue of the illustrations also changes.”
    • “Very touching.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers a moderate level of replayability due to its three distinct endings, encouraging players to explore different choices. However, some users suggest that they may take a break before replaying, indicating that the incentive to revisit the game may not be immediate.

    • “Three separate endings give it a small amount of replayability, but I'll probably wait at least a few months before playing again.”
    • “The ending features three choices, which does add some replay value to the game.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game successfully establishes a distinctive atmosphere by delving into the often-overlooked realm of Irish folklore, offering players a fresh and immersive experience.

    • “It creates a unique atmosphere and explores a rarely-touched setting, that of Irish folklore.”
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60%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Scéal is a action game with fantasy theme.

Scéal is available on PC and Windows.

Scéal was released on October 26, 2016.

Scéal was developed by Joint Custody.

Scéal has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Scéal is a single player game.

Similar games include The Unfinished Swan, Tengami, Beyond Eyes, N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure, Papo & Yo and others.