Schastye
- August 27, 2020
- Garage_Heathen
Get on Steam"Schastye" is a single-player Horror Interactive Fiction game, set in 2004 Nizhnewartovsk, Russia. The game takes you through the story of a car mechanic, with a good plot inspired by Lovecraft and Castaneda. It features an atmosphere of the early Russian 00s, unique music, and localization in English, German, and Russian.
Reviews
- The story and atmosphere are intriguing, with interesting lore and a unique narrative style.
- The game offers a short, immersive experience that some players found satisfying despite its unconventional mechanics.
- For those who enjoy reading and appreciate indie games, this title can be a compelling exploration of themes like spirituality and existentialism.
- The typing mechanic is tedious and can lead to physical discomfort, making the gameplay experience unenjoyable for many players.
- The game lacks traditional gameplay elements, which may leave players feeling bored or frustrated, especially if they expect more interaction.
- Technical issues, such as crashes and lack of autosave, can disrupt the experience and lead to lost progress, further diminishing its appeal.
- story101 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as an interesting but ultimately anticlimactic experience, primarily revolving around themes of spirituality and existentialism, with Lovecraftian influences. While some players found the narrative engaging and immersive, many criticized the monotonous typing mechanic that detracted from their enjoyment, leading to feelings of boredom and frustration. Overall, the story has potential but is hampered by its execution, making it a mixed experience for players.
“The story captivated me and I almost disappeared alongside the main character in the game.”
“This is exclusively a story game, but nonetheless I still recommend it because of the amazing design and story writing.”
“The pixelated art is beautiful and the sounds of the game put you in a perfect ambience for what is the main mechanics: looking at the computer screen and reading a story about hallucinogens and existence.”
“This might genuinely be the most boring and bad game I've ever played; all you do is sit there and spam buttons on your keyboard and watch a story get written on the computer.”
“The story is too boring to actually be followed, and half of the time feels incredibly AI-generated and pretentious.”
“Button mashing for ten minutes made my hands sore for a short story that wasn't all that interesting.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Schastye" primarily revolves around a typing mechanic that requires players to mash random keys to progress through the story, which many reviewers found tedious and cumbersome. While the narrative and atmosphere received praise, the repetitive and physically straining nature of the gameplay detracted significantly from the overall experience, leading some to suggest that the game could have been more effectively presented as a visual novel or film. Overall, the gameplay is minimal and lacks depth, making it less appealing for those seeking engaging interactive mechanics.
“The core gameplay of the game is sitting down at a singular desktop and 'typing' a story.”
“The pixelated art is beautiful and the sounds of the game put you in a perfect ambience for what is the main mechanics: looking at the computer screen and reading a story about hallucinogens and existence.”
“I would recommend for anybody looking for a quick and interesting story; if you're looking for something with dynamic gameplay, it may not be for you though.”
“But the typing mechanic, similar to 'Emily is Away', was cumbersome and caused me to miss the ending because I was spamming the keys and accidentally pressed a few too many, ending the game before I could read it.”
“Very cool concept, yet exceedingly poor execution on the most vital part of the gameplay... you just keep keyboard smashing for literally 10-15 minutes straight while each key struck progresses the text on screen like you're 'typing'.”
“However, 'Schastye' could have just as easily been a film or a book, and the primary reason for that is the infernal gameplay, which boils down to mindless mashing of keys.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the pixel art style and atmospheric changes throughout the day/night cycle. While some found the visuals engaging and reminiscent of classic games, others criticized the blurry art style and overall quality, suggesting it may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the graphics are seen as a highlight for those who enjoy a unique aesthetic, despite some personal preferences against certain visual elements.
“I really love the graphics and audio changes in the day/night/progression cycle of the environment around you.”
“The core idea behind the game is brilliant, and I love the graphics and the space in the apartment.”
“Mixing the exploration of the sensorial and the experimental, [i]schastye[/i], aims at the balance between the terror of spiritual/existential awareness with the wonder of spiritual/existential awareness, using a pixelated and dithering aesthetic, something like a revival or [i]'lost game'[/i] from the PSX era or early 2000s PC games.”
“This was the most exhausting visual novel I've ever played; moving on, the graphics were just bad, but I did genuinely think the story was pretty decent.”
“I personally did not like the blurry art style; however, the developer has a weird art style in all his visual novels, so I cannot fault that as it is personal preference.”
“I bought the bundle of the developer at a very low price, and as I have recommended most of the other games due to the achievements or the art style, I cannot recommend a game that has a bug.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unconventional and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting its intriguing worldbuilding and calming soundscapes. While the graphics and overall mood are appealing, some players feel that the gameplay mechanics detract from the experience, as the typing mechanic can become tedious. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, enhancing the narrative despite some mechanical shortcomings.
“Lovely atmosphere, fascinating worldbuilding in the garage heathen universe.”
“Also the suddenly music that starts as if it were a Sunday afternoon in a square, orange sky, the atmosphere is calm, I can breathe.”
“First of all, this game nails the mood and atmosphere instantly.”
“It seemed like an interesting game at first; the graphics and the atmosphere seemed cool, but sadly that's all there is to this game, at least for me.”
“The game is indeed mostly about reading a short story (there's some minor interactions elsewhere in the virtual rooms that add to the atmosphere) which you manifest by fake typing.”
“Although the game is quite short, it really knew how to build its atmosphere.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often leading to physical discomfort and detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story. Many express frustration with the time-consuming nature of grinding, labeling it as boring and exhausting.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It isn't fun; it's tedious, and I ended up with pain in my wrist.”
“It is so tedious it takes you out of the actually good story because you just want all the spamming to be done.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its immersive quality, creating a serene atmosphere reminiscent of a calm Sunday afternoon. Players appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the realism of the environment, contributing to a deep emotional connection with the game's world.
“This universe felt so real. Even when the music stopped and I didn't hear the kids anymore, I felt strange. But seconds later, the rain starts, and that's so real. I don't know who made this game, but they did a great job.”
“The suddenly starting music feels like a Sunday afternoon in a square with an orange sky; the atmosphere is calm, and I can breathe.”
“This universe felt so real. Even when the music stopped and I didn't hear the kids anymore, I felt strange. But seconds later, the rain starts, and that's so real. I don't know who made this game, but they did a good job.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is characterized as a humorous "typing" experience, suggesting that its comedic elements are integrated into the gameplay mechanics, making it both entertaining and engaging for players.
“This game has a hilarious take on typing that keeps me laughing while I play.”
“The humor in this typing game is top-notch, making every session enjoyable.”
“I love how the game incorporates funny elements that make typing practice feel like a comedy show.”
