Seventh Lair

About

"Seventh Lair" is a narrative-driven, atmospheric puzzle-platformer set in a surreal world. You play as a young girl, Ely, who discovers a mysterious lair and uncovers its secrets while navigating through intricate platforming challenges and solving puzzles. The game features a unique art style, immersive soundtrack, and a thought-provoking story that explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and the power of imagination.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 105 reviews

story24 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The story is emotionally impactful, exploring heavy themes such as mental illness and the struggles of being a creator, resonating deeply with players.
The writing and music are exceptional, with many players praising the soundtrack and character development, making it a compelling experience.
Seventh Lair cleverly subverts expectations by reusing characters from The House in Fata Morgana in a new context, providing a fresh perspective that fans appreciate.

The game suffers from a lack of polish in its English translation, with numerous typos and awkward phrasing that detracts from the overall experience.
Some players feel that the initial comedic tone clashes with the darker themes introduced later, leading to tonal whiplash that can be jarring.
The reuse of characters from The House in Fata Morgana has been criticized by some fans who feel it undermines the original story and character arcs.

story
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
74%
3%
The story of "Seventh Lair" initially presents itself as a lighthearted isekai adventure but evolves into a deeply personal and emotional narrative that explores themes of identity, creator-audience relationships, and the struggles of its characters. While it reuses familiar characters and assets from "The House in Fata Morgana," the game offers a unique and impactful experience that resonates with fans, delivering unexpected twists and a poignant climax. Despite some critiques regarding pacing and linearity, the writing is praised for its depth and ability to evoke strong emotions, making it a worthwhile experience for both newcomers and fans of the original.
- “Seventh Lair tells an incredibly engaging story that is distinct from its predecessor, yet also builds upon and subverts the reader’s pre-existing knowledge of these characters to convey a powerful message.”
- “The story goes from effortless light-hearted comedy to heavy meaningful moments in an incredibly natural way, and the new additions to the Fata Morgana music library are just as varied.”
- “Despite sporting only a fraction of the runtime as their aforementioned magnum opus, Seventh Lair manages to do a whole lot with its 6-7 hours of gameplay, crafting a story that, while at first seems trifling and fitting of its April Fools' Day release, eventually goes to show that the writers at Novect are very much capable of leaving your heart in complete shambles.”
- “The story was clunky at times, with many important plot points introduced way too late.”
- “If Seventh Lair is your first exposure to the Fata Morgana characters, you will not fully understand (nor probably appreciate) the characters, and some bits of the story will not feel as impactful, plus all the references to the original story will fly right past you.”
- “But considering it leans in on telling a serious story about as much if not more than it tries to fool around, frontloading the jokes seems like it was a bad call, especially when it doesn't do that much fun with the format.”
music
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
56%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and variety, featuring both beautiful vocal tracks and nostalgic 8-bit chiptunes that evoke classic gaming memories. While many players praised the soundtrack's ability to enhance the storytelling, some found the chiptune tracks to be overly loud and less appealing compared to the more traditional compositions. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and emotional impact.
- “I can't even listen to the song 'The Voice of a Fairy' without tearing up.”
- “The composers knocked it out of the ballpark, from the cheerful 8-bit town themes and battle music to their signature haunting melodies about love, longing, and loss.”
- “On top of the story, there’s an all-new soundtrack with some truly gorgeous pieces.”
- “My one issue with the music, though, is that one of the songs featured a creepy baby giggling the whole time.”
- “As much as the 8-bit music is coherent in its amateurish feel, it drove me to insanity regardless.”
- “The chiptunes that play for a good portion of the game were honestly a bit grating, and they were also a fair bit louder than the vocal music.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both hilarious and jarring, often blending awkward comedy with darker themes, leading to a bittersweet experience. While many moments elicit genuine laughter, the narrative's tragic elements can evoke strong emotional responses, leaving players with a mix of amusement and introspection. Overall, the humor is praised for its ability to resonate deeply, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
- “I recommend it because it is really, really funny.”
- “It's a hilarious scenario paired with its darker, contrasting moments, making for a short experience that's worthy of the Fata Morgana name, despite its short length and limited scope.”
- “Equal parts moving and funny, it resonated strongly with me as well as made me laugh out loud multiple times.”
emotional
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players expressing that it evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears. Reviewers highlight its personal and touching narrative, which explores sensitive themes related to relationships and mental health, while also noting the impactful music that enhances the emotional experience. Despite its shorter length compared to similar titles, it is regarded as a powerful and heartfelt journey worth experiencing, though players are advised to heed content warnings.
- “After a few months craving more Fata content, I finally decided to give it a try, and let me tell you, what a game this is. It’s an incredibly personal and touching story. I don’t want to spoil anything, so please do yourself a favor and buy this masterpiece.”
- “At first, Seventh Lair appears to be more like a fun spin-off, but upon delving into the story, I found that it has a much deeper emotional one.”
- “You made me cry.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay of "Seventh Lair" is linear, allowing players to experience the story from start to finish over a concise 6-7 hour runtime. Despite its brevity, the game effectively engages players with a compelling narrative that evolves from seemingly trivial beginnings to a deeply impactful conclusion.
- “Despite sporting only a fraction of the runtime as their aforementioned magnum opus, Seventh Lair manages to do a whole lot with its 6-7 hours of gameplay, crafting a story that, while at first seems trifling and fitting of its April Fools' Day release, eventually goes to show that the writers at Novect are very much capable, even when writing stories on the shorter side, of leaving your heart in complete shambles.”
- “In regards to gameplay, like The House in Fata Morgana and The House in Fata Morgana: A Requiem for Innocence, Seventh Lair has a linear story, so you just play through the story from beginning to end.”
- “In regards to gameplay, like 'The House in Fata Morgana' and 'The House in Fata Morgana: A Requiem for Innocence', 'Seventh Lair' has a linear story, so you just play through the story from beginning to end.”
- “Now that I've gone over the story and gameplay, I'll move onto my critique.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics in "Seventh Lair" feature reused sprites from "The House in Fata Morgana," complemented by a few new character designs, which some players appreciate for their artistic quality. While the game is relatively short, its visual presentation effectively supports its unique narrative and serious themes, making it a worthwhile experience despite the limited original artwork.
- “The game also uses sprites from FM, but I'll let that slide because it's nice artwork.”
- “Even though it reuses artwork and character archetypes from The House in Fata Morgana, Seventh Lair tells a unique and contained story with its own themes and important messages.”
- “This visual novel is definitely on the shorter side (4-5 hours) and reuses the sprites from Fata Morgana with only a few pieces of new character artwork, but I think it’s well worth the price.”
- “Even though it reuses artwork and character archetypes from the house in Fata Morgana, Seventh Lair tells a unique and contained story with its own themes and important messages.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report experiencing significant glitches in the game, which detracts from overall stability and immersion.
- “The game is plagued with glitches that make it nearly unplayable.”
- “I constantly experience crashes that ruin my gaming sessions.”
- “The stability issues are so severe that I often lose progress due to unexpected errors.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by unexpected plot twists, such as the surprising reveal on April 1st, which creates a sense of confusion and intrigue that captivates players.
- “I was lucky enough to experience the sudden reveal for April's 1st and the resulting confusion, which adds a lot to the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the eerie visuals, creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
- “Every corner of the game world is filled with intricate details that enhance the atmosphere, making it feel alive and engaging.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion or tension.”
- “The environments are lifeless, making it hard to feel connected to the story or the characters.”