Shivah

"The Shivah: Kosher Edition" is a remastered game following Russell Stone, a struggling rabbi who receives news of an estranged congregant's death and subsequent donation. As Stone investigates across Manhattan, players engage in rabbinical conversations and unique combat. The game features three distinct endings based on moral decisions, with a haunting score and immersive new graphics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 375 reviews

story78 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The writing is engaging and the story offers a unique perspective on Jewish culture and identity.
The game features interesting moral dilemmas that impact the outcome, making choices feel meaningful.
The voice acting and atmosphere contribute to a compelling noir experience.

The game is very short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
Some puzzles can feel obscure or rely on trial and error, particularly in the final confrontation.
The graphics and audio quality are dated, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.

story
222 mentions
35 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a short, engaging murder mystery centered around a rabbi investigating the death of a former templegoer, blending elements of noir with themes of faith and identity. While some players found the narrative compelling and well-written, others criticized it for being simplistic and lacking depth, with many wishing for a more fleshed-out plot and character development. Overall, the game offers a unique perspective on Jewish culture, but its brevity and straightforward storytelling may not satisfy all players.
- “The game's story is about the rabbi of a failing synagogue by the name of Stone investigating the murder of a former templegoer, using the pretense of conducting a shivah (a period of mourning) as an excuse for his impromptu detective work.”
- “The story is a dark tale of murder and betrayal.”
- “I quickly found myself liking the cast and appreciating the effort that went into the voice acting, and you can tell the dev team put a lot of love into bringing the story to life.”
- “It's a multiple choice dialogue visual novel at most, with the story depth of a cartoon show.”
- “There were a lot of story elements, especially backstory, that could have been fleshed out more.”
- “The story quickly begins to come across as naught but run-of-the-mill (often resorting to common clichés) and once it starts to get going it...ends?”
gameplay
54 mentions
24 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and brevity, often describing it as standard point-and-click adventure fare. While some appreciated the engaging detective mechanics and the focus on conversation-based puzzles, others criticized the lack of depth and underutilization of gameplay elements, leading to a feeling of missed opportunities. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for its story but lacking in substantial gameplay, making it feel too short and simplistic for some players' tastes.
- “Great gameplay, great vibe.”
- “The gameplay forgoes the usual inventory-juggling puzzles and instead focuses on investigating and putting the clues together, which helps keep everything feeling very realistic and grounded.”
- “But the puzzle mechanics are at least engaging without being overly complex - there's no pixel-hunting nonsense to worry about.”
- “Ultimately a thumbs down since the narrative hampers a little at the end, eventually leading us to a dismal ending (not to mention that last bit of gameplay was a slog).”
- “The main problems that I had with this game were its length, which seemed too short, and its gameplay during the verbal 'combat' scenes.”
- “Almost every mechanic is used only once or twice, without providing much depth to the overall experience, which ends up feeling like a missed opportunity.”
graphics
51 mentions
25 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as retro and simplistic, reminiscent of 90s point-and-click adventures, with a resolution that feels dated. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and atmospheric visuals, others note that the graphics have aged poorly, despite enhancements in the remastered version. Overall, the art style is considered functional and fitting for the game's noir theme, though it may not appeal to those seeking modern graphical fidelity.
- “The graphics got an overhaul and look very professional and modern; the backgrounds are large and detailed, and the characters are animated very well and have multiple face images for dialogue.”
- “The graphical style is pretty nice, and each character has their own individual personalities portrayed through the voice acting, appearance, and their responses.”
- “It has a nice graphics style reminiscent of the '90s PC games, decent voice acting, and good music, making the overall atmosphere very noir.”
- “Graphics have aged terribly, but this is expected considering how old it is.”
- “Graphically, the game looks dated, even though it's been remastered.”
- “To be honest, the graphics in this game are so horrendous that you would be forgiven for thinking that you were playing a video game made in the 1980s.”
music
32 mentions
53 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and fitting tone, enhancing the overall experience with beautiful ambient tracks and a well-executed soundtrack. However, some reviewers noted that certain pieces can feel repetitive or lack the charm found in previous titles from the same developer. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's noir atmosphere, it may not stand out as particularly memorable.
- “Beautiful animations, music, atmosphere, and an interesting storyline.”
- “The music is good, while the voice acting is a bit shaky, but acceptably so for an indie game like this.”
- “The voice acting is decent, and the ambient music helps flesh out each situation without feeling too contrived.”
- “The music in Wadjet games usually resonates with me quite a lot (Blackwell comes to mind in particular. Damn fine melodies there!) however in The Shivah, none of that charm comes across and the music feels repetitive and otherwise stagnant.”
- “The music is par for this style of game, nothing too fantastic, but also not too repetitively annoying.”
- “You're not going to play the game for the audio and visual effects, or be compelled to download the soundtrack, but the game does well with what is provided.”
atmosphere
18 mentions
67 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its noir aesthetic, enhanced by strong voice acting, beautiful animations, and a nostalgic graphic style reminiscent of '90s PC games. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music and lighting to create a compelling mood, contributing to a sense of dread and intrigue that complements the storyline. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as immersive and engaging, making it a standout feature in the point-and-click adventure genre.
- “Beautiful animations, music, atmosphere and an interesting storyline.”
- “I really like this game, it has a weird noir-ish atmosphere; it is one of the better detective games.”
- “The atmosphere and the story itself inspire a sense of dread and desperation, though I can't help but love the main character.”
- “Altogether, the atmosphere in this game is melancholic and criminal, but nicely done.”
- “From the start, the game works hard to build up a noir atmosphere, complete with the heavy voiceover.”
humor
13 mentions
92 % positive mentions
-15 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of Jewish jokes and cultural references, which some players found unexpectedly funny and engaging, while others felt certain comedic elements lost their charm over time. The voice acting and soundtrack contribute positively to the comedic experience, with players appreciating the clever dialogue and the inclusion of Yiddish terms. Overall, while opinions on the humor's effectiveness vary, many found it enjoyable and a highlight of the game.
- “It has a well-done soundtrack and the voice acting ranges from pretty good to sometimes funny (pretty sure I heard a dog barking in the background when Zelig was talking at the end).”
- “The creators did really well with their choice of music, settings, names, in-game computers (the jokes made me laugh a lot) and even the inclusion of Yiddish words, so you're bound to pick up at least a few Jew-isms, which is great to say walking away from a point-and-click.”
- “This game is really cute and funny.”
- “[insert unfunny Yiddish joke here]”
- “The humor feels forced and falls flat, making it more cringeworthy than funny.”
- “I expected clever jokes, but instead, I got tired clichés that just didn't land.”
emotional
6 mentions
83 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while it attempts to engage players through a detective-like experience as a rabbi, many find the story's message to be conflicted and lacking depth. The short gameplay and unlikable characters detract from the emotional impact, leading to disappointment for those expecting a more profound narrative akin to the Blackwell series. However, some still recommend it for a brief emotional adventure.
- “Whilst you play as a rabbi rather than a detective, the game has made me feel like more of a detective than any other.”
- “As for a short emotional adventure, I would certainly recommend.”
- “A very short game (1 hour tops) with boring puzzles, a dull story, and unlikable characters.”
replayability
5 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through multiple endings and varying outcomes based on player choices, but many reviewers feel that the limited changes in the overall story diminish its long-term replay value. A point system could have enhanced this aspect further.
- “Some replayability for those interested in seeing how things change with the different choices you can make.”
- “I’d like to say that adds replay value to the game, but I don’t think it really does since so little of the story changes; it’s only the ending scene.”
- “There's light replayability (multiple endings, different outcomes for certain events, etc.).”
- “It has the same replay value with different story options.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with most performances being well-received, though one character, Joe Demarco, suffers from inconsistent voice acting, possibly due to poor recording quality and script issues. While not on par with high-end productions, players are encouraged to appreciate the performances for their unique charm.
- “Nonetheless, the actual performances are solid, so they got that part right.”
- “Considering that, I don’t expect Hollywood performances, but instead enjoy it for what it is.”
- “The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Despite some solid performances, the overall optimization feels rushed and incomplete.”
- “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, which significantly detracts from the experience.”
character development
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is perceived as rushed and lacking depth, with some players feeling that key characters, like Rabbi Stone, do not undergo significant growth. While the story and dialogues are praised, the overall character arcs leave players wanting more.
- “A decent story, outstanding dialogues, and good character design.”
- “He does go through some small amount of character development, but due to the length of the game, it feels rushed.”
- “It was hard for me to take the final climax seriously, and I was disappointed that Rabbi Stone showed little to no character development.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players generally find the puzzles satisfying, but the final encounter is criticized for being tedious and excessively lengthy, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The last encounter is just tedious and needlessly long, which detracts from the overall satisfaction of the game.”
- “Grinding feels like a chore rather than an engaging part of the gameplay experience.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the game.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the monetization strategy, particularly highlighting the intrusive and unskippable ads that appear frequently, especially after dying in the game. This has led to a negative perception of the overall experience.