Sigh of the Abyss: Shadow Bonds
- April 5, 2022
- Rascal Devworks
- 1h median play time
Get on SteamEmbrace the monster within to free yourself from a curse in this dark fantasy visual novel, an introduction to the characters and setting of Sigh of the Abyss.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The art style is stunning and beautifully unique, reminiscent of a painting, which enhances the overall immersive experience.
- The story is well-written with engaging characters and meaningful choices that impact relationships and outcomes, providing a strong sense of replayability.
- The game features positive LGBTQ+ representation and allows players to customize their character's skills and personality, making it inclusive and relatable.
- There is a lack of customization options for the main character's appearance, which may disappoint some players seeking more personal representation.
- The prologue is relatively short, leaving players wanting more and creating a sense of frustration due to the cliffhanger ending.
- Some technical issues, such as save system limitations and minor typos, detract from the overall experience and may need addressing in the full release.
- story61 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its well-written narrative, intriguing plot twists, and strong character development, particularly highlighting the integration of queer representation. Players appreciate the choices that impact character relationships and endings, enhancing replayability, while the beautiful art and atmospheric music complement the dark fantasy theme. Although the prologue is short, it effectively sets up a captivating story that leaves players eager for the full release.
“The story, although brief at this point, is wonderfully written, and the art is absolutely beautiful.”
“A beautiful and compelling game with mystery and magic to discover through its lore-rich story and unique characters.”
“The story follows the protagonist, who has power granted by the abyss, but she struggles with the idea of fully surrendering herself to it, as she doesn’t fully understand what the abyss is yet.”
“I was not engaged in the story and the characters, so there was not much interest for me.”
“Please don't let that convince you to take the shortcut of missing a developed decent story.”
“Hopefully the funding gets solved soon so we can delve into the full story in the not too distant future.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 84 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautifully unique and well-crafted art style, featuring stunning character designs and lush, rich colors. Reviewers highlight the exceptional visuals and detailed artwork that enhance the dark fantasy setting, complemented by a captivating soundtrack. Overall, the combination of impressive graphics and thoughtful worldbuilding creates an engaging visual experience that resonates with players.
“The art style is beautifully unique and well-crafted.”
“A very beautiful game, graphically, and the UI is extremely pleasing along with the music and sounds.”
“The artwork is also amazingly detailed and alive, constantly moving along with the story.”
“It does not have the kind of art style I often see.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character designs are uninspired and fail to stand out in a crowded genre.”
- music15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its enchanting and atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the immersive experience and matching the mood of various scenes. Reviewers highlight the beautiful blend of electronic and classical elements, noting the soundtrack's ability to evoke both ominous and cheerful feelings, although some suggest the addition of more sound effects. Overall, the music is described as pleasant and captivating, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic appeal.
“The sound design and music made me feel deeply immersed throughout every single playthrough, and I truly believe it's because everything feels so connected.”
“The music changes depending on the mood of the scene, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The art was beautiful, the music was enchanting, and the story is intriguing, creating a captivating atmosphere.”
“The soundtracks are okay.”
“As for the soundtrack, there are a few tracks, but there's a decent variety.”
“Only thing I would add is maybe some sound effects other than just music.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game incorporates humor through its unique gameplay choices categorized by the four humors—humorous (wind), aggressive (fire), straightforward (earth), and soft (water)—which influence player interactions and powers. While the overall tone leans towards dark fantasy with elements of adventure and horror, it successfully weaves in moments of humor that enhance the experience.
“I really liked all the choices you get to make and how they're described according to the humors.”
“Quite often, choices are divided into 4 groups according to the humor.”
“The overall tone is dark fantasy, although there's plenty of adventure, some horror, and even a bit of humor.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is user-friendly, featuring an easy-to-navigate prologue and straightforward mechanics. It offers approximately one hour of gameplay focused on world-building and character introductions, with multiple choices that influence the main character's relationships and outcomes.
“The prologue is easy to navigate, and the game mechanics are easy to understand.”
“~1 hour of gameplay, with a focus on world-building and introducing characters.”
“As for the gameplay, 'Sigh of the Abyss: Shadow Bonds' has multiple choices presented that determine the main character's and Ornell's fates, as well as whom the main character can romance and/or choose to be friends with.”
“The gameplay is limited, with only about 1 hour of content focused on world-building and character introductions.”
“The choices presented in the gameplay feel superficial and do not significantly impact the story or character relationships.”
“Overall, the gameplay lacks depth and fails to engage the player beyond the initial experience.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
"Sigh of the Abyss" is praised for its emotional depth, allowing players to shape the protagonist's personality and experience varied emotional responses through choices, leading to multiple distinct endings. However, some users express frustration with the save slot limitations, which detracts from the overall emotional engagement of the narrative. The hope remains that the story will evolve into a more fulfilling and impactful experience.
“Sigh of the Abyss is a visual novel where you can customize the protagonist's name and skills and even shape her personality based on her responses; she can be indifferent, emotional, brute, or carefree.”
“4 emotional response choices and 3 distinct endings.”
“I hope this blossoms into a proper wholesome dark story where you can truly influence the outcome.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The prologue of "Sigh of the Abyss: Shadow Bonds" offers significant replayability due to its variable choices and the ability to explore different scenes through multiple playthroughs. Players can further personalize their experience by selecting from four distinct personality types, enhancing the overall replay value and encouraging exploration of various narrative paths.
“The prologue isn't long, but with frequent variable choices, the story has great replay value.”
“As you can tell, I'll be keeping tabs on the full release of Sigh of the Abyss: Shadow Bonds, as the prologue promises to have replay value and content, and I'm optimistic the main game will have a lot more.”
“Add to this our liberty to play our role through four different types of personality, and you can really personalize every single playthrough, which adds a lot to the replay value of the game.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised for its engaging design and the significant influence players have over their characters' growth. Reviewers appreciate the flawless character design and beautiful artwork, which enhance the overall experience and anticipation for future installments.
“Extremely fun, and I loved how much influence I had on the character development of my character. Now I cannot wait for the next part!”
“Beautiful character design and outstanding scenery artwork.”
“However, the character design is flawless, and I don't believe people getting into this game will have a problem with it either.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by beautiful instrumental music, blending electronic elements with classical lute and harp, effectively complementing the narrative's mood.
“The beautiful and atmospheric instrumental music, featuring electronic elements alongside classical lute and harp, perfectly matches the mood of the story.”
