Smile For Me

About

"Smile For Me" is a narrative-driven psychological horror game. You play as a patient in a mysterious medical facility, trying to uncover the truth behind your amnesia and the institution's experiments. The game features puzzle-solving, stealth, and survival elements, all while grappling with a disturbing atmosphere and unsettling events.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+10

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,652 reviews

story184 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The art style is charming and unique, creating a visually appealing experience.
The characters are lovable and well-developed, each with their own distinct personalities.
The game strikes a balance between humor and unsettling themes, making for an engaging narrative.

Some puzzles can be unintuitive, leading to frustration without a guide.
The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content.
The inventory system can feel cluttered and cumbersome at times.

story
330 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
43%
1%
The story of the game is widely praised for its charm, creativity, and emotional depth, often blending whimsical elements with darker undertones. Players appreciate the unique characters and their engaging backstories, which enhance the overall narrative experience, despite some feeling that character development could be deeper. The art style and music complement the storytelling, creating a captivating atmosphere that encourages replayability and exploration of the game's themes.
- “The music is beautiful, the artwork is amazing, the story is captivating, and the characters are all so unique.”
- “The story is about helping the fellow residents trapped in a 'habitat' to find their smile and be happy.”
- “The story and plot for each character is truly amazing, and I genuinely enjoy being able to make all of these funky characters smile. I have played through it multiple times, and each time the dialogue and characters never get old; it's such an enjoyable game with so many moments that will be very difficult to forget!”
- “The story is clear and heartwarming.”
- “It's unique and the art style is charming, but overall the depth of characters is shallow and the story sort of falls flat as you play through the game.”
- “While the game's main plot could use a rewrite and maybe a fresh coat of paint, the game's strengths outweigh its flaws for a fun and charming adventure.”
graphics
306 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
42%
1%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, which combines elements of 2D and 3D visuals, creating a colorful and whimsical atmosphere. Players appreciate the creative character designs and the overall aesthetic, noting that it enhances the game's quirky narrative and engaging puzzles. The art style is often described as both cute and slightly unsettling, contributing to a memorable and immersive experience.
- “I love the visuals so much -- the style of having paper cutout characters in contrast with the open, 3D habitat is incredibly striking, and like... wow.”
- “The art style is unique and really adds to the experience of the game.”
- “The art style is absolutely lovely and I love all the characters so much; this game has a pretty short playtime but for the first playthrough, roughly 3-4 hours, it is such a fun play.”
- “For graphics this low-tech and gameplay this clunky, it's maybe worth $10.”
- “Most noticeable is the relatively average looking graphics serving as the environment to the flat cartoon character models, which makes it look very much like just some weird indie game.”
- “I had to relaunch the game at increasingly lower graphics settings until the game was playable on my Windows 10 machine.”
music
161 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy, dynamic, and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the unique art style and quirky characters. Many players find the soundtrack memorable and enjoyable, often expressing a desire to listen to it outside of the game. While some noted that certain tracks could become repetitive, the overall sentiment is that the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and emotional impact.
- “The music is beautiful, the artwork is amazing, the story is captivating, and the characters are all so unique.”
- “The soundtrack fits the game well and is easy to listen to and enjoy.”
- “The music is lovely and I will admit that I cried at the true ending.”
- “The sleepy time music thoroughly stresses me out and the final rush music physically scared me, 10/10.”
- “The music isn’t bad, the art style is interesting, and the characters and puzzles are interesting while not too obvious.”
- “You don't play this game for the puzzles, you play it for the art, music, and characters, so if you don't like what you see in the screenshots, then you definitely won't enjoy this.”
gameplay
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
59%
2%
The gameplay of "Smile for Me" is characterized by its unique mechanics, particularly the nodding and shaking to communicate, which adds a charming and interactive element to the experience. While the game is relatively short, lasting around 4-6 hours, it effectively balances quirky side quests with engaging puzzles that encourage exploration and character interaction. Overall, players appreciate the creative art style and memorable characters, though some find the gameplay simplistic and occasionally janky.
- “The gameplay is quirky and fun, if a bit janky sometimes, and the characters are all unique and interesting.”
- “Smile for me is a grand ol' time, the gameplay is very enjoyable, it's very satisfying to make all these people happy, and the story is actually surprisingly engaging.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are very unique, and the puzzles are so clever!”
- “Just know that the gameplay, characters, and story are extremely and underwhelmingly simple.”
- “The gameplay is nothing special.”
- “The gameplay itself is pretty much all sidequest-type tasks, so if you don't enjoy running back and forth getting items for NPCs, this game probably isn't for you.”
humor
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its creativity, clever dialogue, and memorable characters, striking a balance between funny, quirky, and occasionally creepy elements. Players appreciate the unique art style that complements the humor, with many noting that the dialogue feels genuine and not forced. Overall, the game is described as a delightful mix of heartwarming moments and laugh-out-loud scenarios, making it a standout experience for those who enjoy humorous storytelling in gaming.
- “The humor is genuinely funny (rather than 'video game funny') but it's also got a good heart.”
- “The characters are witty, funny, and unique!”
- “The entire game just exudes style and humor.”
emotional
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke a range of feelings, from heartwarming joy to poignant sadness. Players appreciate the charming art style, clever storytelling, and well-developed characters that create a deeply engaging experience, often leading to tears of both happiness and heartbreak. The blend of wholesome and creepy elements enhances the emotional depth, making it a memorable and transformative journey for many.
- “This was such a transformative experience; there's so much heart and life in each inch of the game. It's sweet, heart-wrenching, and so deeply charming.”
- “The design of the game is phenomenal, and the story is very touching.”
- “The characters are fun and so memorable, the story enthralling and touching, the art completely wacky and wonderful, and the gameplay works well with the storytelling.”
atmosphere
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
39%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of whimsical and eerie elements, reminiscent of titles like "Undertale" and "Little Inferno." Players appreciate the surreal visuals, charming character designs, and a soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, creating a memorable and slightly unsettling ambiance without relying on traditional horror tropes. The game's ability to evoke a sense of melancholy and curiosity while maintaining a lighthearted tone contributes to its replay value and overall enjoyment.
- “Utterly surreal visuals and atmosphere, you always have that ever so slightly creepy feeling.”
- “The art, effects and style of the game is refreshingly unique and the audio/music adds to the visuals, creating a quirky almost mysterious atmosphere.”
- “This game is impressive in that it manages to present a foreboding and genuinely very unsettling atmosphere in a cartoonish and whimsical manner.”
- “The atmosphere is somewhat creepy but not exactly horror, just a bit uncanny?”
- “It feels like the 'stealth horror' stuff was put in last minute as a marketing gimmick for an otherwise Psychonauts-level intensity, because at no point does the threatened darkness ever spring forth or coalesce into a scare or an oppressive atmosphere.”
character development
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
31%
7%
The character development in the game is widely praised for its charming and memorable designs, which enhance the overall experience and immersion. Reviewers highlight the unique art style and the depth of the characters, noting that their personalities and interactions contribute significantly to the game's appeal. Overall, the combination of creative character designs, engaging dialogue, and a whimsical atmosphere creates a captivating environment that resonates with players.
- “The character designs were inspiring and their dialogue was vastly entertaining.”
- “Smile for me drew me in with its art style and great character designs, but I was happily enthralled with the character's personalities, the interactions, and the gameplay itself.”
- “Artistically a joy to look at with bright and funky character design reminiscent of 90's cartoons and lots of detail put into the environment to add to the vibe.”
- “While the character designs are charming, the dialogue feels flat and uninspired, leaving the characters feeling one-dimensional.”
- “Despite the appealing character designs, the lack of meaningful character development throughout the game makes it hard to connect with them on a deeper level.”
- “The character designs are visually interesting, but the shallow backstories and predictable arcs prevent any real emotional investment.”
replayability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag among reviewers. While some appreciate the unique aesthetic, character interactions, and multiple endings that encourage revisiting, many feel that the short length and focus on initial character engagement limit its long-term replay value. Ultimately, it seems to offer enough to warrant a second playthrough for some, but not all players find it compelling enough to return frequently.
- “It is a pretty quick game, but I've found it has plenty of replay value to take in the atmosphere once again.”
- “Beautiful, raw, and ridiculously replayable.”
- “The characters are wonderfully designed and written, the story is intriguing, and it has some pretty great replay value!”
- “I don't know that it really holds any replay value; I'll probably remember this game as a neat thing that I played once as opposed to something I'll come back to, but that doesn't make it not good.”
- “My biggest criticism is that the game is pretty short and doesn't feel like it has a ton of replay value.”
- “The replay value isn't very high, and the game isn't very long (I've beaten it in about 6 hours with no walkthrough), but it's still a very peculiar and different experience that you just don't get in many indie games.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, particularly due to the cumbersome inventory system that becomes cluttered with items from solved puzzles. However, the game's relatively short duration of around four hours prevents this mechanic from becoming overly burdensome.
- “I might have a small critique in that scrolling through the huge list of items you accrue can get pretty tedious, but the game lasts exactly as long as it should at 4 hours or less, and that's not long enough for that mechanic to get too cumbersome.”
- “The inventory system gets a bit tedious as your inventory gets clogged up with items from solved puzzles.”
- “The puzzles are just a tad bit tedious, but I'll chalk that up to me being an actual homunculus when it comes to puzzle games in general.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game's optimization has been criticized for significant performance issues, including bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences, particularly when attempting to solve puzzles.
- “I had huge performance issues and a lot of bugs and crashes, which had me restarting many times and being really confused about certain riddles. It's frustrating when you have the right answer, but the game is bugged and doesn't let you do the right thing.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Overall, users report a high level of stability, with no glitches or technical issues encountered during gameplay.
- “I experienced no glitches.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
- “I never encountered any bugs during my playthrough.”