So long as there is Mercy

About

So long as there is Mercy is a single player action game. It was developed by Matthäus Luef and was released on January 28, 2022. It received neutral reviews from players.

"So Long as There is Mercy" is a Point-and-Click Puzzle Adventure where players guide Spe through a mysterious dollhouse to find her little brother. Along the way, she meets trapped ghost-children whose unique abilities help solve puzzles and escape. The story reveals dark family secrets and the sinister stepmother’s true nature.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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60%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

The game features a charming and visually beautiful aesthetic, reminiscent of titles like Little Nightmares, with engaging music and sound design.
It offers a fun and quick puzzle experience, allowing players to complete it in a short time while still providing replay value for achievement hunters.
The concept of using ghost children with unique abilities to solve puzzles adds an interesting twist to the gameplay.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, often causing players to get stuck and requiring them to restart from the beginning due to the lack of a save feature.
Controls can be frustrating, as players must click in very specific spots to interact with objects, leading to a cumbersome gameplay experience.
The game is very short, which some players found disappointing, and the abrupt ending left many wanting more depth and story development.

graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The game's graphics are praised for their whimsical dark aesthetic, reminiscent of Tim Burton and titles like Little Nightmares, with cute and expressive character designs. However, some users experienced significant issues, such as inability to change resolution and graphical glitches that resulted in a white screen, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many players enjoyed the artwork and found the visuals engaging and atmospheric.
- “Whimsically dark aesthetic.”
- “Amazing artwork, cute as hell! I will continue to replay for sure!”
- “Graphically, it's very dark and reminiscent of Little Nightmares, which suits the atmosphere and aesthetic perfectly.”
- “Poor graphical choices led to no way to change resolution, cutting off the top and bottom of the screen.”
- “When I turn the graphics to low, the entire screen becomes white, and when I start the game it's the same too; the screen is white and I cannot see anything.”
- “I had hopes for this game; it looked very Tim Burton-esque, but beyond the artwork, it falls completely flat.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that often require players to restart due to the lack of a save feature or checkpoints. While some players enjoyed the puzzles and art style, the frequent technical problems detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating to progress.
- “Very buggy and there is no save feature.”
- “So many glitches, the character gets stuck in objects, no progress saving, so when you get stuck you have to reset and do everything again from the beginning.”
- “The game has a lot of glitches (in my playing experience) that force the player to restart in order to overcome them, as save points were non-existent.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The story surrounding the ghost children and the dollhouse world is intriguing and has potential for further development, but many players feel it lacks depth and character exploration. While the concept is interesting, the execution leaves much to be desired, with some describing the game as more of a demo than a fully realized narrative experience. Overall, the story is seen as a cool idea that could benefit from more gameplay and refinement.
- “The storyline behind the ghost children was intriguing, and I'd love to know more about this dollhouse world.”
- “Interesting concept and storyline.”
- “Don't play it for the story.”
- “Missing a lot of depth in the story and characters.”
- “There is more story to unfold here.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music and sound design in the game received positive feedback for being atmospheric and enhancing the overall experience, with notable changes in each room and a progressive buildup throughout levels. However, some players found the music to be occasionally repetitive and annoying. Overall, the soundtrack complements the game's concept and character interactions well, contributing to its appeal.
- “The music and sound design was excellent, as well.”
- “The music and sound effects were really nice.”
- “I did notice that the background music does build up in each level as you progress, which was a nice touch too.”
- “Sometimes the music was a bit annoying and repetitive; however, it does change in each room.”
- “I did notice that the background music builds up in each level as you progress, which was a nice touch.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The gameplay is characterized by intriguing mechanics and a unique concept involving collectible NPCs with various abilities to solve puzzles. However, players have noted issues with the precision required for selecting and positioning these characters, leading to frustration despite the game's beautiful design and engaging challenges. Overall, while the gameplay has potential, it suffers from some mechanical inconsistencies that detract from the experience.
- “I love the idea of the game; there are little NPCs you can collect to do different abilities to solve challenging puzzles. However, the mechanics seem to be a bit wonky at times when it comes to selecting the things you'd like to use those abilities on.”
- “Intuitive gameplay, interesting mechanics, and a calming yet creepy score.”
- “The game is beautiful, I just wish it had proper save states and mechanics.”
- “This game could've been a lot of fun; I really like the idea of the ghosts with their various abilities, and the puzzles were good. However, it was so frustrating trying to drag the ghosts to the exact spot that would make the mechanics work.”
- “Point at what to move, and the mechanics of the ghosts made for a lot of different variables I had to choose from when progressing in the game.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its effective use of dark graphics and atmospheric music, creating a haunting and immersive experience reminiscent of titles like "Little Nightmares." Players appreciate the ability to adjust gamma settings for better visibility, enhancing their engagement with the game's eerie aesthetic and character design. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
- “Unbelievable short, but good atmospheric music.”
- “Graphically it's very dark and reminiscent of Little Nightmares, which suits the atmosphere and aesthetic perfectly.”
- “I really enjoyed this, the atmospherics, the characters, and the overall feel of the game.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game's story touches on emotional themes of loss and suffering, particularly involving children, many players felt that it fell short of expectations due to technical issues and a lackluster ending. The emotional impact was noted, but overall engagement was diminished by gameplay frustrations and a brief experience.
- “The story is quite touching, with all the dead and suffering kids and their souls, which adds a deep emotional layer to the experience.”
- “The emotional weight of the narrative really struck me, making me reflect on the themes of loss and suffering.”
- “I was moved by the characters' struggles and the emotional depth of their stories, which made the gameplay experience more impactful.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers limited replayability due to its short duration of under 20 minutes, but players may find value in exploring alternative solutions and pursuing 100% achievements.
- “The game is rather short and you'll probably complete it in under 20 minutes, but it does have some replay value with alternative solutions, especially if you are looking to achieve 100% completion.”
- “The game is rather short, and you'll probably complete it in under 20 minutes, but it does have some replay value with alternative solutions, especially if you are looking to get 100% achievements.”