Sunset Hills

About

"Sunset Hills" is a narrative-driven game where players join Nico, a writer, on a journey through several countries, years after the end of a war. Along the way, Nico meets old comrades and encounters various people and events that gradually reveal his past and the true purpose of his journey. With mature themes and an expected playtime of 8 hours, the game provides an engaging storyline as a warm reminder of war and loss. Future content will be released as free updates.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 126 reviews

story38 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a charming art style and beautiful hand-drawn graphics that create an immersive, storybook-like atmosphere.
The soundtrack is delightful and enhances the overall experience, with many players expressing a desire for its release.
The puzzles are engaging and well-designed, providing a cozy and enjoyable gameplay experience that encourages exploration.

The game is incomplete, with only two chapters available at launch, and future chapters are planned as paid DLC, which has frustrated many players.
The English localization is often clunky and contains grammatical errors, making it difficult for some players to fully engage with the story.
Text during cutscenes can scroll too quickly or be difficult to read against the background, leading to missed dialogue and confusion.

story
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The story of the game centers on Nico, a dog who reconnects with old military friends, set against a backdrop of beautiful hand-drawn art. While the narrative is heartwarming and features interesting characters, many players find the English translation clunky and the story disjointed, particularly due to the limited content available in the initial release, which only includes the first two chapters. Despite these issues, the game is praised for its cozy vibes and engaging storytelling, leaving players eager for future installments.
- “Absolutely loved the whole storyline from the different areas to unlock to mini side quests!”
- “The story centers on Nico, a charming dog who turned to writing after his military service, during which he forged bonds with various characters we meet as we journey through the game’s unique settings.”
- “Super cute storytelling, if not a bit bittersweet at times, as you get the occasional glimpse into all of these characters' war backgrounds and fleeting moments of how it has affected them.”
- “The dialogue and narration for this game are often so clunky and grammatically incorrect and oddly worded that it continually frustrates me and rips me out of the story.”
- “Unfortunately, the primary storyline seems to take a backseat to these secondary activities, leaving the narrative feeling somewhat disjointed.”
- “I was left with that 'it wasn’t enough' feeling, having invested so much time only to be left waiting for the story’s conclusion.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
47%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, vibrant colors, and charming animations, creating an immersive and visually appealing experience reminiscent of a living picture book. Reviewers highlight the unique 2.5D aesthetic and attention to detail, which contribute to a nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the visuals are considered one of the game's strongest aspects, captivating players and enhancing the storytelling.
- “The art style is fucking gorgeous; every environment is stunning to look at, with such vivid color work.”
- “Animations are elegant and evocative; characters are awash with pleasing, distinctive details; locations are crammed with interesting features, with background NPCs regularly coming and going, making for a truly immersive picture book aesthetic.”
- “The cartoonish 2.5D graphics give it a delightful, almost paper-like aesthetic that makes the world feel both nostalgic and fresh.”
- “The graphics are hand-drawn with 3D scenes while the characters are created in 2D.”
- “The game's art style, animation, soundtrack, and characters are all great; however, there are some shortcomings.”
- “The puzzles may not be the best, but the graphics have to be one of the best.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
5%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beautiful soundtrack and unique compositions that enhance the overall experience, particularly during key moments like theater visits. However, some players expressed disappointment over the lack of consistent background music, noting that ambient sounds often dominate and can lead to dull moments during exploration. Overall, while the music is appreciated when present, there is a desire for more frequent and varied musical elements throughout the game.
- “The first thing that struck me about this game were the music and art style, which are both very unique and right up my alley!”
- “It is sublime, especially when we visit the theater; we are inebriated by the music of the most famous operas.”
- “Sunset Hills has a fantastic collection of soundtracks that gives players an immersive gaming experience as they journey through breathtaking locations.”
- “I got my ears blown out constantly by loud noises even though I had all the sound sliders down at minimum, and the music one kept resetting to highest every single time I booted the game up.”
- “There's almost no music in the game; most of what you hear is ambient noises, which is not bad on its own, but they loop endlessly back to back and eventually can get quite annoying when there is no gap in between them.”
- “Music isn't a constant, and this can make some scenes really dull to be in. Given how the game makes you run around the map, you are going to be experiencing several dead airs due to the lack of music playing in the background.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The gameplay in "Sunset Hills" features a blend of engaging puzzles and exploration reminiscent of point-and-click adventure games, though it initially suffers from a non-intuitive UI that improves after a brief adjustment period. While the puzzles are varied and enjoyable, some players find the inventory management cumbersome and the need for exploration can lead to frustrating blockages. Overall, the game offers around 8 hours of gameplay, appealing to those who appreciate mystery-solving and puzzle challenges.
- “The puzzles are engaging and not repetitive, and different mechanics depend on the puzzle.”
- “The gameplay in Sunset Hills has a delightful mix of puzzles and mystery-solving for players to enjoy.”
- “The only part I thought less successful was the inventory screen: though controllers are fully supported, I found that button contexts weren’t always consistent, leading to some awkward fumbling when trying to detach previously-combined items from each other, or manipulate some of the mechanical puzzles.”
- “Gameplay-wise, Sunset Hills demands a lot of exploration to solve its puzzles, which can often be frustratingly blocked by the need to first discover something unrelated in another area.”
- “You're better off finding something else to play other than this game, and if you're going to buy the game, know that you're getting 8 hours of gameplay for this.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is described as a heartwarming experience that effectively balances lighthearted moments with serious themes, such as the lasting effects of war. Players feel deeply immersed in the story, which evokes strong emotions, including joy and sadness, though some express disappointment over the game's unfinished state. Overall, it delivers a wholesome narrative that resonates emotionally with its audience.
- “Though generally quite a heartwarming pair of adventures, there are serious topics such as the lasting effects of the war in there, too.”
- “This game is seriously wholesome and playing it brought joy to my heart!”
- “It made me cry.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its charming art and gorgeous visuals, creating a cozy and inviting environment that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the delightful characters that contribute to this enchanting ambiance.
- “Very charming art, absolutely gorgeous atmosphere and charming characters.”
- “It has a very cozy atmosphere.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game particularly enjoyable, highlighting the hilarious mechanics of winning the darts game. Overall, the game is described as funny, engaging, and a lot of fun to play.
- “The way to win the darts game is hilarious!”
- “The game is funny, engaging, and just plain fun to play.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Reviewers highlight that the game features strong character development, supported by engaging world-building and compelling character design, which enhances the overall narrative experience.
- “The engaging world-building and compelling character design truly bring the story to life.”
- “The depth of character development makes each interaction feel meaningful and impactful.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious due to the lack of a fast travel option, which makes backtracking a cumbersome experience. This limitation can lead to repetitive gameplay as players are forced to traverse the same areas multiple times.
- “There isn't a fast travel option, so backtracking becomes tedious and frustrating.”
- “The lack of fast travel makes grinding feel like a chore, as you have to run back and forth constantly.”
- “Without any fast travel, the grinding experience is marred by excessive backtracking.”