Sunshine Manor
- October 28, 2021
- Fossil Games
Get on SteamIn "Sunshine Manor," players step into the role of Ada, who bravely decides to spend a night in a haunted mansion filled with ghosts, demons, and other horrors. This 8-bit horror adventure game, set before the events of "Camp Sunshine," features hand-drawn graphics, an 80s-inspired soundtrack, and a blend of horror, comedy, and retro charm. Explore the mansion, solve puzzles, and uncover its dark secrets while evading the cunning Shadow Man.
Reviews
- The game features a consistent and engaging story with charming characters and a nostalgic 80s horror vibe.
- The pixel art and sound design are visually appealing and enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Gameplay is fun and dynamic, with the use of psychic powers adding an interesting layer to combat and exploration.
- The game suffers from pacing issues, with excessive backtracking and some sections feeling repetitive and tedious.
- There are technical issues, such as cutscenes freezing and save data not being retained, which can disrupt the experience.
- Some gameplay mechanics, like the limited carrying capacity and certain puzzles, can be frustrating and unintuitive.
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a consistent narrative with interesting elements and good pacing, though some players found the extensive dialogue and explanations for fetch quests to be excessive. The absence of edgy humor and shock gore allows the game to carve out its own unique horror and humor. However, technical issues like save loss can detract from the overall experience.
“The story is interesting and the game's pacing is good.”
“Simple, but fun story.”
“Somehow Steam didn't keep my save, so I had to play 35% of the game all over again, and there is a lot of talking and explaining why you're doing various fetch quests and what an enemy's backstory is.”
“The final blow was the [spoiler] maid quest where you're collecting the garbage.”
“The edgy humor and shock gore are gone, letting the game find its own horror and humor from its story.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay features colorful pixel visuals and engaging sound design, but is criticized for being somewhat simplistic and lacking challenge, with certain sections feeling barebones. While the introduction of psychic powers adds a strategic layer, the overall experience leans more towards exploration and obstacle avoidance rather than intense action, offering charm and nostalgia rather than excitement.
“The pixel visuals are nice and colorful, the tracks and the sound design are on point. The gameplay itself is a little rough around the edges, with some sections and boss battles being rather barebones, but it definitely has charm as it captures that 80's cheese horror retro vibe and takes you down nostalgia lane!”
“The psychic powers add a nice dynamic to the gameplay, allowing players to decide whether to spend their energy on a dash or an attack.”
“The mechanics are nice and simple but add a little risk/reward to the gameplay.”
“The gameplay between cutscenes and dialogue is too basic and short to feel worthwhile playing again.”
“There is no hiding from an unkillable slasher this time; gameplay is all exploration, obstacle avoidance, and leisurely aggression, which provides a stimulating, though seldom exhilarating, experience.”
“It has quite a bit more personality and polish than the first game, even if the gameplay is less tense.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are praised for their colorful pixel art and charming retro aesthetic, effectively capturing an 80's horror vibe. The visual style is complemented by a strong soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere, while some gameplay elements may feel less polished. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's nostalgic appeal.
“The graphics are beautiful, with classic pixel art and a really great atmosphere bolstered by the soundtrack (which is absolutely fantastic too!).”
“[i]Sunshine Manor[/i] sheds the RPG Maker appearance of the first game and ramps up the cartoonishness in both graphics and tone.”
“The art style and music were top notch!”
“The graphics are outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models look flat and lifeless, making it hard to connect with the story.”
“The environments feel bland and uninspired, lacking detail and depth.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its nostalgic quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, complementing the beautiful pixel art. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as fantastic and a standout feature, with memorable callbacks to classic films that enrich the gaming experience.
“The art style and music were top notch!”
“The pixel art is beautiful and the soundtrack really is something else too ... recommended!”
“The music is a trip down nostalgia lane and the callbacks and references to old school movies are epic.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game shifts away from edgy humor and shock gore, instead deriving its horror and humor from a more nuanced storytelling approach. This change allows for a unique blend of comedic elements that are integrated into the narrative.
“The edgy humor and shock gore are gone, letting the game find its own horror and humor from its story.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its beautiful pixel art graphics and an outstanding soundtrack, creating an immersive experience that resonates well with players.
“The graphics are beautiful, with classic pixel art and a really great atmosphere bolstered by the soundtrack, which is absolutely fantastic too!”
