Surrogate
- October 26, 2023
- Brandon McQuay
Get on Steam"Surrogate" is a visual novel following Frances, a neurotic girl trying to uncover an urban legend while balancing her investigative and creative interests. The game features unique art direction, avant-garde decision making, and emotionally realistic character interactions, resulting in 5 distinct endings and 7 unlockable achievements. Players will also experience a simulated self-criticism system that adds to the anxiety of Frances' story.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Surrogate features an extremely beautiful and unique art style that captivates players with its hauntingly beautiful palette.
- The writing is poignant and thought-provoking, with relatable characters and philosophical dialogues that resonate deeply with players.
- The game offers a compelling narrative experience with multiple endings, encouraging exploration and self-reflection.
- The audio quality is poor, with repetitive and low-quality music loops that detract from the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Some players found the pacing to be uneven, particularly in the early segments where concepts are repeated excessively.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content and depth.
- story18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its depth, engaging plot, and unique art style, with multiple endings that enhance world-building and encourage replayability. While some found the initial pacing slow, the introspective themes and layered narrative resonate well, drawing comparisons to notable works in the genre. Overall, players express a desire for the story to continue in future games, highlighting the developers' potential for further surprises.
“Pretty solid visual novel with a unique art style, short but branching and engaging plot with a lot of main character introspection and everything that comes with that process (i.e. self-loathing).”
“Great storyline that makes you think about yourself and the world around us.”
“The only part of the story that was a bit forced for me was the first 10-minute segment. I don't mind her monologuing, but I think you covered the same concept like 10 times over. You got your point across already; I think the game should move with purpose, and the second half felt better, with things happening at a better pace.”
“The story meant to be experienced, not described in this review, but in general, it's somewhat close to the vibe of 'Serial Experiments Lain' or 'TehNolyze', with some inspiration taken from 'Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk' (in a good sense, I mean who does not take inspiration from that, huh?).”
“I like that each ending adds a different context to the story without giving away the mystery as a whole. I think any game that can motivate you to explore the routes naturally is a sign of good writing.”
- music12 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with critics highlighting a lack of variety and poor audio quality in the short loops, which detracts from the overall atmosphere. The prevalent track, which is also featured in the trailer, suffers from static pops and skips, leading to a repetitive and jarring experience. While some players appreciated the atmospheric vibe, the music ultimately undermines the game's potential.
“I liked the atmosphere in the game; not sure if this soundtrack was made for it because it sounded familiar, but it had a nice vibe to it.”
“Unfortunately, the music almost ruins everything.”
“There's very little variety in the painfully short music loops, and they have audio quality issues.”
“If you listen to the music in the trailer, those static pops and bad skips you hear are on the sound file, and it loops in game over... and over... and over... it's tragic how much it poisons the atmosphere of the game.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of Surrogate are widely praised for their extremely beautiful and inspired art style, featuring a unique color palette that enhances the overall aesthetic. Reviewers appreciate the game's visual appeal, noting that it complements the engaging and introspective narrative.
“Surrogate has an extremely beautiful art style; the palette alone is inspired.”
“Pretty cool game - sweet art style.”
“Pretty solid visual novel with a unique art style.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally appreciated for its engaging vibe, but it is significantly marred by a repetitive and poorly produced soundtrack that features distracting static and skips. This inconsistency detracts from the overall experience, overshadowing the otherwise positive elements of the game's ambiance.
“I liked the atmosphere in the game; not sure if this soundtrack was made for it because it sounded familiar, but it had a nice vibe to it.”
“If you listen to the music in the trailer, those static pops and bad skips you hear are on the sound file, and it loops in game over... and over... and over... it's tragic how much it poisons the atmosphere of the game.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally resonant, as it reflects their own thoughts and feelings through relatable monologues. The small cast of supportive characters enhances the narrative, providing a diverse range of emotional interactions that foster a sense of connection and understanding.
“This game made me feel less alone by showing someone with the exact same monologues I have.”
“Small cast of supportive characters fits the narrative well and delivers a broad range of emotional interaction.”
