Tales from Candleforth
- April 30, 2024
- Under the Bed Games
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreTales from Candleforth is a folk horror 2D point and click game with puzzles and escape room mechanics, that narrates the fairy tales from the village. The text contained in this ancient and evil book is now bleeding out, mixing the world of nightmares with the real one through handmade 2D graphics
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a stunning hand-drawn art style that enhances the eerie atmosphere and complements the folk horror theme.
- Puzzles are well-designed, offering a balanced mix of challenge and enjoyment, making them rewarding to solve.
- The story is captivating and dark, with a whimsical yet macabre tone that keeps players engaged throughout the experience.
- Some puzzles can be confusing or lack clear instructions, leading to frustration and reliance on walkthroughs.
- The narrative feels underdeveloped at times, with abrupt endings and unanswered questions that may leave players unsatisfied.
- There are technical issues such as crashes and grammatical errors in the text that detract from the overall experience.
- story28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as dark and captivating, with a strong atmosphere enhanced by its art style and music. While many players appreciate the intriguing premise and engaging puzzles, some feel the narrative lacks depth and coherence, particularly towards the end, leading to an abrupt conclusion. Overall, the story has potential but could benefit from further development to fully realize its themes and plot twists.
“The story was captivating; I would love to play a second chapter <3”
“This game hooked me with its art, but its story and folk horror completely captivated me.”
“The story is creepy yet beautiful, and the puzzles are very well designed.”
“I lost the plot towards the end of the game, and so the ending didn't make much sense.”
“The script itself was very lacking, with very little narrative for it being a story that is being told to the audience, especially as the girl solves puzzles.”
“The plot twist at the end didn't make much sense.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful hand-drawn art style, which effectively creates a spooky atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers appreciate the intricate visuals and how they complement the game's intriguing puzzles and soundtrack, although some noted that the graphics could be difficult to discern at times. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a standout feature, drawing players into its captivating world.
“The visuals are stunning, really, really beautiful.”
“The handmade 2D graphics are just beautiful and really draw you into the spooky world!”
“Tales from Candleforth is a clever horror-puzzle game with an insanely good-looking hand-drawn aesthetic.”
“Quite an original idea and graphical style, but sadly, I didn't enjoy the experience very much.”
“There's something about the art style, the music, the slow pace!”
“Beautifully crafted, with original twists in the artwork.”
- music15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmospheric experience, perfectly complementing the beautiful art style and immersive storytelling. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a key element that draws players in, creating a captivating ambiance that keeps them engaged throughout the gameplay. Overall, the combination of music, sound design, and visuals contributes significantly to the game's eerie yet enchanting atmosphere.
“The setting, music, and art are all perfect and come together to create an amazing experience.”
“The art is beautiful (reminds me of Over the Garden Wall in the best way) and the music adds to the ambiance perfectly.”
“Its music hypnotizes and its art leaves you enthralled in front of the screen.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“While the art and design are impressive, the music fails to leave a lasting impression.”
“The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, making it feel disjointed.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its surreal, moody, and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful hand-drawn art and evocative music. Reviewers note that it effectively creates a tense and foreboding environment, although some minor text issues detract slightly from the experience. Overall, the combination of art, music, and storytelling contributes to a compelling and oppressive atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
“I loved the surreal atmosphere and ease of replaying through various chapters.”
“I love the atmosphere of the game; the art style is super beautiful and the music went very well with it.”
“It features a compelling story, well-balanced difficulty, remarkable art, and immersive music that keeps you engaged in the atmosphere.”
“I will be looking forward to any future releases in this same style, although I must say they probably should hire a translator next time, as a lot of the text moments were riddled with typos and grammatical errors. It didn't completely take me out of it, but it made for a few humorous moments in an atmosphere designed to be tense and foreboding.”
“It starts off a bit enigmatic right at the beginning, but then the atmosphere of the game starts to thicken and becomes so oppressive it feels like it's grabbing your neck.”
“- The atmosphere created by the combination of art, music, design, and storytelling.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by challenging yet enjoyable puzzles, enhanced by innovative escape room mechanics that add a unique twist. Players appreciate the impressive visuals and the clever design of the puzzle mechanics, contributing to an engaging experience.
“The puzzles are challenging but super fun, and the escape room mechanics add a cool twist.”
“I have just played for a very short time, but I can say that the visuals are incredible and the puzzle mechanics I've seen so far are very ingenious.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often unintentional, stemming from typos and grammatical errors that, while not detracting from the overall experience, add a layer of amusement to the otherwise tense atmosphere. Players appreciate this quirky charm and express hope for future releases in a similar style.
“I will be looking forward to any future releases in this same style. Although I must say, they probably should hire a translator next time, as a lot of the text moments were riddled with typos and grammatical errors. It didn't completely take me out of it, but it made for a few humorous moments in an atmosphere designed to be tense and foreboding.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for lacking depth, with the main character's unique design, such as having two different colored eyes, failing to contribute meaningfully to their overall growth or narrative significance.
“There is also no value to the character designs; the main character has two different colored eyes - very curious about that.”
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
“I expected more depth from the characters, but they all seem one-dimensional and forgettable.”
