The 39 Steps

About

"The 39 Steps" is a digital adaptation of the classic novel, transforming the text into a visually stunning, interactive experience. Explore hundreds of hand-painted environments and uncover secrets in this man-on-the-run thriller, featuring 8 distinct storytelling mechanics and additional collectibles. Immerse yourself in the faithfully constructed 1910s Britain setting, inspired by the original book that sparked Ian Fleming's James Bond.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,824 reviews

story758 positive mentions

replayability24 negative mentions

The story is masterfully written and engaging, keeping players hooked throughout.
The artwork is stunning, with beautifully hand-painted backgrounds that enhance the atmosphere.
The voice acting is top-notch, adding depth and immersion to the narrative.

The gameplay is minimal, with very little interactivity beyond clicking to advance the story.
The pacing can be slow, leading to moments of boredom for some players.
There are awkward mechanics, such as rotating the mouse to progress text, which can be frustrating.

story
2,222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
The story of "The 39 Steps" is a masterfully crafted adaptation of John Buchan's classic novel, presented through a combination of engaging visuals, voice acting, and atmospheric music. While the narrative is linear and lacks player agency, it captivates with its suspenseful plot centered around espionage and a man on the run, drawing players into its immersive storytelling experience. However, some reviewers noted that the pacing can be slow, and the story may feel dated or overly simplistic compared to modern standards, making it more akin to an interactive novel than a traditional game.
- “The story is masterfully written, being divided across 19 chapters and brought to life with stunning backgrounds set in Scotland and England.”
- “There's voice acting too, which really adds to the atmosphere, especially since accents play a really big role in a story like this.”
- “The narrative unfolds through beautifully rendered still images and voice acting, faithfully capturing the suspense and intrigue of the original story.”
- “The music was solid as well as the voice acting, but the story, which was supposed to be about a man on the run and espionage, was too off point most of the times.”
- “In the end, the story is already told, you are just doing random things with the mouse so you are not just sitting there reading the screen.”
- “Overall, I found the story to be confusing, slow paced, and predictable, and for a 'game' that is literally just clicking through text after text after text, it needs to have an amazing and immersive story to make it worthwhile.”
graphics
428 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
41%
1%
The graphics in this visual novel are widely praised for their beauty and artistic quality, featuring hand-painted artwork that enhances the storytelling experience. While the visuals are often described as stunning and immersive, some reviewers note that the static nature of the graphics and limited interactivity may detract from the overall engagement. The harmonious integration of visuals, music, and voice acting contributes to a captivating atmosphere, making it a recommended experience for fans of the genre.
- “The artwork that accompanies each scene is beautiful and the music complements it greatly without being intrusive.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous.”
- “The artwork is lushly hand-painted, not your typical computer game graphics.”
- “The art style is simplistic and often feels half-finished or rushed, which is disappointing when the semi-pretty pictures make up almost your entire experience listening to the story.”
- “The graphics are 95% static, with the only movement being the occasional smokestack spewing smoke, a flag flapping in the wind, or falling rain.”
- “Technical issues include no graphics scaling, leaving you stuck with the resolution they provide, and mouse cursor control problems that hinder gameplay, especially since the game is mouse-driven.”
gameplay
328 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
77%
7%
The gameplay in "The 39 Steps" is largely minimal and simplistic, primarily consisting of clicking to advance the story and performing basic mouse movements for interactions, akin to a visual novel. While some players appreciate the immersive storytelling and artistic presentation, many find the lack of substantial gameplay elements and choices disappointing, labeling it more as an interactive book than a traditional game. Overall, it caters to those who prioritize narrative over gameplay mechanics, but may not satisfy players seeking a more interactive experience.
- “There are a small number of gameplay elements, like exploring for clues in certain locations or doing some quick actions with movements of the mouse, as if you were actually playing as Richard Hannay; it's not much, but it does a great job of immersing you in the world.”
- “When it comes to gameplay, this is mostly an interactive book, but it does have a few short parts of finding objects like in a hidden object game and some parts where you have to draw figures with the mouse, similar to Detroit: Become Human.”
- “The gameplay is interesting where mouse movements are used to navigate the text – swirling the mouse in a circle moves to the next paragraph of text.”
- “It is important to realize that there is no gameplay (besides occasionally deciding the order of what to click or matching pre-defined actions), no choices or branching storylines, or anything like that.”
- “Every other review says it but I'll reiterate: this is a visual novel with extremely minimal gameplay mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is boring and just really slow.”
music
308 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to set an atmospheric tone, enhancing the overall experience with its fitting and immersive qualities. While many reviews highlight the soundtrack as a strong point, some note issues with looping and the appropriateness of certain tracks, particularly during the credits. Overall, the combination of music, voice acting, and sound effects contributes significantly to the game's engaging narrative and visual presentation.
- “The music really sets the mood and does what it needs to do, giving off an ominous and unsettling feeling like you're not completely safe.”
- “The illustrations and music are also pleasant and set the mood and tone very well in each scene.”
- “The soundtrack and ambiance create just the right atmosphere as you step in the shoes of Hannay in a grand tale of pre-WWI espionage.”
- “The music is fitting, but the loops are cut terribly, and the final track makes you wonder if you were watching Jason Bourne.”
- “The only thing I dislike about it is the annoying electronic music during the credits.”
- “Nice way to experience this story, sadly all the atmosphere that was so good in the game is totally ruined by the awful music in the end-game credits.”
atmosphere
142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
32%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by excellent voice acting, fitting music, and detailed artwork that evoke the period setting of the story. Reviewers note that the combination of sound effects, narrative depth, and visual design creates a captivating experience reminiscent of classic literature and film adaptations. While some players may find the gameplay lacking, the overall atmospheric presentation is considered a significant strength, making it a compelling choice for fans of interactive fiction and period tales.
- “The atmosphere, the characters, everything in this game is unique.”
- “An atmospheric visual novel with a terrific presentation: the hand-drawn visuals, the music, and the sound effects/voice acting are all fantastic, lending to the establishment of the mood of the story.”
- “The atmosphere that was created by the music, sound, art, voice acting, and UI is top-notch.”
- “I really tried to like this game; the graphic side is appealing, the atmosphere is okay, but the annoying interface and time-wasting way the story is moving on made me give it up after 40 minutes.”
- “Nice way to experience this story; sadly, all the atmosphere that was so good in the game is totally ruined by the awful music in the end-game credits.”
- “While I would in no way call it a triple-A title, art, voice acting, music, and sounds all add to a generally foreboding atmosphere, while encouraging you to continue through each scene.”
replayability
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
45%
44%
The game has minimal to no replayability, with most reviewers describing it as a one-and-done experience. While the story, artwork, and voice acting are praised, the linear gameplay and short duration (around 3-6 hours) limit the incentive to replay. Overall, it is recommended for a single playthrough, but players should be aware of its lack of replay value.
- “Totally re-readable, or in this case re-playable thanks to the way the artwork is brought to life with a moving soundtrack and artfully placed sound effects along with intermittent narration.”
- “Not sure if there would be a lot of replay value, but completely worth a read/play-through once.”
- “Replayability is limited, but I still highly recommend this game.”
- “There is no replay value here, just a solid one-and-done experience.”
- “The downsides are that at several moments the game didn't seem to register my input to continue, which is something that might be worked out with a future patch, and that the replay value of this already very short game is almost non-existent.”
- “It's short, and gives no replayability whatsoever.”
humor
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of clever storytelling techniques, including animated segments and a variety of British accents, which many players found amusing. The voice acting, particularly the British gentleman and Scottish accents, adds to the comedic effect, while the unusual soundtrack, especially the techno breakdown during the credits, elicited laughter. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its narrative, making for an entertaining experience despite some gameplay frustrations.
- “Generic spooky thriller music accompanies most of the story, though it is broken up by a sick techno breakdown in the credits - I couldn't stop laughing when the glitch noises and bass kicked in.”
- “Voice acting is good, with some hilarious British gentleman action and some frankly unintelligible Scottish accents.”
- “Beautiful art, funny and innovative storytelling techniques, great music.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding the tasks tedious and detracting from the narrative experience. While some appreciated the vibrant soundscapes and illustrations, others felt that the game often felt more like a chore than an engaging experience, leading to moments of disengagement. Overall, the balance between story progression and repetitive tasks has left players divided on the enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Stuck between a visual novel and an adventure game, this classic novel loses its strength as player focus is torn between following the narrative and accomplishing tedious tasks to turn pages.”
- “It doesn't feel like a game; at times, it feels even more tedious to go through than it would be to just read a thick book.”
- “A little time-consuming; however, after a while, it gets tedious. I don't think I ever spent more than 30 minutes actually playing it at a time and often found myself wandering away to do something else as it never kept my attention.”
emotional
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding the storytelling methods unique and heartfelt, evoking strong feelings and even tears. However, many criticize the narrative as boring and lacking depth, with a singular path that diminishes player choice and engagement. Overall, while some appreciate the emotional impact, others feel let down by the story's execution.
- “It almost made me cry.”
- “10/10 would cry again.”
- “Heartfelt and captivating story.”
- “Incredibly boring story.”
- “Boring story, Mary Sue protagonist with immense charisma and luck.”
- “Pointless boring story, but with easy achievements!”
monetization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is minimal, as it primarily functions more like an interactive book than a traditional game, lacking puzzles or choices. Players can explore optional historical content, such as newspapers and advertisements, which enhance the narrative but may feel repetitive at times. Overall, while the experience is engaging for those interested in the historical context, it does not offer significant gameplay mechanics typically associated with monetization in games.
- “It is more of a book than a game, to be honest, since it doesn't have puzzles or choices. Instead, it has optional stuff that you can inspect, like newspapers that feel like they are from that time, with ads characteristic of that era.”
- “While it wasn't perfect, some parts of the story felt meandering or repetitive. I swear some of it felt like an advertisement from the Scottish tourism board, dwelling on how stunning the scenery was or basking in the charm and generosity of the locals.”
- “They allow you to zoom in and out on objects you see in the environments, thinking that you'll have to do some Sherlock Holmes work and pick out clues from the zoomed-in objects, but alas, there isn't much to discover but a few timeline-appropriate advertisements and newspaper articles.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
15%
71%
Overall, the stability of the game is mixed; while some users report enjoying the experience with no significant errors or glitches, others have encountered issues such as audio glitches and save point problems when switching windows. The game is described as having minor bugs, but many players still found it enjoyable despite these imperfections.
- “There are no bugs, no glitches, and everything is done in a professional way.”
- “Just to be clear, this isn't a game; taking that in, it's far from perfect. If you plan on clicking 2000 times, dedicate your entire PC because switching windows glitches your save point, so you have to start all over again.”
- “The game is too buggy for me.”
- “In order to give some constructive criticism, I will say that there are times in the story when the voice acting echoes and glitches a bit.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users noting that the voice acting, visuals, and music create an immersive experience akin to a high-quality graphic novel or audiobook. The combination of excellent performances and stunning hand-painted artwork enhances the overall presentation, making it a recommended experience for players.
- “The visuals are on par with a good graphic novel, and the music and voice performances are as good as any audiobook.”
- “The story couldn't be bad since it's an adaptation of a best-seller, but the soundtrack, the awesome hand-painted artwork, and the voice performances turned it into a brilliant experience which I would recommend to anyone.”
- “The voice acting really fits each role with great performances.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is minimal, as the narrative primarily focuses on the main character's escape from various predicaments, leaving little room for meaningful plot progression or character growth.
- “It's essentially an innocent-man-on-the-run thriller, and the middle 3/5ths or so of the game basically have the main character escaping one sticky situation after another, with little in the way of actual plot or character development taking place.”

Buy The 39 Steps

6h Median play time

5h Average play time

4-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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