The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams
- February 17, 2016
- Gogii Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams" is a mystery adventure game set in 1957 London and an underwater facility. You, a 25-year-old orphan, receive an invitation to a voyage on the luxurious Emerald Maiden, where you uncover dark secrets, confront an ancient evil, and learn the truth about your family. The game features a thrilling story and unique underwater setting.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and an intriguing underwater setting reminiscent of BioShock.
- The puzzles are enjoyable and varied, providing a good mix of hidden object scenes and mini-games.
- The story, while not perfect, has interesting twists and includes the adorable aspect of saving kittens.
- The game suffers from a mediocre story with several plot holes and typos, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Many puzzles are too easy, and the game can feel short, especially for experienced players of the genre.
- There are issues with backtracking and some hidden object scenes that lack logical placement of items.
- story252 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams" has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and well-crafted, while others criticize it for being disjointed and filled with plot holes. Many appreciate the underwater setting and themes of family and belonging, but note that the narrative lacks depth and coherence at times, leading to confusion about character motivations and story progression. Overall, while some players enjoyed the story's creativity and twists, others felt it fell short of expectations, particularly in the bonus chapter.
“The story was impeccable, truly a craft by Gogii and Artifex.”
“It's a story about family, belonging, and origins, with many plot twists, and with gorgeous art.”
“The story is actually surprisingly interesting too, to the extent that I'm kind of sad it was used on this sort of game.”
“I might have missed something in the story, but I was confused most of the time; the main objective is clear, but why they ended up like that made no sense to me.”
“The story and ambience are average and do not really manage to keep the player's interest.”
“Even the bonus story at the end was pretty bad; usually they have something interesting to add, but this one is just trying to sell you a sequel that I'm not entirely sure exists.”
- graphics92 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as beautiful and colorful, with a pleasing aesthetic that draws inspiration from mid-century science fiction and art deco styles. However, some users note that the artwork feels a bit dated and inconsistent, particularly in the bonus chapter, where the quality drops significantly. Overall, while the visuals are appealing and modern, they may not stand out as groundbreaking compared to other hidden object games.
“The graphics are great, more or less along with the newer crop of games with hidden object parts, scenarios and whatnot that fits together better than the older games.”
“Honestly this game isn't especially groundbreaking when compared to other hidden object games, but damn if they didn't get the aesthetic right.”
“If you like clicking a bunch of junk while admiring the pretty visuals, then you'll probably enjoy this.”
“The artwork is a little bit dated.”
“Of note are a large number of cutscenes and frequent areas of incongruent, anachronistic and even amateur art styles.”
“The bonus chapter graphics were really bad and looked like maybe it was done way too quickly just to get it out there.”
- music60 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmospheric quality and suitability for the setting, while others find it repetitive and annoying, often leading them to turn it off. Although there are mentions of beautiful and haunting tracks, many users express disappointment over the limited soundtrack and short looping duration. Overall, while some enjoy the music as a relaxing backdrop, others feel it detracts from the gaming experience.
“The soundtrack is limited but beautifully haunting and it suits the undersea's setting perfectly.”
“The music is atmospheric and of high quality.”
“I've enjoyed a lot of the games Artifex Mundi has developed and published; they offer up beautiful, lush backgrounds, relaxing gameplay coupled with music - and each game is a unique experience.”
“Great game with lots of good puzzles, but a terrible soundtrack.”
“The music annoyed me a bit, since it sounded somewhat like the Simpsons' intro, and it was on constant loop.”
“Ended up turning off the music because it was so repetitive.”
- gameplay30 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams" follows the typical hidden object game format, featuring point-and-click mechanics where players collect items and solve puzzles to progress. While the storyline and visuals are praised, some users noted issues with the game's flow and basic mechanics, including the random distribution of collectibles and polish problems like typos in the text. Overall, the gameplay is described as engaging and enjoyable, particularly for fans of Artifex Mundi's previous titles.
“Love the storyline, gameplay is engaging and enjoyable.”
“I've enjoyed a lot of the games Artifex Mundi has developed and published; they offer beautiful, lush backgrounds, relaxing gameplay coupled with music - and each game is a unique experience.”
“The premise is interesting enough, and the gameplay is enjoyable.”
“The mechanics and flow of the game though... man, I don't think any of the other hidden object games had such a bad flow.”
“Mechanics are basic - there is one collectible distributed at random scenes, which I don't like much.”
“No serious gameplay complaints but there were a lot of polish issues; for instance, the English texts had a lot of typos.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as cold and icy, contributing to an intriguing story and setting that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. While some users noted a lack of atmosphere, many appreciated the high-quality, atmospheric music that complements the overall ambiance.
“It has an intriguing story, setting, and atmosphere that drive the puzzle-solving, and the puzzles mostly feel original and at least a bit challenging.”
“The music is atmospheric and of high quality.”
“The game and its atmosphere are not dark like some games; this one is cold and icy.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky NPC helper, which adds a lighthearted touch to gameplay. Players find the bonus chapter particularly amusing, with several moments that evoke laughter, making the experience enjoyable and entertaining. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor, enhancing its appeal.
“The bonus chapter is hilarious.”
“(laughing) Gray, you looked like you were solving relationship problems more than game puzzles.”
“Has its funny moments.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a lack of emotional engagement with the game, particularly criticizing the bonus chapter as uninteresting and uninspiring. Overall, the emotional connection to the narrative and characters is described as minimal, making it one of the least impactful entries in the Artifex Mundi series.
“Rarely been this little 'emotionally involved' in an Artifex Mundi hidden object game than I was in this one.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for being inconsistent, with some characters, particularly the villain, lacking depth and motivation. Reviewers note that the villain's minimal attempts to engage the player undermine the sense of threat, leading to confusion between character design and actual development.
“Certain characters are a little confusing in terms of whether it's character development or just design. The villain, for example, is just plain lazy in development; there is only one instance where they try to stop you, and then that's it. You can free roam the whole place even though our villain has complete control.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized due to frequent bugs and glitches, which detract from the overall experience. Many users report encountering issues that disrupt gameplay, indicating a need for further optimization and fixes.
“The game is plagued with bugs and glitches that ruin the experience.”
“I encountered numerous bugs and glitches that made it nearly unplayable.”
“The stability issues, including constant bugs and glitches, are incredibly frustrating.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, with multiple users consistently noting that it lacks incentives to play through again.
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“The replay value for the game is low.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find that the grinding in the game is not perceived as repetitive or tedious, suggesting that it may be engaging or well-integrated into the overall gameplay experience.
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