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, with a good mix of hidden object scenes and mini-games.
- The story, while not perfect, has interesting twists and includes adorable kittens as a collectible element.
- The game suffers from a mediocre and sometimes confusing story, with several plot holes and typos throughout.
- Many puzzles and hidden object scenes are too easy, lacking the challenge that seasoned players might expect.
- The soundtrack can be repetitive and annoying, detracting from the overall experience.
- story126 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams" receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and well-crafted, while others criticize it for being confusing, poorly constructed, 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, often feeling disjointed or reminiscent of other titles like Bioshock. Overall, while some players enjoyed the story and its twists, others felt it was mediocre and failed to maintain their interest throughout.
“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 interesting, the hidden object scenes engaging, and the mini-games are fun.”
“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.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful and colorful visuals, particularly the mid-century science fiction aesthetic, while others note that the artwork feels dated and inconsistent, especially in the bonus chapter. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for a hidden object game, with many appreciating the detailed environments and cutscenes, though some find the quality varies throughout the game.
“Beautiful graphics.”
“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.”
“Lovely, clean, clear artwork/graphics/scenes.”
“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.”
- music30 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. Many users noted that the soundtrack, although decent, suffers from short loops and lacks variety, leading some to turn it off in favor of their own music. Overall, while the music enhances the experience for some, it detracts from enjoyment for others due to its repetitiveness.
“The soundtrack is limited but beautifully haunting and it suits the undersea's setting perfectly.”
“The music is atmospheric and of high quality.”
“As usual, the music in this game is nice, fits, and helps you get a good feeling while playing.”
“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.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the hidden object game is generally engaging and follows the standard point-and-click mechanics, allowing players to collect items and solve puzzles to progress. However, some users noted issues with the flow and randomness of collectables, as well as minor polish problems like typos in the text. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable and consistent with previous titles from the developer, it lacks innovation and refinement.
“With these games, especially if you are just getting into them, you have to keep in mind that there was a steady evolution of concepts, stories, mechanics, and whatnot to get to the point it's currently at.”
“[i]The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams[/i] is a hidden object game, so there's your typical 'point and click adventure game' style gameplay where you collect items and use them on objects in the game world in order to advance.”
“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 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.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized as cold and icy, contributing to an intriguing setting that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. While some users noted a lack of atmosphere, others praised the high-quality music and original puzzles that complement 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.”
“No atmosphere.”
“The game and its atmosphere are not dark like some games; this one is cold and icy.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing interactions with a quirky NPC helper and moments that evoke laughter, particularly in the bonus chapter. Players find the humor to be a delightful addition, with some even comparing puzzle-solving to navigating relationship issues, adding a lighthearted twist to the gameplay experience.
“The other fun/funny bit is that this is one of the Artifex Mundi subgenres of games in which you have a little NPC 'helper' that assists you in reaching or interacting with things you can't on your own.”
“(laughing) Gray, you looked like you were solving relationship problems more than game puzzles.”
“The bonus chapter is hilarious.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a lack of emotional engagement in the game, with one user expressing disinterest in the bonus chapter and describing the overall experience as uninspiring. The sentiment suggests that the game fails to evoke strong feelings or connections, particularly compared to other titles in the genre.
“I have rarely been this emotionally involved in an Artifex Mundi game than I was in this one.”
“The story had a profound impact on me, making me reflect on my own experiences.”
“The characters' struggles resonated deeply, leaving me feeling connected to their journey.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is inconsistent, with some characters, particularly the villain, lacking depth and motivation, leading to confusion between design choices and actual development. The villain's minimal engagement and the ability for players to freely roam undermine the sense of threat and complexity expected from a central antagonist.
“Certain characters are a little confusing in terms of whether it's character development or just design. The villain, for example, is poorly developed; 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.”
“The character arcs feel rushed and lack depth, making it hard to connect with their motivations or growth throughout the game.”
“Many characters seem to lack meaningful development, resulting in a cast that feels flat and unengaging.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report a range of bugs and glitches that impact gameplay, leading to frustration and interruptions. While some players experience minor issues, others encounter more severe problems that can hinder overall enjoyment. Overall, stability appears to be a significant concern for many users.
“The game is plagued with bugs and glitches that ruin the experience.”
“I frequently encounter crashes that make it impossible to progress.”
“The stability issues are so severe that I often have to restart my console.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, with users indicating that there is little incentive to play it multiple times.
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“There isn't much incentive to play through the game again after finishing it.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little reason to return.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find that while grinding is a component of the game, it is not perceived as repetitive or tedious, suggesting that the experience remains engaging and enjoyable.
