The Fidelio Incident

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,070 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
The Fidelio Incident Game Cover
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"The Fidelio Incident" is a narrative-driven stealth game where players control the characters Lorenzo and his daughter, Clara, who are on the run from their past. They must evade the guards and find clues to uncover the truth behind their fugitive status, while navigating through a mysterious mansion. The game features challenging stealth-based gameplay and a gripping story of deceit and redemption.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,070 reviews
story499 positive mentions
grinding24 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning graphics and a beautiful environment that immerses players in the icy landscape.
  • The voice acting is top-notch, effectively conveying the emotional weight of the story.
  • The narrative is engaging, with a compelling backstory that unfolds through journal entries and interactions.
  • The gameplay is very linear, with minimal interactivity and repetitive puzzles that can feel tedious.
  • The game is quite short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • The freezing mechanic can be frustrating, as players must constantly seek warmth, which detracts from exploration.
  • story1,236 mentions

    The story of "The Fidelio Incident" is a poignant exploration of love and loss, set against the backdrop of the Irish troubles, as players navigate a frozen landscape to uncover the narrative through scattered journal entries. While many praise its emotional depth, beautiful visuals, and strong voice acting, some find the storytelling predictable or lacking in engagement, with gameplay that can feel tedious. Overall, the game is recognized for its compelling narrative, though opinions vary on its execution and impact.

    • “It's really nice to hear authentic Irish voices to prop up an overlooked and rarely-seen-in-games Irish rich story.”
    • “The story was deeper than expected, the scenery was interesting to traverse through, the voice acting was pretty good, and the conclusion was bittersweet yet satisfying.”
    • “The voice acting is incredible, the story is very intriguing, the graphics/art style left me in awe, and the soundtrack was so undeniably outstanding and set the tone perfectly!”
    • “It just also didn't make sense and made the story seem meandering.”
    • “It's like they took the story into left field just to prolong the gameplay.”
    • “The plot twist is built and spun into a disappointing reveal, leaving no real sense of accomplishment upon completion.”
  • graphics427 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and atmospheric design, often described as breathtaking and photorealistic. Many players noted the impressive use of the Unreal Engine, which contributes to the game's immersive environments, although some experienced performance issues and crashes. Overall, while the graphics are a highlight, opinions vary on their optimization and clarity compared to promotional materials.

    • “The graphics are fantastic and the music is haunting.”
    • “The visuals are breathtaking, so beautiful and melodramatic.”
    • “The graphics are amazing especially considering the size of the team, not to mention the way the environment very successfully leads you through it without much need for narration.”
    • “Next, the graphics are mediocre even though they used the Unreal 4 engine.”
    • “The graphics are not this game's strong points.”
    • “As some reviewers have mentioned, when you get in the game, the visuals are not as crystal clear as shown off in the screenshots on the storefront.”
  • gameplay267 mentions

    The gameplay of "The Fidelio Incident" is primarily characterized as a walking simulator with minimal interaction, focusing on exploration and simple puzzle mechanics, such as managing a freezing survival element. While some players appreciated the atmospheric storytelling and visuals, many criticized the gameplay for being tedious, repetitive, and lacking depth, with the freezing mechanic often seen as more frustrating than engaging. Overall, the game offers a short experience (around 2 hours) that prioritizes narrative over traditional gameplay elements, which may appeal to fans of the genre but leave others wanting more.

    • “The gameplay was engaging enough to keep me interested, and the puzzle elements were simple.”
    • “The game's controls and mechanics are intuitive and serve their purpose.”
    • “The fidelio incident heavily focuses on story and journal pages as you go through the game, as do many games that are tagged with 'walking simulator.' however, I really enjoyed the setup for this game, as well as the environment and general gameplay.”
    • “The freezing mechanic is annoying and tedious at best and adds nothing to the story.”
    • “There is very little in the game which could be considered gameplay – you walk, you pick journal pages, you read.”
    • “Unfortunately, there is little to no actual gameplay here, as one may expect, but I find that to be a problem.”
  • music249 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and emotional depth, often described as beautiful, haunting, and well-integrated with the gameplay. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack's ability to enhance the storytelling and immerse players in the game's world, with some noting its classical influences and strong piano compositions. While opinions on the overall quality of the soundtrack varied, it is generally regarded as one of the standout features of the game, contributing significantly to its emotional impact and immersive experience.

    • “Finally, the soundtrack is beautiful; it’s expressed in adagio sostenuto through the piano.”
    • “The music fits and integrates itself flawlessly, conveying and emphasizing emotions, tones, and underlying themes.”
    • “The voice acting is incredible, the story is very intriguing, the graphics/art style left me in awe, and the soundtrack was so undeniably outstanding and set the tone perfectly!”
    • “Sadly, I found the music/audio to be somewhat lacking, which is sad for a game that is marketing itself on being inspired by Beethoven's only opera.”
    • “The musical score is low-key and ultimately forgettable, but it's very atmospheric and fitting.”
    • “Story/music/etc. are not interesting either; there are nice places here and there, but mostly it's an annoying walking simulator where nothing happens.”
  • atmosphere98 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining beautiful graphics, evocative music, and strong voice acting to create a haunting and melancholic experience. Players often feel a deep emotional connection to the environment, with many describing it as captivating and reflective of themes like loneliness and despair. While some critiques mention gameplay simplicity and occasional detachment from the story, the overall atmospheric presentation remains a standout feature that enhances the narrative.

    • “The game is so atmospheric that it hits you right in the feels; it's the best game to play when you are in misery. I caught myself thinking about being all alone on this island, not gonna lie.”
    • “The voice acting is excellent, the graphics are quite beautiful, and the sound design and soundtrack are good and atmospheric.”
    • “What I find the best about this game is its visuals and atmosphere. You will feel the cold in your bones behind your screen; there is no place that feels safe on this island. You can't possibly stay in the open for a few seconds without a heat source, or else you die.”
    • “The light is too dim, the whole atmosphere is very depressed.”
    • “It fixes itself but it's jarring in that it pulls you out of the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is decent, the length fitting and the sheer vastness, hostility and twisted beauty of the landscapes never fails to impress, but apart from a gripping atmosphere and hopelessness, there is little to remember once the credits roll and the game feels the need to make it abundantly clear what just happened.”
  • emotional86 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching narratives and complex characters, often evoking strong feelings of empathy and heartbreak among players. While many reviews praise the beautiful visuals and compelling soundtracks that enhance the emotional experience, some criticize the predictability and pacing of the story, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to create deep emotional connections, despite some inconsistencies in storytelling.

    • “Walking through the Fidelio incident introduced me to characters, showed me their experiences and how they felt in response, and watching them feel things made me feel things.”
    • “The story was quite emotional and really socks you in the gut at the end; you feel both devastated but also a little proud of the main character's final accomplishment.”
    • “Stanley's story is quite emotional; emotional not only because it is a journey of survival and of finding your loved ones but it is moving as by collecting all pages you'll soon learn this man's very past he wants to forget.”
    • “Bland and terribly boring story.”
    • “Really short game and a boring story.”
    • “Boring story.”
  • grinding26 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and unengaging, with many players finding the puzzles and mechanics repetitive and unnecessary. While some appreciate the story and voice acting, they often feel that these elements do not compensate for the dull gameplay experience. Overall, the game is described as a frustrating mix of slow pacing and uninspired challenges that detract from its potential.

    • “The gameplay in general feels tedious and dull, and did I mention boring?”
    • “By the time the game enters its visually impressive final half-hour, the protagonist's backstory is so evident that further revelations feel redundant and tedious.”
    • “But the gameplay is just another boring, tedious Unreal Engine walkabout... yawn!”
  • optimization24 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as FPS drops and stuttering, while others reported smooth gameplay at high settings. Despite the graphical quality being praised, many users noted that maintaining consistent performance, especially at higher resolutions, was challenging. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary widely depending on hardware and settings.

    • “It's also very well optimized: even though it looks incredible, and I had everything on ultra, it still didn't make my laptop heat up too much.”
    • “Graphically, the game is superb and surprisingly well optimized; I was able to run it at a steady 60 on the highest settings with a few drops to 50-55 fps towards the end (which is excusable due to so much happening on screen).”
    • “In terms of performance, it fares very well; everything was maxed out and I managed to get a steady 60fps (v-sync on) on my second desktop (GTX 970 and i5 4570s).”
    • “This has to be the worst optimized game I've ever played (or tried to).”
    • “Performance wasn't well optimized, and I struggled to maintain 4k60, but the graphics are top-notch, especially for an indie game.”
    • “You have to modify a file and the performance drops significantly.”
  • stability22 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting significant glitches and technical issues, particularly towards the end, leading to experiences of being softlocked or encountering crashes. However, a few users noted that they did not experience any bugs, suggesting that stability may vary widely among players. Overall, the consensus leans towards the game being a "buggy mess," which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Seems like it would be a fun game to play (I pictured it like Dear Esther) but too many glitches even after various re-installs, updates, etc.”
    • “It's still quite a buggy mess.”
    • “There are many technical problems and glitches.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short length and the requirement of a full playthrough for missed collectibles. While some players may return to collect all journal pages, many reviewers feel that the lack of substantial content diminishes the incentive to replay.

    • “It is definitely replayable to try to get all the journal pages if you were not able to get them all the first try.”
    • “There is no replay value.”
    • “It’s a short game and will probably give you no more than a few hours of enjoyment with little replayability. If you’re going for the collectibles achievement, I’d suggest using a guide because one missed item will require another full playthrough – too harsh!”
    • “No replayability at all.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from the distracting and often hilarious accents of the supporting cast, which some players found amusing despite their lack of authenticity. This unintentional comedy adds a lighthearted element to the experience, showcasing the developers' unintended comedic flair.

    • “The accents from the remaining cast are so appalling that it becomes completely distracting and actually hilarious at times.”
    • “You are so funny, devs.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for lacking emotional engagement, leading to a disconnect between the advertised experience and the actual gameplay, which some feel misrepresents the game's genre.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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