The Great Perhaps

The Great Perhaps is a nice looking adventure game that takes players on an interesting journey with solid dimension-shifting gameplay. Just be wary of the poorly handled mood swings and occasionally annoying design elements.

63%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, replayability

66% User Score Based on 197 reviews

Critic Score 58%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

The Great Perhaps is a single player casual action adventure game with mystery and science fiction themes. It was developed by Caligari Games and was released on August 14, 2019. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

In The Great Perhaps, play as an astronaut returning to a post-apocalyptic Earth, using a mysterious lantern to explore the past and uncover the cause of the disaster. Solve time-travel puzzles and experience a unique atmosphere melding Soviet aesthetics with gripping post-apocalyptic drama. Interact with memorable characters and enjoy an original adaptive soundtrack.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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66%

Audience ScoreBased on 197 reviews

story62 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The Great Perhaps features a unique time travel mechanic that allows players to explore the past and present, enhancing the storytelling experience.
The hand-drawn art style and evocative soundtrack create a beautiful and immersive atmosphere that complements the game's melancholic themes.
The narrative is emotionally charged, exploring profound themes of loss and memory, which resonates well with players who appreciate introspective storytelling.

Gameplay can feel simplistic and repetitive, with puzzles often lacking complexity and depth, which may disappoint players seeking a more challenging experience.
The game suffers from uneven pacing and clunky controls, leading to frustrating moments, especially during timed sequences or platforming sections.
The story leaves many questions unanswered, and the ending may feel abrupt or unsatisfying, which can detract from the overall experience.

story
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
50%
8%
The game's story revolves around an astronaut returning to a post-apocalyptic Earth, exploring themes of regret, hope, and resilience through a melancholic narrative. While the storytelling is praised for its emotional depth and atmospheric presentation, opinions vary on its execution, with some finding it engaging and others deeming it mediocre or lacking in depth. Overall, the narrative is a central aspect that appeals to players who prioritize story over gameplay complexity, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and resolution.
- “At its core, the game tells the story of an astronaut returning to a post-apocalyptic Earth, only to find a world devastated by natural disasters.”
- “The story itself is introspective and contemplative, leaning heavily into a melancholic atmosphere that invites players to reflect on themes of regret, hope, and human resilience.”
- “The game tells a story about an astronaut who returns to Earth after his space mission, where he accidentally fell asleep.”
- “The story is garbage.”
- “The story has potential, but never really takes off properly, and I think I get what the ending was going for, but it really would've benefited from more of an explanation at the end.”
- “The voice acting is dull and robotic, the story is unimaginative and overdone, the mechanics often end up feeling repetitive and gimmicky.”
gameplay
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The gameplay of "The Great Perhaps" is centered around a unique time travel mechanic that allows players to switch between past and present to solve puzzles, which some find engaging while others criticize for its simplicity and repetitiveness. While the game excels in storytelling and atmosphere, many reviewers note that the gameplay often feels clunky and lacks depth, making it more of a narrative experience than a challenging adventure. Overall, it appeals to those who prioritize story and emotional engagement over complex gameplay mechanics.
- “This mechanic is central to both the storytelling and gameplay, giving players a unique way to engage with the environment and unravel the mysteries behind the world's collapse.”
- “The gameplay is fun and straightforward, the story — original and compelling, and the humor is just outstanding!”
- “The time travel mechanic makes for some interesting puzzle designs.”
- “Despite its strong artistic and narrative presentation, The Great Perhaps has received mixed feedback regarding its gameplay mechanics.”
- “The gameplay often takes a backseat to the story, which may disappoint those looking for more complex or challenging gameplay elements.”
- “The gameplay is a bit confusing at first and felt a bit clunky at times.”
graphics
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
45%
6%
The graphics of "The Great Perhaps" feature a hand-drawn art style that evokes a blend of beauty and desolation, effectively enhancing the game's emotional tone. While many players appreciate the unique aesthetic and atmospheric visuals, some criticize the cartoonish design for detracting from the overall experience, particularly in terms of horror elements and immersion. Overall, the art style is a highlight for many, though opinions vary on its execution and impact on gameplay.
- “Visually, The Great Perhaps impresses with its hand-drawn art style that perfectly balances beauty and desolation.”
- “The graphics are pretty nice, hand-drawn style, with Eastern European and Soviet aesthetics.”
- “Great short and sad story with very cool graphical design and in a good retro-Soviet setting.”
- “There's a bit of story to enjoy, but everything else drags the experience down, with the biggest offender being the 2D cartoonish art style, which sadly kills the atmosphere, any horror attempts, and even the time-travel mechanic itself.”
- “And the graphics look like one of those old games from back in the 'flash' days.”
- “While the graphics, animations, and voice acting are strictly amateur level, there is something strangely endearing and addictive about the gameplay that overcomes the weakness of some of its elements.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting and evocative quality, enhancing the emotional tone and atmosphere throughout the experience. It effectively complements the visuals and narrative, guiding players through pivotal moments without overshadowing gameplay. While some players noted occasional repetitiveness, the overall soundtrack is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's immersive and introspective journey.
- “The audio experience complements the visuals with a haunting and evocative soundtrack that enhances the game’s emotional tone.”
- “Music swells during pivotal moments, guiding the player’s emotional journey without overpowering the gameplay.”
- “The music also did a good job at carrying the narrative forward as you progress and explore this grim tale.”
- “The hand-drawn art style is good, but the voice acting is somewhat average; luckily, the soundtrack keeps things together.”
- “The combination of art style and music does the most for the atmosphere.”
- “Music and atmosphere are just magical; I felt myself completely immersed, and that’s what this game is about.”
atmosphere
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
43%
11%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a melancholic and introspective tone, enhanced by immersive visual design, evocative music, and strong voice acting. While many players appreciate the haunting narrative and emotional depth, some criticize the art style and gameplay mechanics for detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, appealing particularly to those who value story and emotional engagement over traditional gameplay complexity.
- “The story itself is introspective and contemplative, leaning heavily into a melancholic atmosphere that invites players to reflect on themes of regret, hope, and human resilience.”
- “The visual design supports the game’s atmosphere superbly, creating an immersive world that draws players into its haunting narrative.”
- “Music and atmosphere are just magical; I felt completely immersed, and that’s what this game is about.”
- “Jumping between pre- and post-apocalyptic worlds, solving puzzles to progress as the bleak atmosphere tugs at your emotional strings sounds like an absolutely amazing concept, one that this game clearly lacked the budget and scale to implement properly.”
- “There’s a bit of story to enjoy, but everything else drags the experience down, with the biggest offender being the 2D cartoonish art style, which sadly kills the atmosphere, any horror attempts, and even the time-travel mechanic itself.”
- “So much of the premise, gameplay promises, atmosphere, and art style kept drawing me into it, yet it was plagued by too many immersion-breaking moments that it made me overall disappointed with the outcome of actually playing it.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"The Great Perhaps" delivers a deeply emotional experience through its narrative-driven adventure that explores themes of loss, memory, and time's fragility. The minimalistic yet expressive character designs and haunting soundtrack enhance the emotional weight of the story, allowing players to engage with its profound themes. However, some players found the gameplay mechanics, particularly the puzzle-solving elements, could detract from the emotional immersion due to frustrating repetition.
- “The Great Perhaps, developed by Caligari Games and published by Daedalic Entertainment, offers players an emotionally charged narrative-driven adventure that explores themes of loss, memory, and the fragility of time.”
- “The audio experience complements the visuals with a haunting and evocative soundtrack that enhances the game’s emotional tone.”
- “A very touching and sobering experience.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating due to infrequent checkpoints and slow movement, which can lead to tedious backtracking after dying. The combination of slippery controls and cumbersome puzzles, such as transporting items one at a time, contributes to an overall sense of irritation, overshadowing the game's visual and auditory appeal.
- “You can die very easily in this game, so the infrequent checkpoints can get really tedious really fast when you accidentally die to some random hazard and need to spend a long time getting back to where you were.”
- “The walk is very slow and gets really tedious, but the run is slippery (for some reason), which makes it more troublesome to use when you want to stand in a specific spot.”
- “It's a strange mixture where the unique elements really only serve to make the game more tedious.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its cleverness and balance, often featuring sarcastic interactions with AI and funny scenes amidst a compelling narrative. While some players expected more outrageous humor, the game successfully integrates lighthearted moments with its mature themes, enhancing the overall experience. Overall, the humor is described as outstanding and a significant highlight of the gameplay.
- “The interaction with AI is quite funny with many sarcastic takes.”
- “It poses some heavy questions and contains mature themes, but it balances the tone with a sprinkle of very welcome humor.”
- “The gameplay is fun and straightforward, the story is original and compelling, and the humor is just outstanding!”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, the game has limited replayability, with many players noting a lack of incentive to revisit it after completion. While a few puzzles offer multiple solutions, the short length and underwhelming ending contribute to a general consensus that the game does not encourage repeated playthroughs.
- “A few puzzles have more than one solution, which might give some replay value.”
- “You might be able to speed run and return it, but otherwise, there is zero replay value.”
- “Thumbs down because there is no replay value, and the ending twist wasn't very original and quite disappointing compared to the rest of the game.”
- “Very short game, no replay value; may be a little depressing, and some puzzles are only explained once and not very well.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, including issues with collision detection and sluggish controls. Players report that many puzzles are poorly executed and repetitive, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings significantly detract from the experience.
- “Puzzle game where you switch between the past and present, though the puzzles are simple to solve and frequently buggy.”
- “The most fun I had with the gameplay was discovering a few glitches and repeatedly killing myself.”
- “Mostly repetitive and brainless puzzles, including fetch quests with backtracking as you can frustratingly only carry one item at a time. Some poorly executed puzzles, such as one that involved placing items in a can with no indication of whether an item had been put in the can or accidentally dropped, and no indication of whether you had successfully placed items in the correct order or needed to try again. Additionally, there are sluggish controls and buggy collision detection, making chase sequences particularly frustrating.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its minimalistic yet expressive designs, which effectively convey emotional depth and enhance the storytelling experience without overwhelming the player.
- “Character designs are minimalistic yet expressive, allowing the emotional undertones of the story to resonate without distraction.”
- “The character development is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that unfolds beautifully throughout the game.”
- “I love how the choices I make impact the characters' growth, making each playthrough feel personal and meaningful.”

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58%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews

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4h Median play time

4h Average play time

3-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Great Perhaps is a casual action adventure game with mystery and science fiction themes.

The Great Perhaps is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing The Great Perhaps.

The Great Perhaps was released on August 14, 2019.

The Great Perhaps was developed by Caligari Games.

The Great Perhaps has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

The Great Perhaps is a single player game.

Similar games include Lifeless Planet, The Uncertain: Last Quiet Day, Cradle, Seasons After Fall, Creepy Tale and others.

The Great Perhaps

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