The Guilt and the Shadow
- February 2, 2015
- oophok
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Get on itch.io Store"The Guilt and The Shadow" is a 2D point-and-click style game that explores themes of mortality, illness, and the fragility of the human psyche. Players unravel a haunting story of reflection and redemption, while experiencing a unique blend of atmospheric visuals and somber music. The game's demo is currently available for those interested in trying it out.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful visuals and a unique art style that enhances the atmospheric experience.
- The sound design is exceptional, creating a dark and immersive ambiance that complements the story.
- The game offers a meaningful narrative that explores deep emotional themes, making it a memorable experience for some players.
- The gameplay is tedious, primarily consisting of slow walking and simple puzzles that can feel repetitive and unengaging.
- The story lacks coherence and depth, with dialogues and monologues that come off as unnatural.
- Many players found the game boring and frustrating, with issues like unresponsive controls when trying to quit.
- story28 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a protagonist grappling with grief, conveyed through a series of flashbacks and psychiatric evaluations that create a progressively darker atmosphere. While some players appreciate the meaningful narrative and its emotional depth, others feel that certain elements get lost in translation, detracting from the overall engagement. The art style and audio design enhance the storytelling, but the plot may not fully capture everyone's attention.
“Great atmosphere and story.”
“The game's story is focused on the protagonist attempting to work his way through his grief and depends on each level setting a mood that is capitalized on in the next.”
“It gets progressively darker as the story progresses.”
“But the story doesn't really catch your attention.”
“A majority of the plot is told through flashbacks via floating text and disconnected psychiatric evaluations.”
“I think if some of the plot didn't get lost in translation it would be better; also, allowing us to read the clues to the puzzle more than once would be nice.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "The Guilt and the Shadow" is widely praised for its beautiful graphics, immersive audio design, and dark, gloomy ambiance that enhances the storytelling experience. Players appreciate the slow pacing, which allows for deeper immersion, although some note that the gameplay can feel tedious at times. Overall, the game is recognized as a strong atmospheric experience, best enjoyed in a quiet setting with headphones.
“The backgrounds are absolutely beautiful and the atmosphere is wonderful.”
“The audio design is also wonderful and creates the dark atmosphere that is necessary for this type of story.”
“The guilt and the shadow is technically a puzzle platformer, but this gameplay primarily exists as a way for the player to immerse themselves in its creepy atmosphere.”
“It's a slow game, reminds me a little of 'Year Walk' in its pacing and atmosphere.”
“This game is all about atmosphere, so make sure to put on headphones and turn the lights off; the difference is uncanny.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stylish and whimsical art style, which effectively complements the psychological horror elements and overall atmosphere. Many players express their satisfaction with the visuals, noting that they enhance the gaming experience and make backtracking more enjoyable. The sound design is also highlighted as a strong point, further enriching the game's aesthetic appeal.
“The guilt and the shadow is a game I purchased solely on the strength of the graphics and promise of atmosphere, and I couldn't have been more pleased in these respects.”
“I found this game during the Steam summer sale of 2017 and I fell in love with the art style.”
“The whimsical art style matches the slow, subtle psychological horror perfectly.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received largely negative feedback, with many users finding it lacking and unengaging. While it is categorized as a puzzle platformer, the mechanics seem to serve primarily as a vehicle for the game's atmospheric experience rather than providing enjoyable gameplay. Overall, players do not recommend the game based on its gameplay alone.
“And the gameplay part just plainly sucks.”
“However, I could not recommend this game based on pure gameplay.”
“The Guilt and the Shadow is technically a puzzle platformer, but this gameplay primarily exists as a way for the player to immerse themselves in its creepy atmosphere.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, as it involves repetitive back-and-forth traversal to solve puzzles. However, the strong visuals and atmospheric design help mitigate the monotony, preventing it from becoming overly frustrating. Overall, while the puzzles can feel laborious, they are not deemed excessively tedious.
“It's a very simple, somewhat tedious puzzler that requires your character to traverse areas back-and-forth to push blocks and climb ladders.”
“Strong visuals and great atmosphere, yet tedious puzzles and lack of narrative.”
“It's a very simple, somewhat tedious puzzler that requires your character to traverse areas back-and-forth to push blocks and climb ladders.”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers considering it the standout feature alongside the unique black, grey, and white art style. The soundtrack is seen as a key element that enhances the overall experience, making it a significant selling point.
“I loved the art style of the game, but I think the soundtrack should be the main selling point for this game.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game delivers a profound emotional experience, exploring the deep-seated guilt of a man haunted by his mother's suicide. Players are drawn into the character's internal struggles, making for a poignant narrative that resonates on a personal level.
“An emotional experience about the torments of a man plagued by the guilt of his mother's suicide.”
“An emotional experience about the torments of a man plagued by the guilt of his mother's suicide.”
