The House in Fata Morgana

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,505 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
The House in Fata Morgana Game Cover
The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition brings one of the best stories in gaming to consoles for the first time and it is a must play game.
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"The House in Fata Morgana" is a narrative-driven game where you explore a cursed mansion across different eras. In 1603, you witness the strife between the Rhodes siblings, and in 1707, you encounter a beast yearning for serenity amidst ruin. With each door, uncover tragic tales of the mansion's residents, searching for clues about your own identity. This atmospheric visual novel combines elements of mystery and horror to explore themes of abuse, identity, and desire for connection.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Nintendo 3ds
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,505 reviews
story541 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • Incredible storytelling with deep, complex characters that evoke a wide range of emotions.
  • Beautiful art style and hauntingly immersive soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • A unique narrative structure that intertwines multiple tragic stories, leading to a satisfying and impactful conclusion.
  • Pacing issues, especially in the first half, where the story can feel slow and drawn out.
  • Limited interactivity with few meaningful choices, making it feel more like a book than a game.
  • Some characters and dialogues can feel repetitive, leading to moments of disengagement.
  • story1,580 mentions

    The story of "The House in Fata Morgana" is widely praised as a masterpiece of storytelling, weaving together multiple tragic narratives that explore themes of love, loss, and redemption across centuries. Reviewers highlight its complex characters, emotional depth, and unexpected plot twists, often describing it as one of the best stories they've ever experienced in any medium. While some note a slow start and occasional pacing issues, the overall consensus is that the richly crafted narrative and haunting atmosphere create a profoundly impactful experience that lingers long after completion.

    • “This story is a tragedy connecting three seemingly different stories together and building up one of arguably the best casts I've ever laid eyes upon. I doubt I'll have the pleasure of reading a story like this again any time soon, so I will say thank you to Novect for this amazing masterpiece.”
    • “The best story I've experienced across any medium of fiction, just play it.”
    • “The story is a masterclass in gothic fiction, weaving together multiple timelines and characters into a cohesive and emotionally charged tapestry.”
    • “The game's approach to revealing important characters' backstory are info dumps - you won't get them piece by piece with an opportunity to fit the pieces together yourself in the meantime.”
    • “But the rest of the story developments were easy to guess and stereotypical of the genre.”
    • “The story is both incredibly drawn-out and incredibly all-over-the-place.”
  • music707 mentions

    The music in "The House in Fata Morgana" is widely praised for its haunting beauty and emotional depth, significantly enhancing the storytelling experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's unique blend of genres and languages, particularly its use of Portuguese, which adds a distinct flavor to the game. While some players found certain tracks repetitive or distracting, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere and emotional impact.

    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal and attributes to the experience immensely.”
    • “The music is captivating.”
    • “The soundtrack is a standout feature, with haunting melodies and evocative compositions that enhance every emotional beat of the narrative.”
    • “I don't like the music, the dialogue rambles on endlessly about nothing and there's not any kind of hook at the start to make me even a little bit interested.”
    • “The music is horrendous, the writing is absolutely cheesy, I just can't anymore.”
    • “The music is distracting.”
  • graphics250 mentions

    The graphics of "The House in Fata Morgana" are widely praised for their stunning, gothic art style that diverges from typical anime aesthetics, offering a unique and hauntingly beautiful visual experience. The detailed character designs and atmospheric backgrounds, complemented by a mesmerizing soundtrack, create an immersive environment that enhances the storytelling. While some users noted inconsistencies in background quality and initial unfamiliarity with the art style, the overall consensus is that the visuals significantly contribute to the game's emotional depth and thematic resonance.

    • “Every visual and aural design choice has had so much love and consideration put into it, and they are all consistent and match the themes and gothic aesthetic.”
    • “The art style perfectly captures the gothic atmosphere, with detailed backgrounds and expressive character designs that bring the story to life.”
    • “Everything from the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the detailed and expressive artwork, not to mention the incredibly well-written dialogue, comes together to form a work that I can call nothing short of a masterpiece.”
    • “The graphics are made for the old school resolution of 800x600 (even though the game came out in 2010), only the main characters have sprites, the backgrounds are heavily filtered photos.”
    • “The graphics are really simple, with raw backgrounds taken from photos, the resolution is very low, but it didn't diminish the overall value of this product.”
    • “At times I disliked the retention of the photographic realism, as it felt too different to the sprites which are quite heavily influenced by their anime style, but at other times I did like the backgrounds where they were simpler and less busy.”
  • emotional232 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "The House in Fata Morgana" is overwhelmingly powerful, with many players reporting profound feelings of sadness, joy, and connection to the characters. The narrative is described as a deeply affecting journey through themes of love, loss, and human suffering, often leaving players in tears and reflecting on their own lives long after finishing the game. While some found the pacing uneven, the overall consensus is that the emotional payoff is significant, making it a must-play for those seeking a heartfelt and immersive experience.

    • “I cried so much when I finished this game.”
    • “The house in Fata Morgana is a really well-written novel with incredibly dynamic characters and emotional moments.”
    • “This game is incredibly emotional; it touched me deeply and I would recommend the experience to anyone.”
  • atmosphere108 mentions

    The atmosphere of "The House in Fata Morgana" is widely praised for its haunting, gothic quality, enhanced by a unique art style and an evocative soundtrack that immerses players in its dark, emotional narrative. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to balance despair with moments of beauty and hope, creating a rich, atmospheric experience that captivates and engages throughout its nonlinear storytelling. Overall, the combination of visuals, music, and writing contributes to an unforgettable and deeply moving atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “The art style perfectly captures the gothic atmosphere, with detailed backgrounds and expressive character designs that bring the story to life.”
    • “There is an absolutely haunting atmosphere permeating the entirety of this experience, dread seeps in from every corner, there are twists upon twists upon twists and they all feel as darkly apocalyptic as they do logical and consistent, but this story does not wallow in misery, there is genuine beauty to be found here, empathy and camaraderie, love and hope.”
    • “The music and art fit this game to a tee, creating just the right atmosphere for the kind of tales being told.”
    • “The house in Fata Morgana has some very annoying aspects to it, and is inconsistent in the quality of its delivery; however, it is still an excellent example of a visual novel that focuses on delivering atmosphere through its high-quality writing and attention to detail.”
    • “While the art may have had its ups and downs with some weird-looking facial expressions and overly complex drawings, the eerie atmosphere given from the sound design, the photographic backgrounds, and the beautiful musical score all helped in providing the mansion a magnificent aura of both magic and obscurity.”
    • “Given this, the atmosphere is very dark and depressing, yet there is so much character development and even funny moments.”
  • gameplay51 mentions

    The gameplay in this visual novel is largely minimal, focusing primarily on reading and dialogue choices, with very few interactive elements or mechanics to engage players. While some users appreciate the story's depth and emotional impact, many criticize the lack of meaningful choices and the overall linearity, making it feel more like reading a novel than playing a game. Overall, the experience is heavily narrative-driven, with gameplay taking a backseat to storytelling.

    • “As far as gameplay is concerned, if you happen to have no experience playing visual novels, you may be relieved to find that the story branching is very minimal and relatively easy to follow, at least compared to what I believe normal visual novels are supposed to be like.”
    • “In terms of gameplay, it's a fairly standard visual novel; there are a few choices you can make, not many at the beginning but more later on, several of which can lead to bad endings, although there is a single 'true' ending.”
    • “The gameplay is definitely an experience more like reading a long novel, with an added great soundtrack and gorgeous art style.”
    • “It's very long, there's very little gameplay, and honestly very little art in general.”
    • “The gameplay is limited and it's a linear story.”
    • “Gameplay is basically non-existent outside of dialogue choices that are few and far between.”
  • character development33 mentions

    Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and intricacy, with many reviewers noting that characters evolve significantly throughout the story, often revealing unexpected layers and motivations. The gothic art style complements this development, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative. While some dialogue may feel repetitive, the overall storytelling and character arcs are described as compelling and satisfying, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The character development, the storyline progression, and the intertwined fates of all of them really had me hooked.”
    • “An impressive example of well-paced character development, full of twists upon twists.”
    • “Each and every character has layers of depth to them, a lot of character development in multiple different chapters and multiple different ways.”
    • “By the final chapter of the story, I was constantly tapping the space bar to skip dialogue that was repetitive and also provided no character development or motivations beyond 'these characters love each other.'”
    • “Some parts can feel like they are dragging on, but the character development benefits from it.”
    • “Realistic character development”
  • humor24 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its sharp contrasts, blending genuinely funny moments with deeply tragic lore, creating a unique emotional experience. While players may find themselves laughing intermittently, the overall tone leans heavily towards melodrama, with humor often serving to lighten the otherwise dark narrative. The bonus "backstage" segment offers a more lighthearted, fourth-wall-breaking take on the story, providing additional comedic relief after the main experience.

    • “This game is so cruel; it shows some hilarious scenes but then casually drops the most tragic, jaw-dropping lore imaginable.”
    • “There were times when this game was genuinely funny right before it tore your heart to absolute shreds, and I love it for that so much.”
    • “Once you finish the game properly, you’ll get access to a quite humorous and fourth-wall-breaking tour in the extra menu.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Reviews highlight that while the game features a compelling story and captivating music, the grinding aspect can be tedious, particularly due to repetitive dialogue and slow pacing. Some players found the initial grind off-putting, but many noted that perseverance leads to a rewarding experience as the narrative unfolds. Adjusting text speed and utilizing auto-play options are recommended to mitigate the tedium during longer sessions.

    • “Oh, I didn't know this game came along with an onion grinding machine too.”
    • “Maybe I should have persevered, but after 71 minutes the repetitive dialogue became tedious, and I gave up.”
    • “This slowed the plot's progression down even further and even made it tedious to read, especially since the previous sections (which were already slow) were at least focused on different characters which gave a feeling of novelty that was lost the second time around.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The optimization of the game is noted for its ability to create an immersive experience, akin to a live-action performance, despite being text and 2D model-based. However, some users find this overwhelming, indicating a mixed reception regarding the balance between character focus and overall performance.

    • “Today, performance is called 'The House in Fata Morgana'.”
    • “The characters are the main focus for me personally, and I find it utterly overwhelming (not to say unwelcome) how the novel can at times feel like a live-action performance, regardless of being made up of text and 2D models.”
    • “Performance is called 'the house in Fata Morgana'.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, the game offers good replay value due to its numerous twists and hidden hints that enhance the experience upon subsequent playthroughs, despite some opinions suggesting it has minimum replay value.

    • “While this diminishes replayability, it is enjoyable to replay as there are many different twists in the game, and playing a second time allows you to notice all the hints!”
    • “Overall, very good replay value.”
    • “The game offers minimal replay value, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
    • “Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to return, as the experience feels repetitive.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences significantly reduces the replayability factor.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, though players have reported occasional minor graphical glitches during saving or loading sequences.

    • “There are a few minor graphical glitches when saving or loading.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

91% average critic score

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Play time

40hMedian play time
41hAverage play time
30-60hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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