The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty
- April 22, 2024
- 零创游戏(ZerocreationGame)
Get on SteamIn "The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty," players assume the role of Liang, a bandit tasked with escorting four girls to a wealthy lord in Luoyang. Traverse through dangerous territories, encounter various events, and uncover the hidden truth behind the girls' journey, all while trying to keep them safe from a sinister secret. This action-adventure game is set during the Chongzhen Reign, a period marked by land annexation, domestic issues, foreign invasions, and widespread starvation.
PC
Reviews
- The storytelling is exceptional, deeply engaging, and evokes strong emotions, making it a memorable experience.
- The artwork and music are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere and cultural representation of the game.
- The game effectively explores dark themes of desperation and survival during the Late Ming Dynasty, providing a thought-provoking narrative.
- The game is relatively short, which some players feel does not justify its price point.
- Certain themes and scenes, particularly involving underage characters, may be uncomfortable or inappropriate for some players.
- The English translation has some issues, with occasional awkward phrasing and grammatical errors that can disrupt immersion.
- story156 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of this visual novel is a deeply engaging and well-crafted narrative that explores themes of redemption, survival, and the harsh realities of life during a chaotic historical period in late Ming Dynasty China. While it features compelling character development and emotional depth, it also contains dark and mature content, including themes of cannibalism and violence, which may not be suitable for all players. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its ability to evoke strong emotions and keep players invested throughout the experience.
“The storytelling is phenomenal with compelling characters and no shortage of heart-wrenching moments paired perfectly with its music.”
“The story is a wonderful tale of redemption, redemption through sacrifice, fighting your life away for revenge, or redemption through duty, living and working for a better world.”
“The story, the topics, the world building... everything was absolutely well done.”
“The story is quite straightforward but decently written and the music is fantastic.”
“Mediocre storyline at best, this game absolutely does not worth $10.”
“The narrative is straightforward and the branches in the story are pretty short.”
- music32 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the storytelling and emotional depth, with many reviewers noting that the soundtrack fits the scenes well and captures the game's atmosphere. However, some criticism arises regarding a lack of variety in the music, with a few users suggesting it could benefit from more diversity. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“The soundtrack is phenomenal; even after finishing the game, I still go back to listen to the beautiful songs that really capture the atmosphere and time period the game is in.”
“The story was amazing, and the soundtrack fitted perfectly with each scene.”
“Amazing storytelling and great music.”
“The music is generic, but the voice acting and the way the story was narrated is so captivating.”
“The soundtrack, unfortunately, kinda lacks diversity, but still does a pretty good job at setting up the mood.”
“However, I would be amiss in not also pointing out the soundtrack.”
- emotional32 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised for its well-crafted storytelling, compelling characters, and the ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from heartbreak to reflection on personal values. Reviewers highlight the game's exploration of dark historical themes and its impactful narrative, which can lead to profound emotional experiences, including moments that are both tragic and heartwarming. While some endings may not resonate as strongly, the overall journey is described as an emotional rollercoaster that leaves a lasting impression.
“The storytelling is phenomenal with compelling characters and no shortage of heart-wrenching moments paired perfectly with its music.”
“Its touching and tragic story made me reflect on my own life, values, and family.”
“The game actually made me cry from the sheer quality of its story.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning artwork and unique art style, effectively conveying the darker themes and cultural elements of the story. While the visuals are beautiful and detailed, some players noted a lack of animation and a more subdued presentation. Additionally, the graphic depictions in the artwork can be intense, which may not be suitable for all players.
“The artwork has a darker tone to it while still looking beautiful, selling the culture and struggles of the novel's world.”
“The artwork in this game is amazing; the artists really captured Sui's emotions well.”
“Artworks are absolutely stunning; oftentimes they are so detailed that they may cause some discomfort as well.”
“The graphic scenes get too descriptive in my opinion, but it does work in setting the tone of the story.”
“Was excited for this game because of its historical themes and art style but got dissuaded given the questionable nature of the relationship between Sui (a minor) and the main character.”
“Whether the historical events and backgrounds chosen by developers or the visuals and OSTs are designed.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its phenomenal soundtrack and engaging writing, which effectively convey the historical setting. While the immersive experience is generally strong, some users noted occasional delivery issues that can break immersion. Overall, the unique late Ming setting and solid design contribute positively to the game's atmosphere.
“The soundtrack is phenomenal; even after finishing the game, I still go back to listen to the beautiful songs that really capture the atmosphere and time period the game is set in.”
“The writing is engaging, and the voice acting enhances the immersive atmosphere.”
“The translation was solid and effectively conveyed the game's atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere and the whole (pretty rare) late Ming setting is pretty cool, but the delivery is sometimes off, breaking the immersion.”
“6 only for the uncommon historical setting and solid atmosphere in design.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the character development in the game is highly praised, with reviewers noting its depth and effectiveness in enhancing the story. Many highlight the expressive designs and the emotional arcs that contribute to a compelling narrative, despite some minor issues with translation. The consensus is that the character development significantly elevates the overall quality of the game.
“Characters: 9/10. I love the character designs and the character development here.”
“What makes stories great is character development, and this game does a fabulous job.”
“All aspects of the work are high quality, with expressive art, tone-setting music, fluent voice acting, wonderful character development, and a compelling plot all interweaving to tell a touching story of villainy, revenge, and redemption.”
“The character development feels incredibly shallow, leaving me disconnected from the story and its characters.”
“I was hoping for a rich narrative, but the character arcs are predictable and lack depth.”
“The characters don't evolve in any meaningful way, making it hard to invest in their journeys.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Gameplay is highly praised for its emotional depth, effectively conveying feelings of hunger and poverty that foster a strong connection to the characters. While the mechanics are well-executed with good functionality, the overall experience is somewhat limited in duration, lasting around 5 to 6 hours.
“The feelings during gameplay—hunger, poverty, the emotions of the characters—make you feel deeply connected.”
“10/10 for the visual novel, with the only small downside being that it is a bit short in terms of gameplay, roughly 5-6 hours.”
“Mechanics (GUI + programming): nicely done, good functionality, has story representation sections; the main menu and log are a bit simple, but that's fine.”
“10/10 for the visual novel, with the only small downside being that it is a bit short in terms of gameplay, roughly 5 to 6 hours.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features an engaging story that enhances its replay value, encouraging players to experience it multiple times.
“Amazing story, great replay value.”
“The game offers multiple endings, making each playthrough feel unique.”
“With various character choices and paths, I find myself coming back for more.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with grinding, particularly in farming mechanics, as the effort put into farming does not yield sufficient rewards to justify the time and resources spent.
“I've been trying my hand at farming since last year, but the sales don’t even cover the water bill.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is positively highlighted, with users noting that the beautiful art and strong voice performances contribute significantly to the overall experience.
