The Imperial Gatekeeper
- September 2, 2022
- Tengsten
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"The Imperial Gatekeeper" is a first-person puzzle-adventure game set in a mystical Asian-inspired kingdom. As the gatekeeper, players must solve challenging puzzles and uncover secrets to protect the imperial city from dark forces. With its beautiful art style and immersive atmosphere, players will be drawn into this magical world and find themselves captivated by the rich story and intricate puzzles.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and engaging twist on the Papers, Please formula, combining bureaucracy with adult themes.
- The story and character writing are surprisingly good, providing depth and humor that enhance the overall experience.
- With the installation of the required patch, the game unlocks a variety of content and mechanics that significantly improve gameplay.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and lacks challenge, making it feel tedious over time.
- Players must download an external patch to access the adult content, which can be inconvenient and is not clearly communicated.
- The game suffers from bugs and incomplete features, leading to a frustrating experience for some players.
- story58 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally described as simple yet engaging, revolving around a former war hero turned civil service employee, with a mix of linear progression and optional side quests. While some players found the narrative to be generic or short, others appreciated its surprising depth and character development, noting that it effectively complements the gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as enjoyable, albeit brief, with a runtime of around 8 to 10 hours, and it offers a unique perspective on the protagonist's experiences.
“The story is surprisingly compelling, but the gameplay can get monotonous unless you make your own fun along the way.”
“While the story is short and sweet, it had me smiling the whole way through.”
“The story is told via cutscenes in between work shifts, depending on how you perform.”
“The story is pretty bare bones, but gets the job done to drive the plot forward.”
“The main story can be speedrun in a matter of around 3-4 hours if you actively manage to let 17 people pass without making any mistakes.”
“Unfortunately, I personally wouldn't mind if the main story had been longer so we would have gotten to see more interactions with the companions.”
- gameplay54 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *The Imperial Gatekeeper* has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and repetitiveness, which can lead to a lack of challenge and engagement over time. While some appreciate the fun mechanics and the integration of adult content, others criticize it for being underdeveloped and tedious, suggesting that the game may appeal more to those interested in its story rather than its gameplay. Overall, it offers a basic gameplay loop that can become monotonous, but it also has moments of enjoyment and potential for fun if players are willing to overlook its shortcomings.
“Unexpected but enjoyable storyline, around 10 hours of gameplay, sandbox mode, this has everything.”
“Very fun gameplay to keep you entertained for hours.”
“The gameplay is well developed.”
“It's a shame that the gameplay is the only element falling behind; it's tedious and still has plenty of room for development.”
“I'd never play this game for the gameplay; there is absolutely no challenge.”
“Concept is interesting and art is decent, but even with the patch, basic gameplay features such as patting down for weapons are bugged and make the game unbeatable, locking me out of content. Can't recommend it while the game is in this state.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the smoothness and simple yet nice art style, while others criticized the visuals for lacking high quality and feeling reminiscent of older games. Additionally, there were concerns about the graphics displaying poorly on larger monitors and some character designs causing confusion. Overall, the artwork is seen as a highlight, but it does not reach high standards.
“Smooth graphics.”
“Great artwork!”
“Simple but yet nice art style and has a sandbox mode post game for you to see all characters that you wish.”
“Also, text and graphics show poorly on large monitors.”
“Graphics are basically what you see above, though CGs have slightly better quality.”
“The graphic of the 'young boy' kept me believing almost all game that this is a girl.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and somewhat boring, particularly in the early stages where progress feels slow and repetitive. While the unique gameplay offers some enjoyment, the need for extensive farming to unlock features can detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of monotony over time.
“It's a shame that the gameplay is the only element falling behind; it's tedious and still has plenty of room for development.”
“I ended up spending maybe 2 hours farming to buy everything and test stuff out, out of the 11.4 hours I've spent.”
“While I enjoyed the unique gameplay, it did start to get a bit tedious after a while, and changing the requirements in each stage did little to keep it fresh.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that significantly detract from the experience. Many feel that the developers should have addressed these issues prior to release, leading to frustration among players who expect a polished product.
“I paid for it and I'm in no mood to spend any time doing troubleshooting that should have been done by the developers.”
“It's buggy and a disgrace of a program.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a clever parody of "Papers, Please," featuring quirky elements that enhance its comedic appeal. Players appreciate its funny moments and suggest it’s a great choice for fans of the original who desire a more humorous and playful experience.
“It's a very cool and funny parody of 'Papers, Please', with some quirky features.”
“All in all, it's a great and funny game to play if you like 'Papers, Please' but think there aren't enough humorous elements in that game.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its strong optimization, requiring minimal storage space while maintaining solid performance. However, the content and themes surrounding player actions at checkpoints have raised significant ethical concerns among users.
“Also, incredibly well optimized, taking up minimal space.”
“The optimization in this game is severely lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the overall experience.”
“Performance issues are rampant, and it feels like the game was rushed without proper optimization.”
“The game runs poorly on various systems, indicating a lack of attention to optimization during development.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers a relatively short campaign, but its abundance of content provides significant replayability, making it a worthwhile experience for the price.
“The campaign isn't very long, but for the price, there's quite a lot of content here, and a lot of replayability.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is perceived as exploitative, with many users feeling that it prioritizes profit over player experience, resembling a cash grab.
“It seems more like a cash grab.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative and unfair.”
“I can't enjoy the game without being constantly bombarded by ads and in-game purchases.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its engaging story and strong character development, distinguishing it among indie HRPG titles.
“The game features a compelling story that includes rich plotlines and deep character development, setting it apart from many other indie HRPGs.”
“Character development is a standout aspect of this game, with well-crafted arcs that keep players engaged throughout the journey.”
“The depth of character development in this game allows players to form meaningful connections with the characters, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs don't evolve in a satisfying way.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "The Imperial Gatekeeper" is reminiscent of "Papers, Please," combining a tense, bureaucratic environment with elements of lewdness, creating a unique and provocative experience.
“The game masterfully creates an immersive atmosphere that draws you into its world.”
“The haunting sound design and stunning visuals combine to create an unforgettable atmosphere.”
“Every detail contributes to a rich atmosphere that keeps you engaged and on edge.”
“The imperial gatekeeper basically rides on the 'Papers, Please' atmosphere and simply mixes in some lewd elements.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
“Despite the potential for a rich setting, the atmosphere is overshadowed by repetitive environments and dull sound design.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted to be reminiscent of "Papers, Please," maintaining a similar style that complements its mature themes.
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
“The audio quality of the music is subpar, and it often clashes with the game's atmosphere.”
