The Manse on Soracca
- January 26, 2020
- MoonMuse
Tasked with finding a lost woman by the name of Bridgette Camilia, private investigator Herbert Castaigne sails to the mysterious, fabled island of Soracca where he finds an imposing mansion. What he finds inside will change his life forever... as it will change yours.
Reviews
- The game combines retro style with modern twists, creating a unique and engaging atmosphere that keeps players immersed.
- Puzzles are clever and require creative problem-solving, with some solutions found outside the game, adding an intriguing layer to the gameplay.
- The lore and environmental storytelling are well-crafted, enhancing the overall experience and making exploration rewarding.
- Some players found the retro loading times tedious, especially when frequently changing areas or dying multiple times.
- A few glitches were reported, which could detract from the overall experience, although some have been addressed in updates.
- The map can be somewhat complex, leading to confusion and getting lost, though recent updates have improved navigation.
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, effectively blending basic mechanics with more complex themes, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the thoughtful design elements, such as the convenient placement of controls, that contribute to a seamless and engaging gameplay experience. Overall, the combination of straightforward gameplay with intricate details is well-received.
“The gameplay, music, art, and story are fantastic!”
“Fantastic game combining simple gameplay elements with more complex themes.”
“There are a lot of tiny details that work great for gameplay, like when you get access to them, the attack and flashlight are right next to each other so you can easily swap in dark areas.”
“Its gameplay is very basic, but that's fine given the inspiration the gameplay came from.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with a retro style that complements the gameplay and art. Reviewers note its appropriateness for the game's themes, describing it as both fantastic and effectively creepy, contributing to the overall lore and experience.
“The gameplay, music, art, and story are fantastic!”
“The retro style and music add to the game's atmosphere.”
“The music is appropriately creepy; the lore building in the game is really well done.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its unique and nuanced approach, effectively conveyed through environmental interactions. It combines retro aesthetics with Lovecraftian elements, making it appealing to fans of both styles. Overall, the narrative enhances the game's fantastic gameplay and artistic presentation.
“The gameplay, music, art, and story are fantastic!”
“I also like how the story is told through interacting with the environment.”
“A very unique game, looks and feels retro but with a more nuanced plot and game progression.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features a consistently eerie atmosphere that, while not overtly scary, maintains high tension through dangerous monsters. Its retro style and music further enhance the immersive experience.
“While I wouldn't call it outright scary, it does maintain a consistently eerie atmosphere the whole way through, and the monsters are dangerous enough to keep the tension high.”
“While I wouldn't call it outright scary, it does maintain a consistently eerie atmosphere the whole way through, and the monsters are dangerous enough to keep tension high.”
“The retro style and music add to the game's atmosphere.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through its engaging flavor text, which adds a comedic touch to nearly every interactable object in the mansion, blending lore and clues with wit.
“You're also in luck if you like flavor text, as nearly every object in the mansion can be interacted with for a good mix of lore, clues, and humor.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 200 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect somewhat tedious due to retro-style load times when frequently changing areas or respawning after deaths, while the lack of challenge from basement monsters diminishes the sense of urgency in grinding.
“The retro load times can feel a bit tedious if you frequently change areas or die multiple times in a row.”
“The monsters in the basement never felt threatening.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's art style has received positive feedback, with users expressing enjoyment and appreciation for its visual design.
“I really enjoyed the art style of this game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report encountering several glitches that detract from the overall stability of the game, indicating that these issues should have been addressed by the developers.
“I encountered several glitches that should have been fixed by now, which I even helped the developers identify during a live stream.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which severely impacted my gaming experience.”