The Mirror Lied

About

The Mirror Lied is a single player action game. It was developed by Freebird Games and was released on October 25, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

The Mirror Lied is the second game in the Freebird Games franchise. The player controls a little girl named 'Leah' as she explores a house with no one else in it and no visible means of escape.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 393 reviews

story24 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The game is free and offers a unique, atmospheric experience that can be completed in about 30 minutes.
It features intriguing, abstract storytelling that encourages multiple interpretations and leaves players pondering its meaning.
The minimalistic graphics and haunting soundtrack effectively create a creepy and immersive atmosphere.

The gameplay can feel clunky and unresponsive, with some puzzles lacking clear logic, leading to confusion.
Many players find the story vague and difficult to understand, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game is very short, which may leave some players wanting more content and depth.

story
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
80%
2%
The story of "The Mirror Lied" is described as vague, confusing, and open to interpretation, often leaving players puzzled about its meaning. While some appreciate the mysterious and metaphorical elements, others find it lacking coherence and clarity, leading to a reliance on external analyses to grasp its themes. Overall, the game offers a short, intriguing experience that invites players to piece together its narrative, though it may not satisfy those seeking a straightforward storyline.
- “The story has left me with some stuff to mull over since it's very mysterious and thus has room for interpretation.”
- “The mirror lied is a strange but interesting RPG Maker horror game, with a very vague and confusing story that is open to your own interpretation.”
- “If you see this more as an interactive short story than an actual game, then you won't be disappointed.”
- “The story does not make any sense.”
- “It's impossible to understand the story of this game, so check this story analysis.”
- “The story is very vague and confusing, and it's up to your own interpretation.”
music
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke emotions, particularly in horror contexts. While some noted the music as sparse or limited to a few tracks, others found it memorable and integral to the overall experience, often describing it as "amazing" or "great." Overall, the soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's immersion, making it a highlight for many players.
- “Music is absolutely amazing and the game is free, so a yes.”
- “The atmosphere it created, music, and art style is awesome.”
- “Although the story continues to baffle me, the game is short, well-made, the music is incredible, and it's free.”
- “The music is pretty sparse but it does have one creepy little jingle which will play during certain moments; otherwise, the game is silent except for the endless ticking of a grandfather clock, which is quite unsettling by itself. However, another song can be played whenever you want and has to be manually activated from a music box.”
- “When paired with the lights being off by default around the house, both the music and the ticking clock really made me feel on edge throughout some portions of the game.”
- “There's only one single musical track, but thankfully music is one of Gao's strong points so it's used well. Since the game is pretty short, it doesn't really matter that there aren't more of them anyway.”
atmosphere
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
50%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its surreal, eerie, and unsettling qualities, effectively immersing players in a mysterious and thought-provoking experience. Many reviews highlight the intentionality behind the bizarre imagery and cryptic storytelling, which, despite being disorienting, contributes to a haunting ambiance that resonates with players. The combination of music, art style, and thematic depth enhances the overall atmosphere, making it a noteworthy aspect of the game.
- “Despite its seemingly nonsensical imagery, there is a greater sense of intentionality than in many similar games of the time. Even though I was largely baffled, the atmosphere and themes of the game were strong enough to make me feel that I had experienced something with more thought put into it than your average surreal horror game.”
- “The game has a thick atmosphere of a surreal nightmare; the screenplay consists of strange metaphors and dark images.”
- “Despite the short playtime, The Mirror Lied is able to create an unsettling atmosphere with only the mystery it creates backed up with the sound of a clock ticking.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
79%
12%
The gameplay is generally described as minimalistic and basic, often resembling a walking simulator with limited interaction and depth. Many reviewers found it dry and frustrating, lacking engaging puzzles or mechanics, while some appreciated its narrative and atmosphere despite the gameplay's shortcomings. Overall, the experience is seen as short and simplistic, with a mix of traditional and experimental elements that may appeal to fans of the studio's previous works.
- “The subtleties of the gameplay, the art style, the music, it made the experience so immersive.”
- “It is a very short but powerful game that will keep you thinking about what happened, and you'll spend your next two days learning about things and replaying it to see what you missed in your first gameplay.”
- “From the mechanical point of view, it's a pretty traditional 'search the area for hidden items to get access to other items' sort of game, but the narrative gives the whole experience a truly bizarre vibe.”
- “It's twenty minutes long, so cryptic as to be incomprehensible and what gameplay there is is as basic as it comes.”
- “The gameplay is dry and boring; just walk around and interact with objects hoping the story will advance enough for you to be able to water a plant another 10 times.”
- “The gameplay is limited to point-and-click elements and doesn't have any real depth.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their attractive 16-bit pixel art style, reminiscent of classic titles like "Chrono Trigger" and "Star Ocean," with detailed environments and a charming aesthetic. However, some users criticize the RPG Maker engine for its limitations, such as poor fullscreen support and lack of modern graphics options, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the visuals contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and immersive qualities.
- “The graphics are very attractive and use 16-bit pixel art that is reminiscent of games near the end of said era such as Chrono Trigger and Star Ocean.”
- “The atmosphere it created, music, and art style is awesome.”
- “The visuals and music are lovely, and I enjoyed the experience overall.”
- “As with all RPG Maker games, the poor quality engine displays badly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer.”
- “I didn't like the gameplay, puzzles, or art style; not really interesting as a standalone game.”
- “Graphics: 3/5”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players find it nostalgic and reminiscent of other emotionally impactful titles, others feel it lacks depth and coherence. The atmosphere, enhanced by music and environmental elements, creates tension, but it may not resonate with those seeking the profound emotional storytelling found in other Freebird games. Overall, it is noted that "The Mirror Lied" stands out as a well-crafted emotional narrative.
- “This game made me feel very nostalgic and gave me mad father vibes.”
- “When paired with the lights being off by default around the house, both the music and the ticking clock really made me feel on edge throughout some portions of the game.”
- “As to all other Freebird games, The Mirror Lied is a very emotional and captivating story. It is a story well done, very well written, and good job with the RPG Maker engine.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, user reviews on stability are mixed; while some describe the game as a "buggy mess," others express satisfaction with its functionality, noting only minor menu-related glitches that do not significantly impact gameplay.
- “It's a buggy mess.”
- “Given how early on this game was made, I was pleased and surprised to see that it was pretty much entirely functional (a couple of menu-related glitches, but nothing game-breaking), with no real quality of life complaints to speak of.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle and develops over time, with players finding enjoyment in memes and silly moments that evoke a lighthearted response. While it may not deliver immediate laughs, it ultimately provides a charming and amusing experience.
- “Nothing will jump at you, but the 'this is okay' fire meme made me laugh; it's worth the time.”
- “Then, it slowly becomes funny, because 'oh so silly!'”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express that the game's replayability enhances their enjoyment, indicating that the ability to play it multiple times contributes positively to their overall experience.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others experience lag and frame rate drops, indicating that optimization may vary significantly across different system configurations.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is positively received for its lack of microtransactions, which enhances its overall appeal, as it avoids common pitfalls associated with monetization in gaming.
- “I automatically recommend all such games unless they have microtransactions (which this does not) or are completely horrible (which this is not).”