The Piano

About

The Piano is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Mistaken Visions and was released on November 10, 2013. It received neutral reviews from both critics and players.

"The Piano" is a survivor horror/murder mystery game set in post-war Paris. Players assume the role of John Barnerway, a failed pianist and accused murderer, as he searches for the truth about his brothers' deaths and clears his name. The game combines classic horror elements with noir-inspired aesthetics and puzzle-solving to create a unique and captivating gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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57%

Audience ScoreBased on 14 reviews

story4 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features fantastic visuals and a captivating atmosphere that draws players in.
The soundtrack, particularly the piano scores, enhances the overall experience and complements the game's themes.
The story is engaging and offers a variety of puzzles and challenges that keep players interested.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with character movement and save file problems that can lock players out of progress.
Performance issues, such as significant FPS drops and delayed subtitles, detract from the gameplay experience.
The voice acting can be hard to understand at times, and some characters' performances feel lackluster.

story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game's story is highly praised for its detail and engagement, effectively drawing players into the narrative centered around the character John. While some players experienced technical issues that hindered progression, the overall intrigue and atmosphere of the plot, along with collectible elements that enrich the storyline, contribute to a compelling gaming experience. Many reviewers recommend the game for its captivating narrative and the developers' responsiveness in enhancing the story.
- “The story is extremely detailed and engaging, and every challenge is different, which makes it so fun.”
- “The story is intriguing and was scary enough to rile me up at times, though I'm not prone to panic.”
- “For the most part, the game is focused on the story revolving around John, which is at first completely unknown.”
- “After you get thrown into the game without much information, you slowly but surely become interested in the story and want to find out what caused the mess you find yourself in.”
- “But that didn't bother me much, for there are plenty of collectibles like memories or newspaper articles that gave me a better outline of the story.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a captivating and immersive atmosphere, perfectly complementing the visuals and gameplay. The soundtrack enhances the noir and mysterious themes, drawing players into the experience, though some users express a desire for more musical content. Overall, the combination of great audio and ambiance significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
- “The game is visually stunning, has a great soundtrack, and there is so much to do in it.”
- “Before the game even started, I was pleasantly greeted and easily drawn into the creepy dark atmosphere provided solely by the soundtrack and the dusty-looking piano.”
- “Soundtrack and ambient audio fit perfectly to the noir mysterious thrill!”
- “My only complaint here is that there isn't more music.”
- “Of course a game called The Piano would have to have some decent music.”
- “Before the game even started, I was pleasantly greeted and easily drawn into the creepy dark atmosphere provided solely by the soundtrack and the dusty looking piano.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics are praised for their fantastic visuals and retro style, effectively creating a dark and immersive atmosphere, despite being limited to high and ultra settings without options for lower graphics. However, users have noted issues such as frame rate drops, clipping, and transparency problems, suggesting that the overall quality is comparable to PS3 standards. The use of the Unity engine contributes to the high-quality visuals, but technical flaws detract from the experience.
- “The beautiful visuals, retro style props, and cutscenes build up the proper dark and depressive mood even further.”
- “Tl;dr character-based mysterious search with harsh effects on the protagonist's psyche shown by solving riddles while experiencing a beautiful noir atmosphere with cuts of creepy aesthetics.”
- “Last and least, the graphics are provided by the Unity engine, I suppose, and are high quality standard.”
- “Even though it's a low graphic and low processor game, the FPS drop is a whole other level.”
- “Graphics are about PS3 quality.”
- “There are lots of clipping graphics and other visual issues (like entire buildings having see-through textures, looking behind buildings to see through the world, etc).”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
49%
13%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a captivating blend of noir aesthetics and eerie soundscapes, effectively immersing players in a mysterious and chilling environment. The combination of haunting music, detailed visuals, and engaging voice acting enhances the overall experience, although some players noted that pacing issues during cutscenes can disrupt the flow. Overall, it is highly recommended for fans of atmospheric storytelling and psychological intrigue.
- “Before the game even started, I was pleasantly greeted and easily drawn into the creepy dark atmosphere provided solely by the soundtrack and the dusty-looking piano.”
- “Great atmosphere and good synchronization, as well as a well-chosen soundtrack.”
- “I'd recommend it to anyone who likes mysterious stories and a chilling atmosphere.”
- “I understand that the game is trying to pace to set atmosphere, but there can be literally 30-50 seconds of pause between lines while you’re stuck sitting in a cutscene.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, while some players appreciate the visual quirks and glitches as part of the game's charm, others find that issues like lag and camera glitches detract from the experience, indicating a mixed reception regarding stability.
- “You think that because it's an old game it would have fewer bugs and glitches, but it's not.”
- “I ran into some lag involving the lighting while turning the camera directly towards lamps, so that might be an issue. There are also a few wall glitches with the camera, but nothing game-breaking!”
- “Glitches and awkward pauses kind of ruin it for me.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The gameplay features a blend of simple mechanics like running, hiding, and dodging obstacles, which support the core focus on solving progressively challenging riddles. While some players find the gameplay slightly repetitive, the variety of puzzles and well-placed quick-time events help maintain tension and engagement.
- “The first three levels set up simple mechanics of running, hiding, and dodging obstacles, which support the core gameplay of solving riddles.”
- “In general, the gameplay can get slightly repetitive, but the variety of riddles that build up in difficulty and some well-placed quick-time events contribute to the tension.”
- “In-game, the first three levels set up simple mechanics of running, hiding, and dodging obstacles, which support the core gameplay of solving riddles.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant technical issues and poor performance, with some players finding the color scheme excessively harsh and visually uncomfortable, leading to requests for refunds.
- “The game has significant technical issues and horrible performance, along with irritating colors that are blinding. I would like to request a refund.”
- “The optimization is so poor that it makes the game nearly unplayable.”
- “I experience constant frame drops and crashes, which completely ruin the gaming experience.”