The Piano
- November 10, 2013
- Mistaken Visions
Get on Steam"The Piano" is a psychological horror game that tells the story of a tormented pianist living in a decaying mansion. The player must explore the mansion, solve puzzles, and confront supernatural forces while learning the tragic past of the pianist. The game features a unique mechanic where the player's progress is tied to their ability to play the piano and uncover the forgotten melodies of the past.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a captivating atmosphere and engaging story that draws players in.
- The visuals and music are praised for their quality, contributing to the overall experience.
- There are interesting puzzles and collectibles that enhance the narrative and gameplay.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including poor controls, camera angles, and performance problems.
- Many players reported getting stuck due to glitches, leading to frustrating experiences and the need to restart.
- The game has a lack of player interest, as evidenced by low player counts and achievements, indicating it may not appeal to a wider audience.
- story14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players finding it detailed, engaging, and intriguing, despite some technical limitations. While some experienced glitches that hindered progress, the narrative's depth and the inclusion of collectibles helped enhance the overall experience. Overall, the story successfully captivates players, drawing them into its mysterious and atmospheric world.
“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.”
“Hardly a success story; gamers just weren't all that interested in the game.”
“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.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Piano" is criticized for its poor execution, with frustrating camera angles and controls that detract from the experience. While the silence mechanic adds a layer of tension and the initial levels introduce basic mechanics effectively, the overall gameplay can become repetitive despite the variety of riddles and quicktime events. Players are advised to watch gameplay footage before committing to the game.
“The silence is the most important mechanic to find clues, discover paths, and interact; it worked for me as a defensive method, but not always.”
“In-game, 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.”
“The piano is a really poorly conceived 'art' game that tries to blend an incredibly pretentious arthouse concept with 3D action/adventure gameplay and fails abysmally.”
“Before going into the usual faults and defects we expect from amateur-made games, the biggest killer here is just terrible camera angles, control and handling, coupled with frankly garbage arthouse visuals that just deter from the gameplay experience as you wonder what the heck is going on.”
“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 corroborate the tension.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful visuals and noir aesthetic that enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize the poor camera angles, choppy performance, and various visual glitches. Despite the appealing art style, issues like clipping and low-quality textures detract from the overall experience, suggesting a need for better optimization and graphical options.
“The beautiful visuals, retro style props and cutscenes build up the proper dark and depressive mood only further.”
“The horror noir aesthetic is most definitely appealing.”
“Last and least the graphics are provided by the Unity engine, I suppose, and are high quality standard.”
“Before going into the usual faults and defects we expect from amateur-made games, the biggest killer here is just terrible camera angles, control and handling, coupled with frankly garbage arthouse visuals that just deter from the gameplay experience as you wonder what the heck is going on.”
“Even though it's a low graphic and low processor game, the FPS drop is a whole other level.”
“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).”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a captivating and eerie atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience with a well-chosen soundtrack that fits the noir theme. While many players appreciate the quality of the music, some express a desire for a greater variety of tracks. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's immersive and mysterious ambiance.
“The game is visually stunning, has a great soundtrack, and there is so much to do in it.”
“Soundtrack and ambient audio fit perfectly to the noir mysterious thrill!”
“If Deadly Premonition wasn't your favorite coffee blend, then the piano will not be your favorite musical instrument.”
“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.”
“My only complaint here is that there isn't more music.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its psychological horror elements, combining a beautiful noir aesthetic with creepy visuals and an engaging soundtrack. Players appreciate the immersive setting and effective voice acting, although some note that pacing during cutscenes can disrupt the experience. Overall, it creates a chilling and mysterious ambiance that enhances the storytelling.
“Overall, I like the atmosphere; I appreciate the psychological horror approach.”
“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 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.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Despite being an older game, players report encountering various bugs and glitches, including character movement issues and camera problems, which can disrupt gameplay. While some users find the visual glitches entertaining, others feel that these stability issues detract from the overall experience.
“You think that because it's an old game it would have fewer bugs and glitches, but it's not.”
“Other glitches include stairs, where the character gets stuck and I have to roll out of the geometry.”
“Glitches and awkward pauses kind of ruin it for me.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant technical issues and poor optimization, leading to frustrating performance and visually unpleasant color choices that detract from the overall experience.
“The game has significant technical issues and horrible performance, along with irritating colors that are hard on the eyes. I would like to request a refund.”
“Poor optimization.”
