The Safe Place
- March 22, 2023
- Anate Studio
Get on Steam"The Safe Place" is a social point-and-click adventure drama set in a post-Soviet city during the economic crisis of the early 90s. Players control an engineer named Alexander who, after accidentally killing a man, enlists the help of a 12-year-old girl named Christina to cover up his crime. As they navigate their mutual problems, players will encounter classic adventure puzzles and dramatic plot twists in this emotional roller coaster ride. The game features fully voice-acted dialogues in English.
Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and a beautifully melancholic atmosphere that effectively captures the post-Soviet setting.
- The story is engaging and thought-provoking, with well-developed characters and professional voice acting that enhances the experience.
- The puzzles are interesting and connected to the narrative, providing a satisfying challenge for players.
- The autosave system is unreliable, often leading to frustration as players may lose progress due to infrequent save points.
- There is a lack of item descriptions in the inventory, making it difficult for players to identify objects and leading to excessive clicking.
- The pacing is slow, with the main character's movement speed being particularly frustrating, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- story25 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is a dark and compelling narrative set in a realistic, oppressive environment reminiscent of communist Russia, exploring themes of poverty, domestic abuse, and moral ambiguity. While the cut scenes and voice acting are praised for their quality, many players feel the main character's poor decisions and lack of player control detract from the emotional impact. Overall, the story is seen as both engaging and tragic, with a mix of interesting puzzles and a strong connection to the narrative, though some find it too short and filled with unresolved plotlines.
“In an adventure game, story is everything.”
“It’s a story of poverty, domestic abuse, and crime; of struggling to overcome being a victim of others or simply of circumstance.”
“Interesting story, it shows the dark side of the Soviet Union, and how this evil state negatively affected people's lives.”
“But the really egregious thing about the game is the story.”
“The main character makes loads of bad decisions along the way, over which you as the player have disappointingly little control, making him very unsympathetic and draining away any feeling of satisfaction from what might otherwise be an emotionally gut-wrenching story.”
“Although the voice acting was excellent and the main character was sympathetic, I found the game to be too short, very depressing, and full of unresolved plot lines.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive depiction of a post-Soviet city in the early 1990s, resonating particularly well with players familiar with that era. The attention to detail effectively captures the essence of life in Ukraine during that time, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
“Honestly, the idea was good, and as someone who was born in the ex-Soviet Union in the 1980s, I feel the atmosphere very well.”
“It adds to the overall game atmosphere, which I find to be incredibly immersive.”
“The atmosphere of the post-Soviet city in the early 90s is well conveyed.”
“If you want to feel the atmosphere of the early 1990s in Ukraine, welcome.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players appreciating the simple and effective mechanics alongside a moving story, while others criticize the frustrating saving system and character AI. The puzzles are generally seen as manageable, with hints available for those who need assistance, but there is a desire for more varied endings to enhance replayability.
“Simple and effective gameplay with a moving story.”
“The puzzles were very doable, but it was nice to have the hints available should players want or need them.”
“It would be nice to have several endings.”
“But considering the annoying system of saving, the stupidity of all characters, and how bad the gameplay is, I honestly regret the 8.25 euros I've spent on this game.”
“As for the gameplay, it would be nice to have several endings.”
“There are several comments about the gameplay:”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its beautifully melancholic tone, complementing the visuals and enhancing the overall experience with a fantastic soundtrack.
“Beautifully melancholic game with a fantastic soundtrack.”
“I really like the visuals and the musical accompaniment.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received praise for their stunning visuals and attention to detail, creating an immersive experience. Many users highlight the vibrant colors and realistic animations, while some note occasional performance issues on lower-end systems. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal and atmosphere.
“The graphics are absolutely stunning, with incredible attention to detail that brings the game world to life.”
“Every environment is beautifully rendered, making exploration a visual delight.”
“The character models are incredibly lifelike, and the animations are smooth and fluid, enhancing the overall experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the story is diminished by the main character's poor decision-making and the player's limited control over these choices, resulting in a lack of sympathy and satisfaction that undermines the potential for a deeply moving experience.
“The main character makes loads of bad decisions along the way, over which you as the player have disappointingly little control, making him very unsympathetic and draining away any feeling of satisfaction from what might otherwise be an emotionally gut-wrenching story.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to frequent miss-clicking caused by numerous small hotspots, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The grinding in this game is incredibly tedious, leading to a frustrating amount of miss-clicking due to the numerous small hotspots.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes the gameplay feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be excessively time-consuming, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
